What the hell am I looking at?

The taxonomy of trichocereus Cactus has always been a controversial subject just due to the amount of different variations in genetic differences you can always make one Cactus look like another.There are four main species of trichocereus cactus that are common in collections T. Pachanoi (San Pedro), T. Peruvianus (Peruvian Torch), T. Scopulicola, and T. Bridgesii (Bolivian Torch). The names are only given as a general idea of what the actual plant shows characteristics of. Without coming off as an elitist in the cactus world its better to refer to each as a -oid since we can't verify the specific cactus taxonomy or genetic lineage or really anything that proves what each thing is. There are bridgesii with short to no spines, scopulicolas that have long spines, pachanois well being PC, and on top of all this just the only thing that most collectors care about is “Is it active?????”. There is no dancing around the fact most cultivators of these cacti only do so for the psychedelic chemicals they produce, and genuinely that's fine, as long as it's your cactus, your property, your shamanistic way of wanting to experience your world and environments. But if you try and categorize plants' value down to the fact it creates a specific chain of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen in a way that connects with the serotonin receptors in your brain to activate dopamine release, Then I think you are truly missing a major part of this hobby.

Anyways buckle the fuck up cause this is about to get confusing.

Pachanoi tend to have between 6-8 rounded ribs, edges of ribs tend to be shallow and only sink deeper in when dehydrated. The overall side profile is smooth and rounded between areoles. Areoles are lighter in color, with 6 light in color, and short spines. A “true pachanoi” will have a eyebrow or seagull notch above the areole. The cactus will have between a deep forest green to blue glaucus layer coloration. Flowers are large, white and very fragrant. Black hairs are found along the base of the flower. This description is a large point of contention to compare a “True Pachanoi” to a PC. Pc cultivars have a jagged sawtooth profile where the areolas point nearly completely upward in a “step” up shape without a notch indentation. PCs also have a white to pale colored hairs that extend from the base of the flower. PCs have their advantages, such as more hardy to moisture, cold, and rot. They grow faster than a true pachanoi, but are discounted due to being nearly non psychoactive, keeping a PC is still a very fulfilling and interesting experience if not kept purely for use in grafting.

Trichocereus Pachanoi “PC”

Trichocereus Pachanoi “Kimach x Jessica” (true pach)

Peruvianus are similar overall looking to the pachanoi but differences are noticeable. Tending to have 6-9 ribs, with a more gentle curve into the edges of the ribs. Spines vary greatly, but overall 6-8 honey-colored to brown spines that can reach over 1.5 inches long. Areoles are brown to beige with an almost felt look, tending to be within an inch to two apart. The flesh commonly is a bright deep green to almost completely blue with glaucus layers. Once again large white flowers with dark hairs around the bases.

Trichocereus Peruvianus “Delaney”

Bridgesii are primarily light green, with 4 to 8 ribs. They grow noticeably thinner comparatively to pachanoi and peruvianus, with much longer spines. The spines range from honey-colored to brown once again, but tend to have a maximum of 4 per areole, Needle like in shape larger examples its common to completely loose spines in new growth. Bridgesii are also found in monstrose forms, most commonly as TBM (penis plant…. Get your laughs out now) these are a more rounded, almost eggplant shaped without specific ribs. These branch out with multiple new growths and will form an almost bush if left to its own. Bridgesii are often the most sought out due to their more “reliable” levels of Mescaline. They also can grow the quickest if given the right levels of light, water, and fertilizer, albeit also tend to be the least hardy and susceptible to rot and moisture damage.

Trichocereus Bridgesii “Wowie x Helen”

Trichocereus Bridgesii Mosnstrose (TBM-B “Penis Plant”)

Scopulicola can have between 4-6 ribs although most tend to have 5. Areoles are sukin in and have very little to nonexistent spines. The side profile of scopulicola can be wavy, or smooth in shape but almost all are a thicker, more rounded/blunt tip than other trichocereus. They are a much deeper darker green with almost no glaucus layer. Flowers are dramatic, large and white, sprouting with dark brown colored hairs. Scopulicola are very rare and nearly extinct in nature. Natively from similar areas and found near Bridgesii these are most thought of as a cross between Pachanoi and Bridgesii. As seedlings they have spines and closely mimic Pachanoi with their growth until mature and lose their spines.

Trichocereus Scopulicola “Hulk x Scopulicola”

All four of these plants are not definite in their appearance. It is common for them to be mixes, hybrids, or some other abomination with taking traits of two if not three of the other Trichocereus. Once again having abnormalities is often praised, making figuring out what you are looking at much harder, along with making the only reliable source of what to call this plant the original grower. At the end of the day, most people don't question if you call your pachanoi a peruvianus or if you call your short spined bridgesii a pachanoi, that's the job for some cacti fanatic like me to complain about to people who don't care enough to look into it themselves online. The entire population of people who classify trichocereus even admitted all this shit is half made up and there is too much inbreeding and crosses to have a specific species even stand out now. Just grow what you want to grow and let everyone enjoy it. Except if you poach someones plants, fuck you.

Grow some spines but don't be a prick.

And please, for the love of god don’t even ask me what the difference between a macrogonus and a uyupampensis is. Once again they changed the definitions of what what is.

From humble beginnings .

Hi I’m Logan of Dead Crow Farms

I love plants… to the point it’s becoming a problem. I have spent the last two years learning about and growing Trichocereus cacti fully indoors. I want to share my obsession with others who share the same passion for plants. If I am honest I began my collection off a whim of seeing a Viceland report about traditional uses of San Pedro in Peru. If you know you know…

Rather quickly afterwards I began to hunt the web, looking around and trying to absorb as much as I could about these cacti. All I knew was I needed to find this special spikey columnar, I didn’t know what a trichocereus was, I didn’t know the difference between a Trichocereus Pachanoi and Cereus Repandus. You could say I was sort of sprouting in my own way. Including the fact that I am located in the Mid Atlantic, the only cactus I’d ever see are sad and dying examples of random succulents begging for light in the middle of a generic big box store, oh and don’t mention the ones with the goofy glued on flowers. Until I found it, a small online store that only sold one cultivar: the basic P.C. To me, a complete newbie, this was like I struck gold. I couldn’t punch in my credit card number fast enough, I checked constantly waiting for updates in the shipping, and I scrambled to find a simple T5 fluorescent light to hang in my window sill with my new found obsession.

Within a month this fella was extremely overwatered, etiolating heavily, and overall I was discouraged. Admittedly, I got this for its “effects”. I couldn’t help but want to get it back to its glory. Hours and hours in forums, watching every video I could find on YouTube, I slowly fixed my set up where I could. Fixed my soil mixture, Discovered the rabbit hole of lighting, A heat mat for promoting root growth, and what the hell a NPK meant.

Seeing that first P.C. growing better and getting more samples of trichocereus cacti just drove this obession deeper. Grow tents, high tech lighting and cycle set ups, and now I’m working to the greater goal of spreading examples I’ve grown from seeds for others to enjoy and just generally sharing my love for cacti.