It has a solitary trunk and outstretched limbs that resembles arms. White flowers appear in spring. It makes a nice container plant when young. Ferocactus have extremely fierce-looking, long and ornamental spines. These cylindrical cacti are usually around 5 to 6 inches in diameter, but can grow up to a foot or more.
Large flowers appear in summer on older specimens.
The long, hooked flame-red spines of this barrel cacti become very dense with age. Bell-like flowers are orange and yellow. A mature plant reaches about 10 inches tall by 15 inches wide. Cream to purple flowers appear in spring. It tolerates abuse and neglect well.