Peyote

The peyote is a small and mighty cactus with impressive water conservation skills and a deep cultural value for surrounding communities.

Common Name:

Peyote

Scientific Name:

Lophophora williamsii

Type:

Plant

Diet:

Autotrophic

IUCN Red List Status:

Least Concern

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General Description

Peyote is a small and round cactus that can grow to about 5-15 cm in diameter. It features a soft, blue-green body segmented into distinct ribs, and topped with a woolly structure from which the flowers bloom. The flowers are pink or white, creating a striking contrast against the green cactus body. Unlike other cacti, peyote does not have spines, but it does contain areoles that can sprout tufts of hair.

Habitat

Peyote flourishes on the rocky, shallow limestone soils of the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico and the US. It adapts to its harsh, arid environment thanks to adaptative skills like performing photosynthesis at night and growing under shrubs to conserve moisture.

Life Expectancy

The peyote cactus can live up to 30 years in the wild. Some specimens even surpass this age, particularly those that are not harvested for their psychoactive properties. The growth rate of peyote is slow, contributing to its long life span, with younger plants taking several years to mature from seed to adult.

Did You Know?

Peyote produces mescaline, a psychedelic alkaloid that is used by Native Americans in religious ceremonies to alter consciousness and promote spiritual awakenings.