Columnar cactus branching from the base. The stems grows between and in height and up to 8 cm in diameter, and have about 18 closely spaced ribs with 1 to 5 central spines approximately 2 to 2.5 cm long and 20 to 30 radial spines 30 to 80 mm long. The flowers are red-orange tubular, about 4 to 6 cm long and red in color, producing greenish to reddish to brownspinyfruits about 2 to 2.5 cm in diameter with brown-black seeds.