[2] Cleistocactus ritteri grows as a shrub with more or less upright, bright green shoots that are branched at the base and reaches heights of up to 1 meter with a diameter of 2 to 3 centimeters.

The tubular, greenish-yellow to lemon-yellow flowers are slightly downward-pointing and barely curved.

The spherical, yellow fruits reach a diameter of up to 1.5 centimeters.

Cleistocactus ritteri is found in the Bolivian department of La Paz in the Yungas at altitudes of 1000 to 1100 meters.

A nomenclature synonym is Cephalocleistocactus ritteri (Backeb.)