Goldspine Cactus

This small cactus grows up to 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall. The very narrow, elongated stem is brown, and is covered in thousands of rigid gold spines.

It is very slow growing, taking 42 years to reach maturity. Once mature, several flowers with solid brown petals and a dark grey central disk grow at the top, reappearing every year. The flower head is made up of 4 petals in raised layers. It has an overpowering scent that smells like freshly baked bread.

The cactus's skin is thin, the olive flesh is rough, and the gold sap is thin.