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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Proper San Pedro Identification (formerly known as Bloody Idiots!) 3
#10507252 - 06/14/09 09:49 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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This is a Trichocereus Pachanoi
Also knowns as Echinopsis Pachanoi or the San Pedro cactus, it has been used by the people of Peru for many years as a medicinal plant, primarily for its hallucinogenic properties.
Over the past years the cactus has gained in popularity as an easy way of acquiring Mescaline, the chief chemical in the well known Peyote (Lophophora Williamsii) cactus.
Through this interest many newcomers to cactus identification have gone out on the town and on the web searching for this interesting and enchanting cactus.
Sadly, also through the rise sellers have begun selling different species and many innocent non-psychoactives have been cut down due to poor identification.
This guide will help newcomers to cacti and the San Pedro alike be able to tell the difference between it and it's spiny counterparts.
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Ribs
One of the most definitive differences between T. Pachanoi and many others is the ribs or sections of the plants stem.
As you can see by the top the ribs are very rounded and almost inflated looking.
One of the Most common things San Pedros are confused with are members of the Cereus family.
When cut, this is how the ribs are seen.
As you can see they are very narrow and create deep, widely spaced canyons in between the ribs.
Another common cactus San Pedros are confused with are that of Myrtillocactus Geometrizans.
From the top it looks fairly similar to that of the san pedro.
The biggest difference is that the myrtle tends to come to more of a point at the summit of the rib and seems to be a much sharper angle.
I also tend to see a lot of confusion about Pilosocereus Azureus.
As you can see the ribs are about the same structure as San Pedro, But the skin TENDS to be a frost blue
Last but not least we have Stetsonia Coryne.
Also known as the toothpick cactus, this frequent look-alike has ribs very similar to that of T. Pachanoi.
The biggest difference however is that where the spines come out the ribs usually appear to widen, giving the ribs a wavy vertical appearance.
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Spines and Areoles
As we all know, many cacti have spines, and the San pedro is no exception (most of the time).
However, we can use this to our advantage in Identifying the cactus as each species has unique spines.
San Pedro spines on the common Backberg Clone(the most common cultivar) typically are 4-6 in number, 1-3mm long, and pale brown when they first emerge, fading to a grayish white with age.
The thing the spines protrude from are called Areoles.
This is what differentiates cacti from other succulents and makes them unique.
On a Backberg San Pedro the areoles usually start white or a tan and turn white with age.
Another key feature on the Backberg Pedros are that the areoles appear upturned.
On the Cereus the spines are usually red-brown on white-grey areoles in clusters of 5-10 .5-1cm long spines.
As you can also see, the cereus seem to have a more wavy demeanor, as there tends to be humps in between the areoles.
The Myrtle's spines are usually a dark red- black fading to a dark gray with age and come out of a usually tan areole at numbers of 5-8.
On some Myrtles the Aerols seem be present at the peak of the hump on the rib, but seem to point downwards.
On the P. Azureus, spines are abundant and have a gold to yellow-orange color and tend to come out of tan-grey shortly spaced areoles.
Sometimes these even will have thin strands of wool around them.
The easiest way to determine if your specimen is not a San Pedro, but a toothpick cactus (S. Coryne) is to exam the spines and areoles.
Stetsonias are given the name toothpick due to their large 1-2cm spines
These usually come out of VERY enlarged white areoles in sets of 6-8 spines.
When wet the spines can appear anywhere from tan to dark-brown and quickly fade to white.
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Conclusion
When searching for San Pedro these are what I look for and really help in determining the species.
You now have sufficient information and pictures to help identify a Trichocereus Pachanoi.
As a conclusion I would also like to thank PsilocybinMind for posting pictures of his san pedro (if you have a problem with my use please PM me)
Please be careful when searching for cacti, as there are many people who would like to make a quick buck.
These were found on a popular auction site being marketed as T. Pachanooi, but now that you know the difference you won't be buying these thinking they're such right?
ALSO! I would like to also ask that if you find a plant growing at a neighbor or person around towns house, that you please ask them before taking a cutting.
Stealing is wrong, a bad vibe, and may possibly get you arrested, so please don't do it.
If there are any other questions or recommendations feel free to post them.
On that note, happy growing and good luck!
-Cactusdan-
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guide Sheet
Feel free to print this out and take it with you to your favorite nursery when hunting cacti.
Click here and right-click save image as to get the Quick Guide
Edited by Cactusdan (08/29/09 06:04 AM)
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Dr. uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
Posts: 16,545
Loc: Uk / Philippines
Last seen: 10 years, 7 months
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this is like a non thread dude
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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Meh, I shall turn it into a proper pedro ID thread then yes?
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Dr. uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
Posts: 16,545
Loc: Uk / Philippines
Last seen: 10 years, 7 months
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what? you mean those are not pedro's?
damn!
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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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No, and let me edit my top post to tell you and the many other newcomers to the cacti field why!
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Edited by bloodnashes666 (06/15/09 05:37 PM)
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PoC
Relax
Registered: 03/10/04
Posts: 2,142
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...now imagine if the seller actually thinks those are pedros.
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Dr. uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
Posts: 16,545
Loc: Uk / Philippines
Last seen: 10 years, 7 months
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it is a bit sickening that someone is selling these as t. pachanoi.
fuck them and the horse they rode in on!
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apt403
Stranger
Registered: 05/27/09
Posts: 30
Last seen: 10 years, 11 months
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Quote:
Dr. uarewotueat said: it is a bit sickening that someone is selling these as t. pachanoi.
fuck them and the horse they rode in on!
With the cactus cuttings pictured..
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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Bloody idiots! [Re: apt403]
#10507748 - 06/14/09 10:55 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Lemme know what I can fix/change to make this better!
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Dr. uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
Posts: 16,545
Loc: Uk / Philippines
Last seen: 10 years, 7 months
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this thread now delivers
one thing you should add which is very important and easy for n00bs to recognise when they are trying to id san pedro (and other trichocereus) is that the aeroles always point upwards
and you should probably add a section for pilosocereus azureus and stetsonia coryne too, as they are often mistaken for san pedro.
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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Thanks, I'll add the stetsonia and pilosocereus! Oh and I got the guy to change his auction
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Edited by bloodnashes666 (06/15/09 02:05 AM)
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Blow_in
Official Taco Handler
Registered: 09/19/08
Posts: 793
Loc: Yettiville
Last seen: 13 years, 13 days
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Re: Proper San Pedro Identification (formerly known as Bloody Idiots!) [Re: Cactusdan]
#10508659 - 06/15/09 02:59 AM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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can't beleive people would think thats a pedro
I once checked up on an add on Craigs List, some guy selling san pedro's sparked my interest had pictures of pedro's on the add so I went across town to check it out,I get there and he points to to 2 huge cereus peruvianus and asks me how much I wanted I tried to explain to him what he actually had and he just wasn't buying it, Fucking waste of gas. Well nice right up with good things to know, cause there's always someone out there trying to make a quick buck
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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Re: Proper San Pedro Identification (formerly known as Bloody Idiots!) [Re: Blow_in]
#10508673 - 06/15/09 03:04 AM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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I think this guy honestly didn't know but you shouldn't even think about selling it as such with out absolute knowledge.
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Dr. uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
Posts: 16,545
Loc: Uk / Philippines
Last seen: 10 years, 7 months
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Quote:
bloodnashes666 said: Oh and I got the guy to change his auction
good work!
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Horticulture
Mycocurious
Registered: 04/30/09
Posts: 1,102
Loc: Midwest
Last seen: 9 years, 2 months
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lol. I was wondering why there wasn't already a thread like this. Seems 50% of topics on the EB Garden are "Is this cactus what I wish it was?"
-------------------- The Plant Mage Guild
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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Now updated with pilosocereus, stetsonia, and colors!
I'm going to work on making a chart for people to download and print too.
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felixhigh
Scientist
Registered: 06/24/01
Posts: 7,565
Loc: Ly
Last seen: 28 days, 8 hours
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I really like your guide man!
FH
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PsilocybinMind
Herb Nerd
Registered: 09/25/06
Posts: 664
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Two of those pictures look so familiar .
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Cactusdan
Patecatl
Registered: 10/11/07
Posts: 7,024
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 3 years, 4 months
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Yes sir! Even put in a shout out to ya
I now have the IDing quick guide up.
Just click the link and save the picture!
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PsilocybinMind
Herb Nerd
Registered: 09/25/06
Posts: 664
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Nice guide! I can see it being useful for a ton of people. Good work!
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