Crimson Succulent

This modest-sized cactus grows up to 17 feet (5.2 meters) tall. The thin stem is gray-green, and is covered in large amounts of flexible cream spines. The mushroom-shaped body is green, and is covered in lots of rigid crimson spines.

It is slow growing, taking 4 years to reach maturity. Once mature, and only under the right conditions, a handful of flowers, with petals that are generally lime; each flower tends to be a variation of this colour, grow at the top, reappearing after 5 years, but only when the conditions are right again. The flower head is largely flat with 22 tightly layered round-tipped petals. It has a delicate scent that smells like vanilla.

The cactus's skin is thin, the grey flesh is rubbery, and the white sap is thin.