Trichocereus Pachanoi, the San Pedro Cactus, is a fast-growing columnar cactus native to the Andes Mountains of Peru between 2000–3000 m in altitude. It is also found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador, and it is cultivated in other parts of the world. Uses for it include traditional medicine and traditional veterinary medicine, and it is widely grown as an ornamental cactus. It has been used for healing and religious divination in the Andes Mountains region for over 3000 years. Currently it is believed to help with nervous conditions, joint problems, drug addictions, cardiac disease, and high blood pressure. Trichocereus Pachanoi contains hordenine and it has been shown that hordenine, N,N-Dimethyl-hydroxyphenylethylamine, exhibits an inhibitory action against at least 18 strains of penicillin resistant Staphylococcus bacteria.
The plant is light to dark green, sometimes glaucous, and has 4–9 (usually 5–7) ribs. Groups of 1–4 small, yellow to light brown spines are located at nodes which are spaced evenly, approximately 2 cm apart, along the ribs. Trichocereus Pachanoi can grow up to 5 metres (16 ft) tall and have multiple branches, usually extending from the base. The tallest recorded specimen was 12.2 metres (40 ft) tall. The cactus blossoms at night with flowers up to 20 centimetres (8 in) in diameter, and it bears red, tasty fruit.
Probably my favorite Pachanoi. Very distinct from the predominant cultivar. Has shorter spines, larger aeroles and black hair on the flowers. It comes from Fields Cactus Farm where there is a massive big old clump out there holding up one end (with some help from a massive old Valida) of a broken down old shed. It's an amazing plant, and sight. It really shows you how different the one plant can look, there's alot of variation in growth between the columns and some mutation from hard growing. Here's a bunch of pics ~*
No comments:
Post a Comment