An upright spiny shrub usually growing 2-3 m tall and spreading about 3 m across. Large spines (2-15 cm long) are borne along the stems and smaller spines are borne at the ends of short side-branches. Its hairless leaves are somewhat fleshy and are usually borne in groups of 5-12 at the stem joints. Its tubular flowers (8-12 mm across) are borne singly or in pairs in the forks of the leaves. These flowers are white or pale lilac with darker purple markings, and their petal lobes are bent backwards. Its egg-shaped or rounded berries (5-12 mm long and 5-10 wide) turn orange-red or bright red in colour when mature.