Silver cholla is a large, shrub to tree-like cactus which may exceed in height. Its stems and branches are made up of cylindrical green
tubercles (segments) up to 1.5 cm wide and just under 1.0 cm tall. The elliptical white or yellow areoles turn gray and bear conspicuous yellow
glochids that are 3 to 4 millimeters long. The 6 to 22 spines are present on almost all areoles. The fleshy tubercles each bear up to 20 long, straight, grayish or yellowish spines which may be nearly 4 cm long. The width of the tubercles is less than twice the length, which helps to distinguish it from buckhorn cholla (
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa), which occurs in a similar geographical distribution. The thorns interlock and cover the shoots. They are erect to spreading, white to brown, sometimes darker, and are 2.5 to 5 centimeters long. Bristle-like thorns are also often present. The sheaths of the thorns are white at their base and golden yellow above. The flowers are usually greenish yellow, sometimes pinkish or brownish in color. The fruit is lumpy, spiny, and tan in color, with white seeds and a foul scent, reminiscent of rancid butter. It measures up to 2 to 2.3 centimeters long. Very few fruits reach maturity, and many immature fruits can often be seen lying on the ground below. File:Cylindropuntia echinocarpa 7.jpg|Plant File:Cylindropuntia echinocarpa 9.jpg|Spines closeup File:Cylindropuntia echinocarpa 11.jpg|Flower ==Distribution and habitat==