Peyote Cactus

Lophophora Williamsii

Peyote in bloom

Ever since the arrival of the first Europeans in the New World, Lophophora Williamsii or "peyote cactus" has provoked debate and suppression in equal measures. These charming spineless and rare lophophora cacti produce beautiful blooms, are alleged to have a variety of medical uses and are endangered in their nautral habitat. Condemned by the Spanish conquerors for its “satanic trickery”, and attacked more recently by local governments and religious groups, Peyote Cacti have nevertheless continued to play a major sacramental role among the Indians of Mexico. Peyotes use has spread to the North American tribes in the last hundred years. Some quite logically call this woolly Mexican cactus the prototype of the New World hallucinogens. It was one of the first to be discovered by Europeans and was unquestionably the most spectacular vision inducing plant encountered by the Spanish conquerors. They found Peyote cacti firmly established in native religions, and their efforts to stamp out this practice drove it into hiding in the hills, where its sacramental use has persisted to this day.

Care of Lophophora:

Water once every two weeks in the summer. Stop watering completely from September onwards. Start watering again in spring water sparingly from spring onwards. Place in a sunny south facing window. Feeding: Use cacti fertiliser at half strength during summer growing period. Warning- watering in winter will cause your plant to rot and die. Lophophora is self pollinating and will produce flowers from year five onwards. Lophophora is an extremely slow growing form of spineless cactus found in the denuded soils of Mexico and the southern states of North America such as Texas. This amazing plant can withstand searing heat if acclimatised in the summer months and in winter, if kept bone dry, can survive temperatures well below zero. Of course neither of these extremes are recommended. Grown in an unheated greenhouse in the UK without artificial light, use of grafting or excessive fertilisation it takes about four to five years for peyote plants to reach flowering age from seed.

A mature plant that produces multiple blooms over the summer season and even more than one flower at a time is typically over ten years old. As plants mature they produce multiple blooms simultaneously. Some two to three months after flowering reddish seed pods emerge from the base of the now dried flower. Given time to mature and dry while attached to the plant, these seeds pods can be harvested and provide a ready supply of viable and easy to propogate seeds.

Lophophora are self fertile so even if you have only one plant you too can soon have your own little cacti colony.There is some excellent material on the propagation, care and nurturing of peyote cacti on the web so we are not going to try and compete with the excellent sites into which enthusiasts have place so much time and effort. More information, history and cultivation tips will be uploaded on this subject in the coming weeks.