Echinopsis pachanoi Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids San Pedro cactus

Echinopsis pachanoi in Hawaii
Scientific classification
Genus:	Echinopsis
Species:	pachanoi
Synonyms
Trichocereus pachanoi Britton & Rose

The Echinopsis pachanoi is a type of cactus often called the San Pedro cactus. It grows very quickly and has a tall, column-like shape. This cactus comes from the Andes Mountains in South America. It grows high up, between 2,000 and 3,000 meters (about 6,500 to 9,800 feet) above sea level.

You can find the San Pedro cactus in countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. People also grow it in other parts of the world. It has been used for a long time in traditional medicine. It is also grown as a beautiful plant in gardens. For over 3,000 years, people in the Andes Mountains have used it for healing. Sometimes, people confuse it with a similar cactus called the Peruvian torch cactus.

What are its other names?
What does the San Pedro cactus look like?
How has it been used traditionally?
How to grow San Pedro cactus
- Growing from cuttings
- Growing from seeds
Images for kids
See also

What are its other names?

The San Pedro cactus is known by many different names in South America. Some of these names are achuma, huachuma, wachuma, aguacolla, hahuacollay, or giganton. These names show how important this cactus is to the local people.

What does the San Pedro cactus look like?

The San Pedro cactus is originally from Ecuador and Peru. Its stems can be light green or dark green. Sometimes they have a slightly blue-gray color. The stems are usually 6 to 15 centimeters (about 2.4 to 6 inches) wide. They typically have 6 to 8 ribs running down their sides.

Small, whitish spots called areoles are found along the ribs. These spots might grow up to seven yellow or brown spines. Each spine can be up to 2 centimeters (about 0.8 inches) long. However, many San Pedro cacti grown by people have shorter spines or no spines at all. The areoles are spaced about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) apart.

This cactus usually grows to be 3 to 6 meters (about 10 to 20 feet) tall. It often has many branches that grow from its base. New branches can also grow if an old branch breaks. The tallest San Pedro cactus ever recorded was 12.2 meters (about 40 feet) tall!

White flowers grow at the end of the stems. These flowers open at night and stay open for about two days. A healthy cactus can produce many flowers over several weeks. The flowers are very large, about 19 to 24 centimeters (about 7.5 to 9.5 inches) long. They can be up to 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) wide and smell very nice. The thick base of the flower has black hairs. After the flowers are pollinated, dark green fruits grow. These fruits are about 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) wide and 5 to 6 centimeters (2 to 2.4 inches) long.

How has it been used traditionally?

Hordenine, a natural chemical found in Echinopsis pachanoi

The San Pedro Cactus in its natural home in Peru. You can see some fruits with dried flowers on them.

The San Pedro cactus has been used in traditional medicine in the Andes for a very long time. Scientists have found proof that people used it over 2,000 years ago. This was during the time of the Moche culture. Even after the Spanish arrived and tried to stop its use, people continued to use it.

The common name "San Pedro cactus" has a Christian meaning. It refers to Saint Peter. Some people believe that just as Saint Peter holds the keys to heaven, the cactus helps people connect with spiritual ideas.

How to grow San Pedro cactus

A small San Pedro Cactus cutting that was recently planted.

The San Pedro cactus can grow in many places. It does best in a mild climate. Since it naturally grows in the high Andes Mountains where there is a lot of rain, it can handle colder temperatures than many other cacti. It needs soil that is rich in nutrients and drains water well.

These cacti can grow about half a meter (about 1.6 feet) taller each year. They can get sick with fungus if they get too much water. However, they are not as sensitive as many other cacti, especially when the weather is warm. If they get too much sunlight, they can get sunburned. This makes them turn yellow.

In winter, when there is less light, the plants might become thin. This is called etiolation. If the thin part is not strong enough, the cactus might break in strong winds.

Growing from cuttings

You can grow new San Pedro cacti from cuttings. This means you cut a piece off an existing plant and plant it. The new plant will be exactly like the parent plant. You can also lay a long piece of the cactus on its side on the ground. Roots will grow from it into the soil. After some time, new cactus columns will sprout upwards along the length of the piece.

Growing from seeds

It is also easy to grow San Pedro cacti from seeds. A common way to do this is called "Takeaway Tek." This method involves planting the seeds in plastic containers, like those used for food takeaways. These containers create a moist environment for 6 months to a year. This helps the seeds sprout and grow without being bothered by outside dirt or changes in the environment.