[2] Myrtillocactus eichlamii grows tree-shaped with upright, striking blue-green to deep green, glaucous shoots and forms a distinct trunk.

It has 6 blunt ribs with large, gray areoles spaced up to 2 centimeters apart.

The spherical, purple to red fruits are edible and covered with a whitish wax.

The species was first described in 1920 by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose.

[4] The specific epithet eichlamii honors the German cactus collector Friedrich Eichlam.