Columnar, perennial, shrub or tree – like, 10 – 16 m or more long, spreading, much branched from the base. Branch segments elongate, 10 – 20 cm in diameter, erect, parallel, greyish, blue green to light green rarely glaucous, usually flat when immature or young, gradually becoming broadly triangular when mature. Ribs (4–) 6 – 9, compressed, undulate. Areoles whitish, 1 – 2 cm across. Spines 5 – 10 (-12), 1-3 cm long, acicular, yellowish – brown to black. Flower ca 15 cm long, white, red or brown, tube with thick wall. Upper scales or outer tepals red or brownish, inner tepals petaloid, white. Fruit 3.5 – 4 cm in diameter, subglobose, orange – yellow. Seeds 2 mm wide, rough, black, almost compressed when immature.