The areoles have 3-4 central spines that are straight or upwardly curved, thick and subulate, 4-5 cm long and 16 to 22 marginal radial spines brownish yellow and up to 1 cm long.

[3] Loxanthocereus xylorhizus is widespread[citation needed] in the Lima region of Peru in the mountains around Chosica at altitudes of 800 to 900 meters.

There are several populations found in the Quebrada Yanacoto in Chontay, Cieneguilla, in the heights of Chosica and in Huinco, in the Santa Eulalia Valley, Huarochirí.

[citation needed] Graham J. Charles placed the species in the genus Borzicactus in 2012 due to the flowers being oblique and zygomorphic, open at the tip, not tubular, closed at the apex as in Cleistocactus.

Further nomenclature synonyms are Cleistocactus xylorhizus (F.Ritter) Ostolaza (1996) and Echinopsis xylorhiza (F.Ritter) Molinari (2015).