Xerophyte

Habit

It grows in clusters and may form splendid mounded clumps with time.

Central Spines

1 to 4, thicker, upward pointing, round in cross-section.

Flowers

1 to 3 at a time, diurnal closing at night, protracting the period of opening many days, funnel-shaped, yellow-pink.

Blooming Season

Spring.

Spines

Strong, stoutly subulate, rigid, at first dark brown to black, afterwards becoming greyish.

Ribs

It has high ribs about 12 to 18 mm tall, visibly separated and strongly tuberculate especially in young specimens.

Stem

Young stems spherical green, later elongated 20-40 cm tall grey-green or dark silver, and crowned by a dense mass of white wool, particularly at flowering time. Apex in mature specimens up to 5 cm in diameter, often spineless and depressed.

Radial Spines

Stout, fairly slender, evenly spreading outwards, more or less standing out in a radiating manner, slightly curved inward, with a wide lateral spine angle, round in cross-section.

Fruits

Round to elongate green.

Areoles

Large, broad, almost round about 8-13 mm Ø. Young areoles filled with soft dull white felted wool quickly ageing to almost dark grey and often sunken into the ribs.