Cactacea with an extremely wild and thorny appearance, consisting of cylindrical stems (hence the name of the species) with rather pronounced spherical-like tubercles, from which yellowish, large and perfectly rounded areoles protrude, enriched by multidirectional spines: the light, thin and straight radial spines are arranged in a circular pattern around the areola; the central ones are much more robust and long, brownish-yellow in color and facing outwards. The stems of C. spinosior tend to branch abundantly up to heights of over one meter, creating an extremely rich complex of quills, among which large red-purple flowers bloom in spring that contrast nicely with the softer colors of the cactus.