| General Description | Spreading columnar cactus. |
| Shape | Tree-like stem succulent, with upright or slightly curved branches. Distinct trunks up to 10 m. |
| Notable Specimens | Centennial Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Cylindrical, somewhat slender, segmented, 10 - 20 cm in diameter. Spines are extremely variable, needle-like, and grow up to 5 cm. |
| Flower Description | 12 - 15 cm long, nocturnal, each flower opens for only one night then shrivels. Flowers aren't self-compatible, requires cross-pollination to produce fruit. |
| Fruit Description | Fruit grow to about 4 cm long, takes 40-50 days to ripen, cracks open during ripening with the flesh sweetening as the fruit opens. Edible flesh contains small edible seeds. |
| Colour Description | Bark varies from green, grey-green, to blue. Spines are grey. Flowers are white with reddish tips. Fruit are red with white pulp, but skin colour can vary from yellow to deep violet-red. |
| Texture Description | Smooth. |
