Lophophora Species, Dumpling Cactus, Mescal Button, Peyote

truly a nice, one of a kind cactus! a must have for serious collectors
hard to come across due to the mescaline it contains..whic...Read Moreh is a pity
pink flowers in spring followed by fruits that contain seeds.
seeds are fairly easy to sow but takes years to get full grown..
many people just propagate them to reduce the time.

As you may have figured out from my nickname, this is one of my favorite cacti. For those used to the agony of repotting Opuntias, a cac...Read Moretus with soft tufts of fur in place of barbed glochids is a joy.

This is not a plant for the impatient. I have ten year old plants the size of US quarter dollars. A good size clump takes a quarter century or more from seed. The plants need deep pots to accomodate their huge taproots, and are highly intolerant of winter wetness or extended below-zero temperatures.

Flowering takes place in flushes, approx. two weeks after watering. There are several color variations, from pure white to purplish-red. Flowers last from 2 to 5 days, depending on heat and dryness. Cute sausage-shaped red seed capsules appear from the crown in very early spring - the result of the previous year's fertilization. Self compatible.

Unfortunately, this plant is quickly being extirpated in the wild - by development and over-grazing (in Mexico); and by unscrupulous collecting by cactus growers, by other idiots looking for cheap thrills, and by yet others hoping to keep these idiots from getting cheap thrills.

It is a felony offense to grow this plant in the USA , but most other countries have yet to limit their serious horticulturalists. For example, here in Japan it is perfectly legal to grow, but illegal to eat.

Addendum 8/03
Since I added this species to the PDB, I've been averaging 3 or 4 emails a month from people I have never heard of asking, in terms ranging from the polite to the fawning, for seeds, cuttings, and even in one case dried bulk (!), of L. williamsii. Sorry. Due to the legal status of this plant, I must refuse all requests for seeds from anyone not having a Japanese address. Please don't even ask.