Grows on desert mesas and slopes, between 500 and 3,500 in elevation. Thick cylindrical trunk.
Main branches grow from trunk at acute angle.
Ends of branches are tuberculate terminal shoots about 3 inches in length. Tubercles are elongated and flattened at the sides, with round or oval, whitish, felted areoles with short yellow glochids. Blooms in May with orange, brown, yellow or red flowers. Flowers appear only on terminal joints and are 2 inches long and across when open. Pear-shaped fruit remains attached during winter.