How to Identify San Pedro Cactus

The San Pedro cactus (Trichocereus pachanoi) is native to the Andes, but is now common in the southwestern United States. It is usually grown for ornamental purposes; however, like the peyote catcus, the San Pedro cactus is also grown for the ingredient mescaline, a controlled substance with psychoactive effects if consumed. In many parts of the world, including the United States, it is legal to grow a San Pedro cactus but illegal to extract the mescaline and consume, trade or sell it. The San Pedro cactus is among the fastest growing cacti and can be identified from other cacti by a few distinguishing features.

San Pedro Cactus Be Grown From Seed?

San Pedro cacti bloom in midsummer, but their fruit doesn't fully ripen until early autumn. Remove the spongy matter from inside the fruit, then pick out the tiny black seeds. The right equipment and thorough preparation will substantially increase the likelihood of successfully germinating San Pedro cactus seeds because it will limit the chances of disease and infection. Fill the clean pots with the moistened medium, leaving the top 1/2 inch of each pot empty. San Pedro cactus seeds germinate somewhat erratically, so it is best to sow several in each pot. Six to eight hours of daily sunlight is also required, so position the pots near a south-facing window. Healthy San Pedro cactus seeds will germinate in roughly one month, at which point the seedlings should be thinned to one per pot and moved to a sheltered location outdoors.