Lophophora diffusa 'Vizarron'
Lophophora diffusa 'Vizarrón is a locality-provenance form of the peyote relative Lophophora diffusa, collected from (or grown from seed originating in) the Vizarrón and Higuerillas area of Querétaro, in central Mexico. This region lies within the species' restricted natural range, so plants labelled 'Vizarrón' are essentially wild-type L. diffusa — prized by collectors chiefly for their documented, true-to-type provenance rather than for any bred-in ornamental trait.
Because it is a provenance form rather than a selected cultivar, its care is identical to that of the parent species; see Lophophora diffusa for the full care guidance.
Description
Like typical Lophophora diffusa, the 'Vizarrón' form is a soft, low, spineless cactus with a broad, somewhat flattened body that is typically a distinctly yellowish- or olive-green, sometimes appearing greyer green. The ribs are low, broad and often poorly defined, giving the plant a rounded, cushiony outline that is less sharply segmented than that of its better-known cousin L. williamsii. Tufts of pale wool sit at the areoles along the top of the plant, and small whitish to yellowish-white flowers — occasionally faintly pink-tinged — open from this woolly crown in the growing season.
Provenance labels such as 'Vizarrón', 'Higuerillas' and 'Querétaro' describe where a plant's line was originally collected rather than a visually distinct clone, so individual plants vary in the same way wild populations do. With age and a good root system, plants tend to widen and may eventually offset to form a small cluster.
Cultivation
Grow as for the parent species, Lophophora diffusa. In short: give bright light, a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, and water only when the soil has dried out, tapering off to a dry rest through the cold months to prevent rot. Like all Lophophora, it is naturally slow-growing and resents overwatering more than almost anything else.
Because the genus is slow from seed, some growers speed young plants up by grafting seedlings onto a vigorous rootstock before growing them on their own roots later. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual method, and it is also the way provenance is maintained — 'Vizarrón' seedlings are raised from parent plants of the same documented origin. Established clumping plants can occasionally be divided by removing rooted offsets; see Propagation — seed and Propagation — offsets.
Legal status
Lophophora is a controlled genus in many jurisdictions. The whole family Cactaceae, including Lophophora, is listed under CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade. In addition, because some Lophophora species — most famously peyote, Lophophora williamsii — contain mescaline and other regulated alkaloids, the genus is frequently swept up under peyote-specific or controlled-substance laws. This can extend to L. diffusa and its provenance forms even though L. diffusa is not the classic peyote species and is notably low in mescaline (its alkaloid content is dominated by pellotine). Legal treatment varies widely from country to country and, within some countries, from region to region.
If you intend to grow, buy, sell or transport L. diffusa 'Vizarrón', check your own national and local laws first. This article is horticultural and conservation reference only.
See also
- Lophophora diffusa — the parent species
- Lophophora — the genus overview
- Lophophora williamsii — the related "true peyote"
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · CITES