I started this from a large plant with many growths that looked like a miniature pine forest from a distance. The tiny needles that grow on it are soft, not prickly. Can anyone tell me what this is?The plant identifier on my iPhone does not seem to find a good match.

I think its an Austrocylindropuntia. I had one that grew into a huge forest and eventually got these long needle spines.

Thanks for the reponse! That looks right. Were the needle spines on your plant sharp! I had spines on the older plant but not sharp. There were some very large growths that would complete lay down if the plant got to dry. With water they would rise up fairly quickly despite their large heavy growths.

When I got it as a very small plant, it was slightly fuzzy with tiny leaves (it didn't have leaves all the time). It grew taller, more stems grew, making it wider and then all of a sudden, it was growing these fierce 2 or 3 inch long needles! Yes, very sharp. I gave it away to an unsuspecting stranger.