Lepismium cruciforme is an epiphytic cactus with long segmented stems with short white tufts of hair but no spines. The stem segments are tick, fleshy, highly variable, sometimes 3, 4, or even 5-angled, up to 20 inches (50 cm) long and up to 0.8 inches (2 cm) wide. They are green but can become solid pink to almost maroon in full sun. Flowers are white, cream-colored, yellow, pink, or rarely magenta, reddish-brown on the outside, and up to 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) long.