Lophophora fricii
| Light | Bright light with a little shade from the fiercest afternoon sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly; allow to dry fully between waterings, kept dry through a cool winter rest |
| Soil | Very free-draining, mostly mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; roughly USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); occasionally offsets or grafting |
| Toxicity | Not considered a food plant; keep out of reach of pets and children |
Lophophora fricii is a large, spineless, flat-topped Lophophora from the state of Coahuila in northern Mexico. It is a slow-growing, grey-green to blue-green button cactus, and among the most distinctive members of its genus for its striking dark pink to deep carmine flowers, which set it apart from the softer pink or whitish blooms of its relatives. In collections it is also known by the Japanese name Ginkantama (Template:Lang), and it has at times been treated as a variety of Lophophora williamsii.
Description
Lophophora fricii forms a broad, depressed-globular body that is typically solitary when young but can slowly become clustered or clumping with age. The plant is firm, spineless and smooth-skinned, with a matte grey-green to bluish surface and a soft, felted crown of wool at the apex, from which flowers and new growth emerge. The body is divided into broad, low ribs bearing widely spaced areoles, each carrying a tuft of pale wool rather than spines.
The flowers are the plant's most memorable feature: comparatively large for the genus and coloured a rich, saturated pink to carmine, opening from the woolly crown in the warmer months. This deep colouring is one of the traits growers use to tell L. fricii apart from the paler-flowered peyote. Like other members of the genus, the plant has a stout, carrot-like taproot that is often larger than the visible body and allows it to retract into the soil during drought.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to arid limestone country in Coahuila, in northern Mexico, where it grows on rocky hillsides and in gritty, well-drained ground among sparse scrub. As with much of the genus, plants often sit almost flush with the soil surface, sheltered by the shade of low shrubs and grasses and drawing down into the earth in the driest part of the year.
The taxonomy of Lophophora is much debated, and L. fricii has been treated by different authors as a good species, as a variety of L. williamsii, or as part of a broader complex. Whatever its rank, wild populations are localised and vulnerable to over-collection, so plants in cultivation should come from nursery-raised seed rather than the wild.
Cultivation
Lophophora fricii is grown much like the rest of the genus and, like them, is very slow. Plant it in a deep pot to accommodate the taproot, using a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, and give it bright light with a little protection from the most intense afternoon sun. Water thoroughly once the soil has dried out completely during the growing season, then allow it to dry again; keep the plant dry and cool through winter, both to prevent rot and to encourage flowering. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Overwatering and a slow-draining mix are the usual causes of loss, as the fleshy body and taproot rot easily when kept damp. Patience is essential — mature, well-flowered specimens represent many years of steady, careful growth.
Propagation
Seed is the standard and most reliable method; the fine seed is sown on a warm, mineral surface kept humid until germination. Clustering plants can sometimes be divided or have offsets removed and rooted, and slow seedlings are occasionally grafted onto a vigorous rootstock to speed them up before being grown on their own roots. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — offsets for full walkthroughs.
Common problems
- Rot — almost always from overwatering or a poorly draining mix; the body softens and discolours from the base, crown or taproot.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the plant pale and pushes it upward, losing its low, flat-topped form.
- Pests — root mealybugs on the taproot are a particular nuisance in this genus, alongside surface mealybugs and red spider mites.
Legal status
Like its better-known relative peyote, Lophophora fricii contains mescaline and related alkaloids, and it is frequently caught up in laws written around peyote and mescaline-containing cacti. In some jurisdictions the entire genus Lophophora is regulated regardless of a given plant's actual chemistry. Like all cacti, it is also listed under CITES Appendix II, which governs international trade.
Because the legal picture varies widely from country to country — and sometimes between regions of the same country — growers should check the rules that apply where they live before acquiring, keeping or trading this plant. This article is a horticultural reference only and does not describe any preparation or use of the plant.
See also
- Lophophora — the genus overview
- Lophophora williamsii — the closely related peyote
- CITES
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets