Mar 19, 2010

Pereskiopsis Spathulata

I have been desperate to find this plant in NZ ever since I got here. It is an ugly prickly leafy cactus that grows like a weed - But it is a cactus (a true cactus). This means that grafts of all other cacti will take to them easily. This includes Peyote!
Due to its leaves and jungle-cactus nature it is an extremely fast growing plant - I have heard it can grow 4cm in a week.
It has a very thin steam unlike other cactus which makes it ideal for seedling grafting. This is its main use among cactus cultivators.

As peyote are so difficult to come by in NZ my plan was to grow seeds & graft them onto Pereskiopsis. Within a few years I can grow a respectable collection of grandfather-like peyotes.
The growth rate is incredible when grafting with Pereskiopsis; a peyote will grow from a seed to a flowering plant in a year instead of 10 years in the wild!

HOWEVER! I have searched for this plant far and wide, on the internet & at specialist cactus nurseries and the result is that is absolutely does not exist in NZ atall!
...
Well apart from the three cuttings I have sitting in front of me!
I have managed to get sent some cuttings sent to me from a Kiwi on the forum site 'shroomary'. He is currently living in Aus & sent the cuttings from there.
Incredibly they were not seized by customs & are did not die from the journey!

I will plant the unrooted cuttings directly into a moist soil & place them in a humidity dome (makeshift) & out of direct sunlight. After two weeks they should plump up and grow like a beast!

Heres is a picture of my new babies:


Pereskiopsis Spathulata unrooted Cuttings

5 comments:

  1. Hi Joshua :)

    I am also looking for some Pereskiopsis Spathulata - I stumbled upon your blog during my search.

    How did you cuttings turn out? Are you still in NZ?

    Email me at cacti_hat@outlook.com if you have any cuttings to spare!!

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  2. Whoops wrong email I meant cactus_hat@outlook.com.

    :-P

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  3. I too have been on the search for some pereskiopsis spathulata. If you're still in Nz please email me at calvin180@gmail.com mush love

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  4. Hi Joshua, I also (haha) am on the hunt for some cuttings too! Would be super keen to hear from you if this is possible, my email is boyd.the@gmail.com

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  5. If anyone knows of a good source in Canada, please let me know! kurtht@outlook.com

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