Wonderful succulent shrub formed by not very wide woody stems, which tend to branch at the base and develop horizontally as a sort of thick bush rich in long greyish thorns, sturdy, well straight and reaching even 4 cm in length! During the vegetative period, the peculiar stems get adorned with graceful opaque green leaves rich with veins and of serrated margins, which, however, tend to fall rapidly leaving space to the ferocity of the shrubby body. From late autumn to early spring S. crassicaule will enrich its appearance with elegant flowers with broad yellowish-white petals and flat, which appear almost like a sort of small velvety discs.