North America — Texas & Chihuahuan Desert
5 taxaArid limestone plains and desert scrub. Extreme temperature swings, mineral soils, winter dormancy. Home to slow-growing geophytes and living rocks.
Lophophora williamsii
Peyote — small spineless globular, pink flowers, CITES Appendix II
rareLophophora
Genus overview — structural data, taxonomy, range
Lophophora fricii
Occurs around Laguna de Viesca, a dry depression in Coahuila
uncommonLophophora diffusa
Softer, more yellowish-green. Querétaro endemic
rareCacteae (tribe)
Parsimony analysis of tribe Cacteae — the tribe containing Lophophora
L. williamsii var. decipiens
Croizat variety — morphological variant
uncommonLophophora (genus)
Genus established by J.M. Coulter, 1894
Lophophora koehresii
Taxonomically contentious. Recognized by European systematists
rareAndes — Peru, Bolivia & Ecuador
8 taxaHigh-altitude mountain valleys, rocky slopes, cloud forest edges. Fast-growing columnar cacti tolerant of cool nights. The heartland of Trichocereus diversity.
Trichocereus pachanoi
San Pedro — 4-8 rounded ribs, short yellow/black spines, fast grower
commonEchinopsis pachanoi
Synonymized under Echinopsis. Native to Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia
E. pachanoi (syn. T. pachanoi)
IUCN Red List — Least Concern. Widely cultivated
Trichocereus bridgesii
Bolivian Torch — 4-6 ribs, v-notches, long spines
commonTrichocereus peruvianus
Peruvian Torch — 6-8 ribs, golden spines, glaucous blue-green
commonTrichocereus scopulicola
Almost spineless, dark green, 4-6 ribs. Hardy, potent
rareEchinopsis lageniformis
Grows 1,000-3,300m on rocky slopes, ravines
E. macrogona / T. peruvianus
Taxonomic synonymy — POWO/Kew treatment
Argentina — Southern Cone
3 taxaTemperate to arid zones, colder winters, stronger winds. Home to the hardiest Trichocereus species — some tolerate -8°C wet.
Trichocereus terscheckii
Argentine Saguaro — tree-like, 12m tall, 8-14 ribs, -8°C hardy
uncommonT. pachanot (hort. clone)
Single clone propagated entirely vegetatively
commonT. bridgesii monstrose (TBM)
Monstrose form — colloquially "penis cactus"
rareMexico — Endemic Hotspot
3 taxaExtraordinary endemism — single-valley species, limestone specialists, living fossils. The highest concentration of rare and CITES-protected cacti in the world.
Trichocereus (hybrids)
Echinopsis hybrids — Schick, Paramount, Johnson breeding programs
commonEchinopsis 'Schick hybrids'
Bob Schick's breeding work. Paramount lineage
uncommonCactaceae
The cactus family — red Gymnocalycium clones, commercial cultivars
Hybrids, Cultivars & Clone Lines
3 taxaSelected and bred for potency, growth rate, morphology, and flower color. The living library of the cactus hobbyist community.
Trichocereus (hybrids)
Psycho0, Lumberjack, Ogunbodede, Juul's Giant — documented crosses
grailT. pachanot (hort. clone)
Vegetatively propagated clone. Flowers but never seeds
uncommonTBM — T. bridgesii monstrose
Short form & crested. Among the most sought-after clones
grailGenus References & Taxonomy
2 taxaTaxonomic overviews, generic descriptions, and nomenclatural history.