Azure Spined Succulent

This average-sized leaf succulent grows up to 72 feet (21.9 meters) tall. The thick stem is slate or turquoise, and is covered in brittle red spines. The serrated-edged, pleated leaves are found in aquamarine and ashy blue varieties. Thick bunches of them grow from the base in alternating layers of 3, then 6, then 9, and so on. The leaves are flexible, and do not detach easily.

It is slow growing, taking 31 years to reach maturity. Once mature, a handful of flowers, with each petal a slightly different shade of white, grow at the top, reappearing once every 10 years. The flower head is shaped like a dish made up of several raised, narrow petals. It has a strong scent that smells like meat.

The leaf succulent's skin is extremely thick, the green flesh is rough, and the azure sap is thin.