Lophophora williamsii 'Wirikuta'
Lophophora williamsii 'Wirikuta is a locality-provenance form of peyote originating from the Wirikuta region of San Luis Potosí in north-central Mexico — a high desert plateau held sacred by the Huichol (Wixárika) people and one of the best-known trade localities for the species. As a provenance form rather than a bred cultivar, it is not distinguished by a novel selected trait but by the geographic origin of its seed stock, which growers value for its documented pedigree.
Care follows the parent species, Lophophora williamsii; see that article for the full cultivation account, and note the legal restrictions below.
Description
Plants grown from Wirikuta-provenance seed are typical of the species: a soft, spineless, blue-green to grey-green button divided into low, broad ribs, with tufts of woolly areoles along the rib crests and no true spines. Small pink flowers open from the woolly crown. As with all wild-provenance material, individual plants vary in rib count, colour and body shape, and there is no single "Wirikuta look" — the name refers to origin, not to a uniform selected form. Growers sometimes report a slightly more compact, firm-bodied habit in plants of this provenance, but such differences are subtle and cultivation-dependent rather than fixed.
Cultivation
Cultivation is exactly as for the parent species. Grow Lophophora williamsii 'Wirikuta' in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix in bright light with some shade from the fiercest afternoon sun. Water thoroughly only when the soil has dried completely, and keep the plant dry and cool through winter, when the body naturally contracts and pulls down into the pot. Overwatering and a slow-draining mix are the usual causes of rot. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Like the species, this provenance form is very slow from seed. Many growers speed up young plants by grafting seedlings onto a vigorous rootstock such as Myrtillocactus or Trichocereus, growing them on faster before moving selected plants back to their own roots.
Propagation
Seed is the standard method, and it is through seed that a documented provenance line such as Wirikuta is maintained — growers keep records of parentage to preserve the locality pedigree. The species seldom offsets on its own, though a plant whose crown is damaged or cut may sprout multiple pups that can be removed once rooted. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — offsets.
Legal status
Lophophora williamsii, including all provenance forms and localities such as Wirikuta, contains controlled compounds and is subject to strict legal restrictions in many countries. In the United States it is listed as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law; the only significant exemption is the religious use of peyote by the Native American Church. Cultivation, possession and sale are otherwise prohibited, and a "Wirikuta" label confers no different legal standing than any other peyote — it is treated identically to the species.
Like the entire cactus family, Lophophora is also listed under CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade. In its native Mexico the plant is legally protected, and the Wirikuta desert itself is a recognised natural and cultural protected area central to Huichol pilgrimage. Wild populations there have declined from over-collection, habitat loss and mining pressure.
Growers should check the laws in their own jurisdiction before acquiring this plant. This article is a horticultural reference only and describes no consumption or preparation of any kind.
See also
- Lophophora williamsii — the parent species
- Lophophora — the genus overview
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed
- CITES