Golden Spine Succulent

This small leaf succulent grows up to 10 feet (3.0 meters) tall. The stiff, pointed stem is red, and is covered in thick bunches of flexible gold spines. The finger-like leaves are beige on the edges and blood red at the center. Small bunches of them grow on narrow, lime green branches that trail down towards the ground. The leaves are frail, but are very difficult to pull away.

It is slow growing, taking 12 years to reach maturity. Once mature, and only under the right conditions, several flowers with petals that are either blue or deep yellow, with a yellow center grow at the top, reappearing after 8 years, but only when the conditions are right again. The flower head is made up of 16 petals; the lower layer of petals are flat, while the upper layers form a tight cup. It has a powerful scent that smells like petrol.

The leaf succulent's skin is delicate, the amber flesh is rubbery, and the vivid orange sap is thin.