The following photo, recently captured in the Desert Botanical Garden (where else!!) and, after discovering its “name,” it certainly has the look of a grey-hair old man, minus the old man facial features!

This cactus grows at high altitudes in the Andes Mountains (as its name suggests). Supposedly it is frost resistant AND “does not like the hot desert sun” which does not make sense to me since it is currently growing IN the desert! Its silver hairs are grown to protect it from harsh winter conditions; very sharp thorns can be found underneath it silver hairs.