It is native to the southwestern United States from eastern California to Utah and northwestern Mexico,[1] where it can be found in desert scrub habitat.

It produces an egg-shaped or cylindrical stem up to 25 centimetres (10 inches) tall by 10 centimetres (4 inches) wide.

It is covered densely in straight and curving spines which may be up to 4 centimetres (1+1⁄2 inches) long and come in shades of yellow, gray, lavender, and pink or red, with up to 24 per areole.

The scaly, fleshy fruit is up to 1.8 centimetres (3⁄4 inch) long.

As of February 2024[update], Plants of the World Online accepted three subspecies:[1]