It is a solitary cacti with a dense covering of spines, it hybridizes easily in habitat and cultivation. The body is purplish and globose to a short columnar shape, 2 1/2"-7" tall, 2"-3" in diameter. The spines are very dense, glassy, variable in color from blond/white, yellow, brown to almost black, with darker tips; straight to strongly curled and tangled, some hairlike soft and flexible, other needle-like and stiff, of variable length, obscuring the plant body and becoming longer with age. Tubular bright colored flowers in the spring being 1"- 2"in length. Will tolerate full sun to light shade, but extremely prone to root rot, needs good drainage.
