What to consider, when choosing a PEYOTE (LOPHOPHORA WILLIAMSII)

[Allan Gam]

Hi there!

I'm about to add a new loph to my cacti collection and I'm hoping to get some help about what to consider, when choosing a PEYOTE (LOPHOPHORA WILLIAMSII). I guess the answer is that it depends on which one I find most appealing or are there other "breed traits" that I should look for?

Currently I'm trying to choose between the 2 lovely plants below. They are quite different, wouldn't you say? I fancy them both but I can only buy one of them for the moment.

[Steve-0]

The top specimen - hands down. Much more character, IMHO, over the tufted one below. For some reason those tufts remind me of the remnants of cigarette filters which smokers toss out of their vehicles and somehow end up in my lawnmower then expelled from the chute looking like they were then glued onto a cactus as a hair transplant. Please forgive if the analogy is completely ridiculous...but that's what my lizard brain sees.

Obviously, the choice is ultimately yours and my observation and suggestion is merely an aesthetical one based on appearance only and zero knowledge or experience with this species of cactus aside from reading Carlos Castaneda back in the day and that I'm in the USA and not of the Peyote using religion.

Disclaimer: the above is to be taken with that proverbial grain of salt.

[TimN]

I agree with Steve-O. Right now I have plenty of the type 2s above. Been looking for a type 1 on and off for a while. I will withhold my comments on the tufted plant.

[7george]

Consider your growing conditions, not appearance of the plants. Not only for Lophs but for all plants you buy. Too big plants will put me (or you) out of space too soon for example. So I choose small-sized or slow-growing or not needing high heat atmosphere for growing. Clumps are also preferred before single growing.

[BennieAnTheJets]

Whichever one you pick, let me have the other one!!! Ha ha. Just kidding.

I think they are both awesome plants, you can't go wrong. I am no expert, so I just have gut feelings and I was at first super impressed with the second one: not only does it have spectacular tufts, it also seems to be very healthy and bursting to grow, judging by the full and healthy looking ribs (but what do I know? not much about this species, really). Then Steve-O said the first has more character, which may be true - for sure it has more pups! and pups are important to me. Does the second one have more pups on the back? In front it is a bit pup-anemic, ha ha. Still, it will grow more I am sure, with time, and look at those tufts!

In short, no expert advice here, sorry, but some excitement for the nice plants you shared in the photos and happy for you to get one of them!

[BennieAnTheJets]

Is the tufted one more unique? Seems like from the plants showing in the background, several of them look like the first one you picked. If the tufted one is most unique and you like it, I would get that one now and maybe you could get one of the other kind (first one with the many pups) later? I just see Tim's comment that he has plenty of type 2 and maybe type 1 is more unique. Then I would get the first one, too. And maybe later get a type 2 one, if they are more common and you like them both.

One game you can play, too, is to imagine one is gone (sold) and see which one you would be most sorry to have lost or if you really don't care. This is just to help with decision making on personal preference decisions - no species advice to contribute - hopefully others will chime in for that.

[Allan Gam]

Thanks guys for your comments and your thoughts. I went for the specimen on top. I believe it will arrive tomorrow and I'll post some more pictures here.

Cheers!

[7george]

The hair of the second one looks groomed, intended for fast sale (but not!).
Cacti-hair salons still work, do they?

[BennieAnTheJets]

Excellent choice!

[Steve-0]

The hair of the second one looks groomed, intended for fast sale (but not!).
Cacti-hair salons still work, do they?

Too Funny! I thought the same and that's why it reminds me of cigarette butt filters that one might find after it's been tossed from a vehicle and run through a lawn mower as per my initial description.

PS...Mowed the front yard today. Hit a butt...made cactus tufts. I could glue these onto one of mine

[TimN]

Too Funny! I thought the same and that's why it reminds me of cigarette butt filters that one might find after it's been tossed from a vehicle and run through a lawn mower as per my initial description.

Nailed it!

[Allan Gam]

Hi guys!

The plant arrived and as I promised earlier I'll post another photo here.

This photo shows my current Peyote collection. (Although there is a Astrophytum asterias cv "kabuto" among them) Also I have given my other Peote (on the left) a grooming session (at least I tried to). It looked kind of miserable before the treatment.

20200501_185633.jpg (108.88 KiB) Viewed 1580 times

Anyway, I'm currious how the Lophophora williamsii (Peyote) Cluster XL from CactusPlaza looks like in reality. They cost €59,00 which is about 64 USD. Quite reasonable price isn't it? I just had to order one to find out because it looks lovely on that product photo I think ...

[Steve-0]

Very nice collection of Lophophora cacti! I think the super cluster new addition is the best choice between the two shown and yes, I agree the price is good, too.

In the USA they fall under controlled substance rules...but many people ignore that and buy them anyway. So pricing on Ebay goes crazy.

Thanks for sharing and please post when they bloom.

[Allan Gam]

Very nice collection of Lophophora cacti! I think the super cluster new addition is the best choice between the two shown and yes, I agree the price is good, too.

In the USA they fall under controlled substance rules...but many people ignore that and buy them anyway. So pricing on Ebay goes crazy.

Thanks for sharing and please post when they bloom.

Thanks I will do that.The cluster on on the photo is from a Swedish supplier though. I'm still waiting for the CactusPlaza plant to arrive.

In the USA they fall under controlled substance rules...

I can't see any reason for that. Who'd like to consume them? I wouldn't anyway I prefer a glass of La Rioja Alta Lat42 Gran Reserva 2011 or maybe two if the circumstances are right...

[Steve-0]

Exactly, One you're out of a cactus, two you puke your guts out or worse. Much better ways to take a trip.

Sometimes governments swat at the flies when the real problem is the stinking pile of manure.