Lophophora williamsii f. monstrosa
Lophophora williamsii f. monstrosa is a monstrose form of peyote, the slow-growing, spineless button cactus of the Lophophora genus. Where a typical peyote builds neat, symmetrical ribs and tubercles around a woolly crown, this form grows in a disorganised way — ribs break up, tubercles multiply and swell unevenly, and the body takes on a lumpy, knobbly, asymmetric shape that no two plants share. It is a horticultural oddity prized by collectors for its sculptural irregularity rather than any distinct botanical rank; care is exactly as for the parent species, Lophophora williamsii.
Description
Monstrose growth is a mutation of the plant's growing point, distinct from the flattened, fan-shaped crests of fasciated (cristate) forms. Instead of the orderly spiral of low tubercles seen on a standard peyote, f. monstrosa produces bodies that are bumpy and chaotic: tubercles enlarge and crowd together, the ribs lose their regular flow, and the crown may sit off-centre or split into several growing points. The result is a soft, blue-green to grey-green cushion covered in irregular mounds, often studded with the usual tufts of white areolar wool.
Because the disorder is expressed in the meristem, individual plants vary widely — some are only mildly lumpy, others are dramatically contorted, and a single specimen can shift between more and less monstrose growth over its life. Like the species, it is spineless and slow, and it can flower with the same small pink blooms from the woolly apex when mature and well grown.
Cultivation
Grow f. monstrosa exactly as you would the parent species — see Lophophora williamsii for full detail. In short: a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix, bright light, and cautious watering with a completely dry winter rest. Peyote is extremely slow and resents both overwatering and cold-wet conditions, which are the usual causes of rot.
A few notes specific to monstrose plants:
- Monstrose and other aberrant forms are often grown grafted onto a vigorous rootstock such as Myrtillocactus or Trichocereus to speed up their otherwise glacial growth; see Grafting. Grafted plants grow faster and lumpier, while plants on their own roots stay slower and more compact.
- Give it good light to keep the irregular tubercles firm and coloured; too little light exaggerates soft, pale, distorted growth.
- The crowded, dimpled surface can trap moisture and debris, so water at the base and keep the crown dry to avoid rot pockets.
Monstrose growth is maintained vegetatively — from offsets or by re-grafting pups — since seed from these plants typically reverts to normal form. See Propagation — offsets and Grafting.
Legal status
Lophophora williamsii contains mescaline, and this monstrose form is subject to exactly the same controls as ordinary peyote. In the United States the plant and its active compound are listed under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, making cultivation and possession illegal for most people; a longstanding federal exemption applies only to the religious use of peyote by the Native American Church. Like the entire cactus family, Lophophora is also listed under CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade. Laws differ substantially between countries and, in the US, between states, so growers are responsible for checking the rules that apply to them. This article is a horticultural reference only and does not describe any use of the plant.
See also
- Lophophora williamsii — the parent species
- Lophophora — the genus overview
- Grafting · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets