Xerophyte

Habit

Solitary or with several basal and lateral offshoots.

Flowers

Very showy, nearly 10 cm long an up to 7 cm across, bright red. Buds are covered by long silky hairs and grow laterally from the centre of the stem. The tube is slightly curved, funnel-shaped, slender with green scales often red at the base, with abundant white and black hairs.

Blooming Season

It flowers in mid spring on into summer. Sometimes it blooms profusely, especially on older plants.

Spines

The central spines are long and brown while the numerous radial spines are white and thinner.

Ribs

14 to 15 sharp-edged separated by deep grooves.

Stem

Dark green globular or elongated reaching a height of 15 cm and a diameter of 5-6 cm or more.

Areoles

Whitish or brownish on young plants, closely set and oval.