Lophophora diffusa f. cristata
Lophophora diffusa f. cristata is a crested (fasciated) form of Lophophora diffusa, the false peyote, in which the normal single growing point is replaced by a wandering, fan-shaped line of growth. Instead of the usual solitary button, the plant piles up into soft, pale-green convoluted mounds of brain-like folds — a prized oddity among collectors of Lophophora.
Crested growth of this kind (properly termed fasciation) arises when the apical meristem, normally a single point, stretches into a continuous line. The result is the rippling, coral- or brain-like body that gives crested cacti their appeal. As with most crests, the trait is unstable: patches of a plant may occasionally revert to normal button-shaped growth, and some crests will throw ordinary heads from the folds.
Description
The body keeps the characteristics of L. diffusa — soft, almost spineless flesh, a yellowish-green colour paler and less blue-toned than L. williamsii, and indistinct, poorly defined ribs — but folded and multiplied into a crested ridge. The tissue is firm to soft rather than tuberculate, and the areoles carry the usual tufts of pale wool instead of spines. Fasciated Lophophora tend to grow low and spreading, forming a rounded cushion over time.
Flowering is less predictable on crests than on normal plants, but mature specimens may still produce the small, creamy-white to yellowish-white blooms typical of the species from the woolly crest.
Cultivation
Care follows the parent species; see Lophophora diffusa for the full account, along with the general guides on Watering, Soil and potting mix and Repotting.
A few notes specific to the crest:
- Rot risk. The convoluted surface traps water and debris in its folds, so crested Lophophora are even more sensitive to overwatering than normal plants. Grow in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, water only when thoroughly dry, and keep it dry and cool through winter.
- Grafting. Like many crests and other slow, rot-prone oddities, crested L. diffusa is often grown grafted onto a vigorous rootstock (such as Myrtillocactus or Trichocereus), which speeds growth and lifts the sensitive tissue off wet soil. Plants can also be grown on their own roots, but progress is slow.
- Light. Bright light helps keep the crest tight and well-coloured; too little light produces weak, stretched growth.
Because crests do not come true from seed, this form is maintained vegetatively — by division of the crested tissue or, most often, by grafting. See Propagation — offsets and Grafting for technique.
Legal status
Lophophora diffusa contains only very low levels of mescaline compared with true peyote (L. williamsii), and is chiefly grown as an ornamental. Even so, the whole genus Lophophora is often swept up in peyote-related controls, and the legal position varies considerably between countries and jurisdictions. In some places all Lophophora are restricted regardless of their actual alkaloid content.
As a member of the cactus family, Lophophora is also listed under CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade; nursery-propagated plants are traded legally under this framework, while wild collection is not. Growers should check the specific laws that apply where they live before acquiring or trading plants. This article is a horticultural reference only.
See also
- Lophophora diffusa — the parent species
- Lophophora — the genus overview
- Lophophora williamsii — peyote, the better-known relative
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets