Lophophora diffusa f. variegata
Lophophora diffusa f. variegata is a variegated form of the slow-growing, spineless button cactus Lophophora diffusa. It differs from the normal plant only in its colouring: irregular sectors of yellow and cream break up the soft, grey-green to yellow-green body, the result of patches of tissue that carry little or no chlorophyll. In every other respect — its flat-topped, tubercled shape, its woolly areoles and its whitish to pale yellow flowers — it follows the parent species. It is sometimes traded under the Japanese-influenced name nishiki, a term collectors apply to variegated cacti generally.
Care for this form is the same as for the parent, Lophophora diffusa, with a few adjustments noted below.
Description
L. diffusa is one of the softer, less sharply ribbed members of its genus, with a low, rounded body divided into broad, poorly defined tubercles rather than crisp ribs, and tufts of pale wool where a spine cluster would sit on other cacti. The variegated form carries this same anatomy but with the addition of chlorophyll-free zones, so the surface is marbled or sectored in yellow, cream and green. The pattern is unstable and unpredictable: it varies from plant to plant, can shift as the cactus grows, and may be spread across the body in blotches, wedges or fine flecking.
Because the pale tissue cannot photosynthesise, a heavily variegated plant grows even more slowly than the already sluggish parent, and a plant that reverts to solid green or, conversely, throws an all-pale section behaves accordingly — the green feeds it, the pale does not. Flowers, when they appear from the woolly crown, are the same small whitish to pale yellow blooms as the ordinary species.
Cultivation
Grow L. diffusa f. variegata exactly as for Lophophora diffusa: a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, bright light, and cautious watering with a fully dry rest in winter. Overwatering and a slow-draining medium are the usual causes of loss.
Two points deserve extra attention with variegates. First, they generally need bright light to hold their colour — too much shade encourages the plant to green up and lose the variegation — but the pale, unprotected tissue also scorches more easily than solid green, so strong light must be introduced gradually and the fiercest afternoon sun softened. Second, because the reduced chlorophyll makes these plants weak and slow on their own roots, striking variegated specimens are very often maintained by grafting onto a vigorous rootstock, which supplies the energy the pale tissue cannot make for itself. Own-root plants are possible but demand patience and a light hand with water.
Propagation follows the parent species. Seed rarely comes true for variegation, so desirable clones are usually increased vegetatively — by rooting or grafting offsets — to keep the pattern. See Propagation — seed and Grafting for technique.
Legal status
Lophophora diffusa and this variegated form belong to a genus that, as a whole, is tightly regulated. Like all cacti, Lophophora is listed under CITES Appendix II, which controls international trade. In addition, several countries and jurisdictions restrict Lophophora plants because the genus includes peyote (Lophophora williamsii), a mescaline-containing cactus of long ethnobotanical and ceremonial significance in Mexico and the southwestern United States.
L. diffusa itself is notable for containing very little mescaline compared with peyote, its chemistry being dominated by other alkaloids. Despite this, it — and its cultivated forms such as this variegate — is frequently swept up under the same legal restrictions as peyote, because regulations commonly target the genus by name rather than the individual species. Growers should therefore check the laws of their own country, state or region before acquiring, cultivating or trading these plants, as the rules vary widely and can apply regardless of a plant's actual alkaloid content. This entry is horticultural reference only.
See also
- Lophophora — the genus overview
- Lophophora diffusa — the parent species
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets
- CITES · Pests and diseases