The plants of the genus Cipocereus are bushy, sometimes branched and columnar growing to heights of up to 3.5 m. The cylindrical, somewhat woody shoots are 2 to 5 cm in diameter.

On the 4 to 21 ribs are round, white or brown areoles from which a few to many spines arise, which can sometimes be missing and are of variable shape.

The pericarp and floral tube are ribbed, more or less round in cross-section, and coated with a thick blue wax.

The spherical to egg-shaped, not splitting fruits are overgrown with intensive grey-blue.

[4] Species of the genus Cipocereus according to Plants of the World Online as of August 2023[update]:[1]