Extremely prickly, sturdy, erect, sparsely branched shrub up to 1m. Tufts of hard lance-shaped leaves, spine-tipped, usually with hairy edges; small purple flowers, sometimes with white side petals are borne in axils of leaves, towards the branch ends.

Note: Probably the tallest of the 20 species occurring in this area.

After: Lorenz Heister (1683-1758), German surgeon and botanist, his botanical garden in Helmstadt was considered one of the most attractive in Germany.