The heavily woody, upright to crooked, olive-green shoots have a diameter of 3 to 6 centimeters and are overgrown when young.

The stinging, somewhat brittle, protruding thorns are light brown at first and later turn gray.

Of the 3 to 5, 3 to 4.2 centimeters long central spines, the lowest is usually the longest and often bent downwards.

The spherical fruits reach a diameter of up to 4 centimeters, tear open at the side and contain magenta-colored flesh.

The specific epithet tuberculatus comes from Latin, means 'humped' and refers to the humped ribs of the shoots.