Sacred Cactus, Trichocereus Pachanoi, Peruvianus, San Pedro Cactus

Home | Peruvianus 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Trichocereus Pachanoi and Peruvianus compared to Cuzcoensis

Peruvianus or Cuzcoensis?
Spines of Peruvianus are described by collectors as yellow to brown. Sometimes they start yellow and then turn brown. The Cuzcoensis starts as yellow spined (see the tip in the photo at right) and then turn white.

I see a lot of ebay sales for so-called Peruvian Torch that look to me like cuzcoensis.

In fact, I own several of these long spined green Trichocereus with rib counts similar to the Pachanoi and Peruvianus. But they lack that beautiful blue of the Peruvian torch. And the spines are definitely white, not brown.

Cuzcoensis does not have the large diameter of Peruvianus; I have never seen one that had the "on steroids" growth habit of a true Peruvian Torch either.

When I tried to sell Cuzcoensis on eBay no one would buy them. Imagine my surprise when clever sellers called them Peruvianus or San Pedro "Macho". Customers bought them.

Personally I don't care for the appearance of Cuzcoensis. It is kind of boring.

Cuzcoensis
White spines-- long, but not very long.
Green color.
Same diameter and growth rate as San Pedro.

(above) Sold on eBay as a "Peruvianus".
Looks like Trichocereus Cuzcoensis to me!

(below) The real thing has wicked brown spines! Don't be fooled by cacti that look like the insert photo.

The very long brown spines and distinct blue color like this specimen is what I call the "Resseler" variety. It is a beautiful plant.