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

New Plant Calea Zacatechichi (Dream Herb)

Yesterday I received a small rooted cutting of Calea Zacatechichi. As usual this was expensive ($60) due to it being rare in NZ.
It is apparently a very 'bullet proof' plant so I have no worried with it surviving!
I'm going to plant it out in a similar fashion to the Salvia, but with a slightly higher draining soil mix.
Hopefully I will have a harvestable bush before the winter. I am really interested in the effects of this plant - I cannot wait to use it!


Calea Zacatechichi rooted cutting.

Crazy Pupping on Peyote Graft

Okay so this graft must be over 3 months old and it suddenly starting pupping! 3 emerged around the sides!
Aswell as two emerging from the areoles near the growth centre. This is really strange as it is almost always the oldest areoles that pup.
My theory is that it must be something to do with the hormone exchange from the peyote - san pedro.

Anyway he wil sure look weird when he's older!




Lophophora Williamsii Pupping

Entheogens I want to Grow!

I thought I could do with Consolidating the Ever Growing list of Entheogens that I want to start growing!

Banisteriopsis Caapi
This Contains MAOI alkaloids as well as DMT, It is common constituent of Ayahuasca.



Calea Zacatechichi (Dream Herb)
Extracts of this plant increase reaction times and the frequency and recollection of dreams.



Diplopterys Cabrerana
It is rich in tryptamines such as DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. It is found in the Amazonian lowlands of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.



Erythroxylum Novogranatense
The cocaine content in leaves of E.coca var.coca was found to range from 0.23-0.96%, with a mean of 0.63%.



Catha Edulis (Khat)
Khat contains the alkaloid called cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant which is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite and euphoria. Khat is a slow-growing shrub or tree that grows to between 1.5 metres and 20 metres tall. It appears to have originated in East Africa



Mimosa Tenuiflora
Mimosa Tenuiflora is a perennial evergreen tree or shrub native to the northeastern region of Brazil.
The root bark has been recently shown to have a DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) content of about 1%.



Peganum Harmala (Syrian Rue)
This is a plant of the family Nitrariaceae, native from the eastern Mediterranean region east to India.
The active alkaloids of Harmal seeds are the MAOI-A (monoamine oxidase inhibitor A).
The stems of the plant contain about 0.36% alkaloids, the leaves about 0.52%, and the roots up to 2.5%.




Pelecyphora Aselliformis (Peyotillo)
Used by Native Americans as Peyote substitute. Found growing in Central Mexico.
Plant contains traces of mescaline (minute quantities) as well as anhalidine; anhaladine, hordenine; N-methyl-mescaline; pellotine etc. Most of which are found in Peyote in much larger quantities.



Psychotria Viridis
This is a slow growing shrub from the coffee family, Rubiaceae.
It contains DMT 0.1-0.61% dried mass (high). It is known primarily as a principle admixture to the ayahuasca brew used in South America.



Tabernanthe Iboga
This is a perennial rainforest shrub, native to western Central Africa.
Contains indole alkaloids, most notably ibogaine.



Zornia latifolia
This is a perennial herb. Prostate growth habit and intense branching. It is known to have psychoactive effects, similar to Cannabis.



Ariocarpus Fissuratus- Peyote Substitute
This is a species of extremely slow growing cacti found in rare numbers in Mexico and the southern United States.

Ariocarpus fissuratus is a unique species in that is has been used by Native American tribes as a mind altering substance, usually only as a substitute for peyote [1]. While it does not contain mescaline like many other North American cactus species (such as Lophophora williamsii or Peyote), it has been found to contain other mind altering substances, such as N-methyltyramine and Hordenine[1], albeit in doses too small to be active. This cactus is also commonly referred to as the "False Peyote," or simply "Sunami."




Coryphantha Macromeris (Donana)
A cactus from Northern Mexico. Found to contain various alkaloids as well as Phenethylaminre, a drug said to have 1/5th the potency of Mescaline. The alkaloids are in low quantities and must be extracted to be experienced.



Argyreia nervosa (Hawaiian Baby Woodrose)
This is a perennial climbing vine, native to the Indian subcontinent and introduced to numerous areas worldwide,
The seeds of the plant can be consumed to produce psychedelic effects. Volumes of seeds consumed often begin at just a few, 5 to 6 being recommended, but experienced users have taken upwards of ten to twenty-five.

Numerous suggestions have been made as to the contents of the seeds and how they produce their effects, with it being the present belief that they contain a potential precursor to LSD, ergine or LSA, (among a series of other ergolines).



Morning Glory
The seeds of many species of morning glory contain ergot alkaloids such as the hallucinogenic ergonovine and ergine or LSA. Seeds of I. tricolor and T. corymbosa (syn. R. corymbosa) are used as psychedelics. The seeds can produce a similar effect to LSD when taken in the hundreds.

Nicotiana Tabacum Seeds

On the 17/02/10 I planted some Nicotiana tabacum Seeds that I brought from Trademe. They were Organically grown in the same Environment (North Island) as I will be growing them so they should be better adapted.

Nicotiana Tabacum is said to be one of the most significant entheogen in human history. Nicotiana Tabacum is originally from South america where is was used ceremonially, for healing purposes and to drive away bad spirits by the Native Tribes. Later it was cultivated and traveled North where it was used by Native americans for similar ceremonial purposes for thousands of years.

I planted the seeds into a special seed propagator, this has 5X4 Individual cells, a bottom tray, and a lid. This allows me to bottom water easily and the lid increases humidity.



Nicotiana Tabacum seedlings must be transplanted early on so as to not damage the tap root (this causes sluggish growth). Therefore they will only be in the propagator for a week at most until I plant them out. I have brought cheap plant bags instead of pots to save money!

Hopefully I will have a good germination rate, although they have been sow late in season.
Some of the seeds seem to have turned a white colour - perhaps the emerging roots?

Pilosocereus Azureus & Peyote Graft

Yesterday (17/02/10) I found a HUGE Pilosocereus Azureus for sale at a local garden centre for a very small price $12 NZD.
I could see it was in active growth and perfect for grafting my last Peyote onto!
Here is a pic of how it looked when I brought it:


Pilosocereus Azureus

Grafting a Peyote onto something as tall as this has a few problems, not to mention finding elastic bands that long!
However I remember reading an obscure grafting guide which mentioned a simple way around this problem. Spines of a large cactus such as T. Bridgesii are used to impale through the root stock at an appropriate level. Rubber bands can be attached to these to hold the scion on!
A simple solution!

Not having a large enough T. Bridgesii I used split BBQ skewers to replace the spines.



The operation was tricky, and my hand looked like a pin cushion by the end!






Pilosocereus Azureus and Lophophora Williamsii Graft



The Vascular Cambium on this cactus was much larger than what I've seen on San Pedro and other Trichocereus, Hopefully this will make for a better bond between Rootstock & Scion.

The Pilosocereus Azureus comes very highly recommended as a grafting stock for Peyote.
I am hoping that due to the much larger rootstock that this graft will have much more impressive results!

Salvia Divinorum Update

I've had my Salvia planted for 10 days now and the growth rate is fantastic! I have gotten too used to growing cactus who grow too slow! (its amazing what C1 Photosynthesis can do).
I expect the plant will become a rather bushy specimen as it is growing branches from all its nodules!


Salvia Divinorum