Trichocereus cuzcoensis – Echinopsis cuzcoensis

Trichocereus cuzcoensis is a Trichocereus species from Cusco in Peru. It is described as from Cusco and in sense  of the description plants only count as being part of this species if they are from Cusco, but close relatives of Trichocereus cuzcoensis also occur in many other parts of Peru, e.g. Trichocereus knuthianus, Trichocereus schoenii, Trichocereus tarmaensis, etc.

Trichocereus cuzcoensis is currently still called Echinopsis cuzcoensis, but many good authors have abandoned this sinking ship and went back to use the Trichocereus names. Trichocereus cuzcoensis, also known as Echinopsis cuzcoensis, is an accepted species, despite it´s obvious similarity to Trichocereus peruvianus. There are countless intermediates between Trichocereus peruvianus and Trichocereus cuzcoensis (especially where both grow together) and there are many regional forms that show traits of both species.  As an example, there are Peruvianoid forms of Trichocereus cuzcoensis and there are specimens of Trichocereus peruvianus that show some traits of Trichocereus cuzcoensis. Personally, I think that Trichocereus cuzcoensis and Trichocereus peruvianus are so similar that they are at least subspecies or varieties of the same species. We´ve already seen lots of different regional forms of Trichocereus cuzcoensis. Everywhere T.cuzcoensis grows in direct neighborhood of Trichocereus peruvianus, they hybridize with each other and form transitional forms. The whole group around Trichocereus peruvianus is extremely variable and that also includes Trichocereus cuzcoensis as well. Please note that Trichocereus cuzcoensis is MORE than just Karel Knize´s KK242, which has become THE textbook definition of a cuzco. The hate around KK242 is responsible for giving the species a bad rep and that´s absolutely not justified as far as we are concerned. It´s a beautiful and unique species and large mother plants are usually stunning.

Because there are countless forms of Trichocereus cuzcoensis or its close relatives, we started collecting as many photos as we can to put them here together. 

Description of T. cuzcoensis:

Trichocereus Cuzcoensis is a columnar cactus that grows columnar and is pupping from the base. It can get more than five meters tall, though most collection plants that are grown in pots do not exceed 2 meters. However, in countries like Australia, there are many huge plants of Trichocereus cuzcoensis to be found. New growth has a bright green color. It can get between 7 -9 rounded Ribs and the areoles are approximately 1-2 centimeters apart from each other. Trichocereus cuzcoensis has many, very strong spines. The number of spines is very variable but in most cases, I observed between 8-12 spines. The spines usually have a rounded, knobby base. New spine growth is yellow or dark brown while old spine growth is usually dark gray to white with slight black undertones or black spine tips. The spines usually are between 5-10 centimeters long. If you have a suspected E.cuzcoensis with a low rib count, it is likely not a Cuzco but a close relative such as the plants from San Marcos, T. schoenii, T. santaensis, etc.

Trichocereus cuzcoensis is a night-flowering species but the flowers usually stay fresh until the morning of the next day. It is self-sterile and you need another specimen as pollen donor in order to produce seed.

Flower:

The flower color is white and the flower is usually very large. It measures up to 16 centimeters, the tube is green and 7-8 centimeters long. Petals are approximately 5 centimeters long and there are hairs covering the flower.

Type locality:

Peru, Cuzco. Cuzcoensis relatives from other areas do not count as T.cuzcoensis is the sense of the description.

Synonyms, commercial names & Varieties:

Trichocereus knuthianus, Trichocereus crassiarboreus, Cereus cuzcoensis, KK242, KK340, KK1911 Knuthianus, Trichocereus tarmaensis. Please note that some of these are close relatives that we count in the winder context of this species.

Cultivation:

Trichocereus Cuzcoensis is grown just like other Trichocereus species. It´s a very tough and frost hardy species and is able to cope with temperatures down to -9° celsius/15.8° Fahrenheit for short periods of time. The minimum average temperature is 10° celsius/50° fahrenheit. That temperature is also the minimum temperature that it needs to stay healthy during the winter.

Winter protection:

Trichocereus cuzcoensis can be overwintered in a bright and well ventilated place. The temperature should be around 9-10° Celsius and the plants need to be completely dry. In european countries, the growers stop giving water and fertilizer in late summer (September or October) and take em in until early May or April. Keeping the plants dry and cold over winter also helps to increase flower production. Plants that are kept in a warm room over the winter lose their ability to flower. Besides, plants or seedlings need to be watered on a regular basis as soon as you have them in a heated room. If you want to overwinter a Trichocereus in a warm room (20°-30° Celsius), you have to water it on a regular basis. You can only overwinter a plant “dry” if the temperatures are low.

Growing Trichocereus cuzcoensis from seed: Trichocereus cuzcoensis is very easy from seed, because it is relatively resistant to most pests. One of the biggest challenges is to get good quality seed because most cuzcoensis seed on the market is pretty old and some do not even germinate. I am constantly looking for interesting new types of Trichocereus cuzcoensis, because they are amazing plants. Take a look at the pics from the Sacred Succulents Field Trips that are labeled “Cuzcoensis” and you will most likely agree. Germination temperature for Trichocereus cuzcoensis is between 26° and 30° celsius. It only needs very little water to induce germinations and if you have quality seed, they will germinate within 2-6 weeks. If nothing shows up by the 6th week, you will probably not get germinations at all. In this case, remove the lid, let the soil dry out and start with the germination process again. Those cycles mimic the way this actually happens in nature and sometimes, you will be able to re-activate dead seed. You can also add GA-3, which is Gibberelic Acid or use a strong HPS or LED lamp to wake the seeds up, because ultraviolet light increases germination rates. In general, Trichocereus seeds need light to germinate, so do not cover them with soil.

Trichocereus cuzcoensis Seed Sources: I have some great seeds in my shop right now. The first one comes from Huancavelica in Peru and the other one is somewhere between Trichocereus peruvianus and Trichocereus cuzcoensis.

This looks like a very typical Trichocereus cuzcoensis KK242. This strain was originally brought into cultivation by Karel Knize. He also sold various types of similar plants labeled as Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Trichocereus macrogonus or Trichocereus peruvianus. The label KK242 does not refer to a particular plant but the area where the seeds/cuttings were collected at. Because of that, there are many plants labeled KK242 which are NOT a Trichocereus cuzcoensis. The type just looks so unique and remarkable that it stuck and most plants that look like this are usually identified as KK242. Which is not really correct because that´s just one of the many types that grow within the KK242 range. However, most of the KK242 are in fact Trichocereus cuzcoensis. Pic: Master Evan

Another KK242

Below: A form of KK242 that is not a Trichocereus cuzcoensis.

One of the many faces of KK242. Copyright K.Trout

Ben Kamm

Copyright: Ben Kamm, Sacred Succulents

Also check out this posting with many cool Cuzcos fom the Sacredsucculents Field Trips!

Nitrogen

Nitrogen

 Delia Kisar 

Rodni Kisar

KK242 Echinopsis cuzcoensis

Videos of Trichocereus cuzcoensis / Echinopsis cuzcoensis

Trichocereus peruvianus or Echinopsis peruviana is a columnar cactus that can get up to 4 meters long and reaches 20 centimeters in diameter. It´s also called the PERUVIAN TORCH cactus and is native in Peru. Britton and Rose – The Cact. II, S.136 /192

Photos of Trichocereus peruvianus

Trichocereus peruvianus / macrogonus from Matucana Red Spines

Trichocereus peruvianus Trichocereus macrogonus Pomolargo

Description of Trichocereus peruvianus:

Most regional forms belonging to this species have a frosted blue color and grow between 6-9 ribs. Its flowers are white, though there are some close relatives that have a different flower color (Trichocereus tulhuayacensis). It usually grows upright, but sometimes grows prostrate hanging down from cliffs and rocks.
The size and color of the spines varies greatly, but most of them have about 6-8 honey-colored to brown spines that can reach about 4 centimeters in length. The areoles are brown to beige-felted and up to 2,5 centimeters distanced from each other. The Spines do NOT have a knobbed Base. The spine color is one of the key traits if you attempt to tell it apart from Trichocereus macrogonus. We write more on Trichocereus macrogonus in that particular chapter.

A Peru at the type locality in Matucana.

Echinopsis peruviana flowers very easily as soon as it reaches a certain size and the plant is very easy to cultivate. Some of them have a distinct V-Notch above the areoles, but not all and it´s not a trait that is reliable for identification.

Cultivation of Trichocereus peruvianus / Echinopsis peruviana:

Trichocereus peruvianus can be grown from seed 0r propagated by cuttings. Seeds need to be sprinkled on top of the soil because they require sunlight to germinate. The seeds are tiny and only a few mm large and have a long viability. Usually, the seeds can stay viable for up to 10 years or above, though that depends on many factors. The Seed needs to be stored in a dry and cold environment to guarantee maximum viability.

Los Gentiles (Noah Reams)

The cactus can also be propagated through cuttings and it´s very easy to root. But make sure that the cuttings are not smaller than 20 centimeters because that stunts the growth tremendously.

The flower of Trichocereus peruvianus / Echinopsis peruviana:

The flower is white and reaches as size of up to 25 centimeters. Trichocereus peruvianus is a night flowering species.

Type locality of Trichocereus peruvianus / Echinopsis peruviana:

Peru (around Matucana). Trichocereus peruvianus is the dominant Trichocereus species in Matucana.

Plants that are closely related or are synonymous with Trichocereus peruvianus:

Trichocereus tacnaensis, Trichocereus puquiensis, Trichocereus santaensis (some of the plants around the Santa Valley belong to Tr. pachanoi though), Trichocereus tarmaensis (closely related to Trichocereus cuzcoensis as well), Trichocereus macrogonus, Echinopsis macrogona, Trichocereus f. Ancash, Trichocereus sp. Ayacucho, Trichocereus giganteus, Trichocereus longispinus, Trichocereus sp. Pamacoche, Trichocereus sp. Matucana, Trichocereus rosei,

Trichocereus peruvianus and Trichocereus pachanoi are sister species and closely related. Some field botanist considered them one large and variable species and there are countless intermediates and hybrids that could be placed in either species. Around 1950-1980, some authors came up with a large number of unnecessary species names and most of these plants would fit into the description of Trichocereus peruvianus as well.

Some commercial names that we sometimes see in combination with Trichocereus peruvianus.

Please note that these are not officially accepted varieties and we only list them in this form because they were listed by wholesale:

Trichocereus peruvianus var. (H14192), Huntington, EE.UU.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. huancabamba, Piura, northwest Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. huancavelica (KK242a), west central Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. cuzcoensis (KK340), Huachac, Cuzco, southeastern Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. huancayo (KK338), west central Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. ancash (KK1688), San Marcos, Ancash, northwest Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. matucana (KK242) Lima, central west Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. puquiensis (KK1689), Puquio, Apurimac Region, southwestern peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. trujilloensis, Trujillo, La Libertad, northwestern Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. tarmensis (KK2148), Tarma, Junin, west central Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. Rio Lurin (KK2147), Rio Rimac, Lima, west central Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. ayacuchensis (KK2151), southwestern Peru.
Trichocereus peruvianus var. huaraz (KK2152), Ancash, northwestern Peru.

Culture of T. peruvianus:

The culture of Trichocereus peruvianus is not very hard. The plant has very similar requirements as other Trichocereus species like Trichocereus macrogonus or Trichocereus pachanoi. Trichocereus peruvianus is an extremely frost resistant plant that can thrive in the most difficult environment. Some of its forms grow columnar while some others are creeping/prostrate. In their natural habitats, they even hang down on hills or rocky slopes. When watering cacti, the soil should not stay wet for more than a couple of hours because it greatly increases the probability of rot. Cacti need a substrate that dries out fast and too much water is often deadly for them. Apart from a little bit of water here and there, you should only water Trichocereus peruvianus when it´s warm. During the hot growth-season, they can take daily or weekly watering and like to be fertilized on a 7-14-days schedule. I even fertilize weekly during the main season, but that also depends on your personal way of growing cacti. It’s best to use a mineral substrate like Pumice or Lava, with additives like Coir, Sand, Sowing Soil, Expanded Clay etc. Just make sure to add in a very small part of Coir or Humus because it helps to solidify the soil and increases the cactus ability to take in nutrients. I personally love Lava and Pumice and the plants enjoy it very much! Echinopsis peruviana aka Trichocereus peruvianus likes a sunny place in half-shade, but not full sun. They can take it if they are used to it, but it increases the risk of sunburn. Especially directly after the winter period when they are not used to it yet.

Winter & Frost Protection: Trichocereus peruvianus is a relatively frost hardy cactus. It’s usually not a problem for it to take take a little night frost here and there and is tolerant down to -9° Celsius. But that’s really the limit and I would not be comfortable to push it below that. There are always plants are less frost tolerant than others and you never know where the limit for your plant is going to be. A plant that spent its life in a heated greenhouse, will die very soon if you suddenly start exposing it to cold winter frost. The cacti need to be hardened up and in a good general health. In my greenhouse I overwinter Trichocereus at 1° Celsius between December and March.

Minimum average winter temperature:

The ideal average winter temperature for Trichocereus peruvianus is 10° Celsius. That´s close to their natural winter period in habitat. Trichocereus peruvianus can compensate short frosts down to 15.8° Fahrenheit every now and then but you should take care that it has an average temperature of around 50° Fahrenheit.

Winter storage & Winter Protection for Trichocereus:

Trichocereus peruvianus needs fresh air during the wintertime if you want to overwinter the plant inside. It also needs light and the soil has to be completely dry, to make sure that the rootstock does not rot. This is important because that’s exactly what happens in the habitat during the winter time. Trichocereus peruvianus can deal with low temperatures as long as its dry.  Of course all those overwintering-rules only apply of you live in a country with hard winter frost down to -20° celsius and lower. If you live in a warmer country such as Australia, this certainly is not a problem for you and water or high air humidity are the bigger problem then. I also know many growers from the CA area in the USA, and they usually get their plants over the winter without problems, if they do nor get surprisingly cold frosts. Leave your Trichocereus peruvianus in a bright room, give it a little bit fresh air every now and then and make sure to keep the temperatures below 10° Celsius. As soon as you put them in a heated room, they will require regular waterings and light or they will die quickly. In addition they will etiolate. If kept dry, the water requirements during the winter are minimal though. The minimum temp in Fahrenheit is 50° Fahrenheit. No water should be given between late autumn (October-early May) unless you grow them in a heated place, eg greenhouse or house.
If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse, you can take out most Trichocereus in early March, but you should also check the maximum frost tolerance of the species you take out. There are many cacti that need higher temperatures to stay healthy.

Germinating Trichocereus peruvianus seeds:

Just like Seed of other Trichocereus species, Trichocereus peruvianus seeds need light to germinate. I usually prepare a mix of Pumice, Lava, Coir, and Sand and and sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil. Make sure not to knock off the sowing container/pot because that would probably bury the seeds and that’s never a good thing. Buried seeds often do not germinate due to the lacking light or they germinate deep inside the soil and die. So yeah, sprinkle them on top of the soil and make sure that the temperatures are between 26° and 30° Celsius. Make sure to add in enough water to start the germination process. However, it does not take a lot of water to kick start the germination and it’s always better to give very little water early on because you can always add in some more. But if you add too much water in the beginning, it cannot be undone without risking to wash or soak away the seed with the excess water. With a syringe, excess water can be removed from the sowing container.  Put the sowing containers in a bright and warm place and be patient. A window sill works perfectly. You can also use a LED lamp to give them enough light to germinate and I can recommend that very much because it increases the germination rate. Adding a decent LED Lamp (like 100 Watt and above) will increase germination rates dramatically and the plants are healthier and grow faster.

Germination of seeds and why some seeds don’t germinate

The problem with seeds is that some shops resell seed from South America wholesalers that sell over-aged seed. So the shops might not know about the bad germination rates that their seeds have and that´s a real problem with Trichocereus peruvianus seed on the market. If you did everything I just mentioned and your seed does not germinate within like 2-6 weeks, it´s most likely old garbage. It does not help to keep it wet for longer than that because that’s not how germination of cactus seeds works. Instead, you let it dry and start another cycle once the soil is completely dry.  It does not help to keep dead seed in germination chambers for 6+ weeks. You will just grow Algae and Moss. Another problem that you can get with commercial seed is that there´s a lot of misidentified seeds of this species available on the market. The people who collect these seeds usually don´t have access to literature and that´s why the misidentification rate is extremely high. . Many Trichocereus cuzcoensis are sold as Trichocereus peruvianus and that´s a big problem for the seed market.

My best recommendation is that if you can get in touch with the seed producer, send them a message and ask about a pic of the mother plant. That way, you can minimize the risk of getting mislabeled seed.

Seed Viability of Echinopsis peruviana/ Trichocereus peruvianus:

The seed of Trichocereus peruvianus is viable for many, many years. I sometimes successfully germinate seeds that are more than 5-10 years old but it always depends on the storage and the seed. Some are dead within a couple of months while some can even stay viable for decades, like Ariocarpus seeds. The bigger the seed, the longer they are viable btw. Rebutia are dead within a couple of weeks, Trichocereus & Echinopsis 5-10 years, Ariocarpus 10+ years, Echinocereus (5-10 years), Lophophora (2-5 years at max).

How to differentiate Trichocereus peruvianus and Trichocereus cuzcoensis? 

The swollen spine bases of Trichocereus cuzcoensis are the main trait that Britton and Rose used to tell them apart. Trichocereus peruvianus does NOT have swollen spine bases. There are many intermediates and forms in between the two, but in regards to the original description that’s the most important trait. In addition, Trichocereus cuzcoensis only grows in Cuzco. There are relatives of Trichocereus cuzcoensis that can be found in other parts of Peru however, e.g. Trichocereus knuthianus, Trichocereus schoenii, etc

How to differentiate Trichocereus peruvianus and macrogonus

Both species are probably synonymous. Trichocereus macrogonus was used for plants with dark brown or red spines, while plants with different spine color were seen as Trichocereus peruvianus. The original description of Trichocereus macrogonus is ancient, lacked important traits or information such as country of origin and the original plant was never found again afterwards. Technically, Trichocereus macrogonus is the older name and might replace Trichocereus peruvianus as official name one day (IF the problematic description will be accepted). Some authors have already started to use this system, but is unclear if it will be accepted officially. Modern taxonomy moves towards fewer species, with a larger number of subspecies or varieties and I completely support that.

Photos Trichocereus peruvianus Echinopsis peruviana

A short spine version of Echinopsis peruviana / macrogona

This type of plant is usually treated as Trichocereus macrogonus / Echinopsis macrogonaa

Another one that is treated as Trichocereus macrogonus / Echinopsis macrogona.

Another one that is treated as Trichocereus macrogonus / Echinopsis macrogona.

by Randy

This is one of Misplant´s mother plants. You can get some seed here!

Another one of Misplant´s mother plants. You can get it´s seed here!

Photos below: Simon Maddern

Photo: Joachim Podschadel

Trichocereus peruvianus from Lurin Valle / Lurin Valley 

Trichocereus peruvianus from Ayacucho

Trichocereus peruvianus intermediate

Trichocereus peruvianus Apurimac KK1689

Trichocereus peruvianus ‘Rosei 1’ (Rodni Kisar)

Backeberg´s Description of Trichocereus peruvianus

Trichocereus peruvianus Br. &
R. — The Cact., II : 136. 1920
Cereus rosei Werd., in Backeberg,
„Neue Kakteen“, 101.
1931.
Entweder ± aufrecht oder überliegend
bis hängend, 2—4 m lang;
Tr. bis 20 cm ∅, anfangs bereift;
Rippen über den Areolen etwas eingesenkt
und ± höckerig erscheinend,
breit-rund; Areolen bis 2,5 cm entfernt,
ziemlich groß, braunfilzig; St.
zuerst braun, ca. 10, einige bis 4 cm
lang, stark und steif, Basis nicht
verdickt; Bl. weiß, groß, zum Teil
zahlreich nach dem Scheitel zu entwickelt.
— P e r u (bei Matucana;
nach Rauh bis oberhalb von Matucana
bzw. bei Tamboraque an der
Lima—Oroya-Bahn bis auf 2800 m)
(Abb. 1059—1060, Tafel 76).
Britton u. Rose bilden mit ihrer
Fig. 197 einen baumartig aufrechten
Cereus ab, Rauh dagegen einen
hängenden; ich selbst fand die Art
anfangs ± aufrecht, dann überliegend
bis niederliegend. Es kommen bei
Matucana aber auch Exemplare des
aufrechten T. santaensis vor, den
Britton u. Rose wohl nicht als besondere
Art erkannten.
Die Identifizierung dieser Art mit
Tr. macrogonus (Kkde., 20. 1941)
kann ich nicht aufrechterhalten.

Friedrich Ritter´s Description

T R I C H O C E R E U S (BERGER) RICCOBONO 1909
TRICHOCEREUS PACHANOI BR. & R. 1920 The Cactaceae, Bd. 2, S. 134
und
TRICHOCEREUS PACHANOI FORMA PERUVIANUS RITT. comb. nov.
syn. TRICHOCEREUS PERUVIANUS BR. & R. 1920 The Cactaceae, Bd. 2, S. 136
Für TRICHOCER. PACHANOI geben BR. & R. als Typusort an CUENCA, Ecuador,
für TRICHOCER. PERUVIANUS MATUCANA, Peru. In Wahrheit liegt nur
eine Art vor. ROSE war jedenfalls ungenügend orientiert Über die große
Variationsbreite dieser Art in Bestachlung und Areolengröße. Man kann
TRICHOCER. PERUVIANUS nur als eine Form der PACHANOI ansehen, die entweder
allein oder mit letzterer an gleichen Stellen wächst von Ecuador
bis Mittelperu, und zwar mit Übergangsformen in einander. Für die Form
PACHANOI sind typisch Ar. von 3-5 mm Dm., feine Rst. von wenigen mm
Länge und meist nur 1 Mst. von wenigen mm bis zu etwa 2 cm Länge. Oft
fehlen die St. völlig, oder sie sind nur an jüngeren Pflanzen vorhanden
und fehlen an älteren Köpfen. Formen, welche Ar. von etwa 5 bis
nahezu 10 mm Dm. haben und stärkere St., von denen der mittlere meist
über 2 cm Länge hat und selten bis über 10 cm Länge erreichen kann,
wird man als FORMA PERUVIANUS bezeichnen. Die Zahl der St. kann bei
beiden Formen bis auf etwa 10 gehen, die Anordnung der St. und das
Größenverhältnis zwischen Rst. zu Mst. ist bei beiden Formen dasselbe,
Mst. sind nur einer vorhanden, seltener 2-3. Die St. beider Formen
sind nur unterschieden durch Länge und Dicke; es mag also vielleicht
für beide Formen nur je ein Allel eines einzigen Gen vorliegen, so daß
eine Weiterführung des Namens PERUVIANUS als forma wohl nur aus Tradition
zu rechtfertigen ist, wegen der Zweiteilung der Art durch Br. & R.,
denn solche Erbformen pflegt man an sich nicht taxonomisch zu benennen.
Da eine genaue Bl.-Beschreibung nie erfolgte, gebe ich hier eine
solche von einer Bl. (mit Foto) eines Exemplars östlich von SAMNE, Prov.
OTUSCO, Depart. La Libertad, wo beide Formen mit Übergängen zusammen
wachsen. Bl. seitlich, nicht sehr weit unter dem Triescheitel, ziemlich
waagerecht vom Trieb abstehend, 21 cm lang, mit einer Weite zwischen
den äußersten Krbl. von ca 20 cm. Über dem Frkn. ist die Rö. leicht
nach oben gebogen, während die Öffnung der Rö. wieder leicht nach unten
gebogen ist. Frkn. 22 mm lang und dick, grün, gehöckert, mit schmalen
grünen Schuppen von unten 1 mm bis oben ca 4 mm Länge und mit reichlichen
schwarzbraunen Wollhaaren. N.-K. 23 mm lang, aber nur etwa 5 mm
weit um den Gr., blaß bräunlich, mit etwas Nektar. Rö. darüber 8 cm
lang, Öffnung 4,5 mm weit, mit 6 mm (unten) bis 25 mm (oben) langen
graugrünen Schuppen und schwarzen, 15-25 mm langen Wollbüscheln. Stbf.
blaßgrün, nach den Enden hellgelb, der Rö. aufliegend, 8-10 cm lang,
die des Saumes 4,5 cm lang, Insertionslücke 4 cm lang unter dem Saum,
Beutel brauncreme, 2,5 mm lang, 1 mm breit, Pollen weiß. Gr. blaßgrün,
19,5 cm lang, wovon 3 cm auf die 15 hellgelben, überragenden Narbenlappen
kommen. Innere Krbl. weiß, 9-10 cm lang, 3,5-4 cm breit, bei etwa 2/3 Länge am breitesten, oben gerundet mit aufgesetzter hellgelber
Spitze; äußere Krbl. 8-11 cm lang, 14-18 mm breit, fast von unten
ab zugespitzt, nach unten hellgrün, nach den Enden rotbraun, stark
nach außen gebogen. Einige Samenangaben siehe unter TRICHOCER. KNUTHIANUS.
Nr. FR 567 (Form PACHANOI) und Nr. FR 155 (Form PERUVIANUS).
Abb. 1186.

Videos of Trichocereus peruvianus / Echinopsis peruviana

New Trichocereus photos from
Parque de Las Leyendas Peru

Hey guys, wanted to show these new photos from the Parque de Las Leyendas in Lima, Peru. They are from my friends Aynor and Arthur and I am glad to show them here. Many Trichocereus pachanoi, but also some other interesting plants that deserve to be seen. Thanks again for providing the photos and for making advertising for these glorious plants. Muchas Gracias. 😉

Trichocereus “Clone Two” (Aplantis)

This Trichocereus clone  was brought back from Peru by Manuel Terra who collected in in 2013 in Huaraz. The plant originally stood beside a Ceviche Restaurant. The owner of this restaurant gifted a cutting to Mr. Terra, who then brought it back to Europe and propagated numerous cuttings.

This clone is available from Aplantis.net every now and then. It is a very fine and curvy clone that produces a beautiful growth. The plants are usually bright green, but with the tendency to become very glaucous and the spines are relatively small, sometimes completely absent. The areoles are larger and more hairy than the ones of Clone One and the skin also produces a much more glaucous growth at times.

If you enjoyed this article, check out some of our other database entries. For example, here´s some about Trichocereus macrogonus or Trichocereus pachanoi.

Also check out our amazing Echinopsis, Lobivia and Trichocereus group on Facebook: 

Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas / Echinopsis cephalomcacrostibas Weberbauerocereus

Trichocereus cephalomcarostibas, also known as Echinopsis cephalomacrostibas, is a columnar cactus that was described as a Trichocereus species by Curt Backeberg and Werner Rauh. However, the plant in question later turned out as a Weberbauerocereus and the flower makes it pretty obvious that Echinopsis cephalomacrostibas is not a Trichocereus.

The currently valid name of this species is Echinopsis cephalomacrostibas, but most authors went on to treat it as an incorrect species or move it to Weberbauerocereus as Weberbauerocereus cephalomacrostibas.

The original description of Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas

The original description was published by Backeberg and Werdermann in the book NEUE KAKTEEN, which is German for NEW CACTI. The book was released in 1931. The original description described a plant that was then called cereus cephalomacrostibas. Most plants that are now part of the genus Trichocereus were treated as Cereus at the time, which is why the name wasn’t surprising.

Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas, also known as Echinopsis cephalomacrostibas, gets 1,5 – 2 meters tall and pups have a maximum diameter of 8-12 centimeters. The areoles are very close to each other, which is even more obvious on older plants later on. The areoles are between 1-2 centimeters in diameter and the plant is very spiny. It has up to 20 small radial spines and between 1-3 middle spines that can be up to 14 centimeters long. The spines are dark brown to red brown (old growth gray). It´s noteworthy that the original flower from the Backeberg description only had a size of 12 cm (which would fit here), but was said to have scales on the flower. Besides, it was supposed to be white instead of this cream or beige color.

Origin: South peru, near Mollendo.

Pics in this Post courtesy of: htpp://troutsnotes.com

dermann´s CEREUS CEPHALOMACROSTIBAS.

Please note that there also is a plant called KK1421 Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas that has nothing to do with this plant anmd, that probably grew on the same site  and was confused with a Trichocereus.

KK1421 Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas cv. Rio Tambo

This field collected Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas / Echinopsis cephalomacrostibas is fairly interesting though it probably has nothing in common with the species that it is supposed to be part of. Knize collected this nice strain near the Rio Tambo in Peru. It almost looks like a spiny Trichocereus pachanoi strain and should definitely be investigated some more. 

All those photos are courtesy of Troutsnotes.com

If you compare those two plants to the plant that was originally described as Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas, it gets obvious that they are all different plants. The plant in the link was actually a Weberbauerocereus. The seed and the flower are so unlike the ones on any other Trichocereus that it´s absolutely obvious that it’s not a Trichocereus.  But that’s a different story. The original Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas (you know, the one from the link, which actually is a Weberbauerocereus) is said to grow east of Mollendo in the Department Arequipa and occurs from Chala to the Rio Tambo in the south. And that’s where KK1421 is said to originate from. Rio Tambo.

Case of mistaken identity ?

Just because there are Trichos near the Rio Tambo, it does not make em automatically the same population of this Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas from the description. That´s not Ill will but just the flaws of this particular labeling system. It´s  just natural that you can sometimes find a couple of different plants growing at the same area. And because of that, seed collectors should give every single collection (instead of just the whole collection site) a unique number, so you can easier track them down and see which ones would fit in the descriptions and which ones don´t.

Alright, what does that say about those two different plants labeled as KK1421. Well, very little. Both are interesting Trichocereus and while one of them is definitely a cuzcoensis relative, the other one needs further investigation.

Another KK1421 Trichocereus cephalomacrostibas

The original description goes like this:

Cereus cephalomacrostibas grows in packed groups of columnar cacti that get up to 2 meters tall. They are up to 10 cm thick, a gray-green color, tightly packed areoles, 3 – 6 radial spines and 3 middle spines. The flower is 12 cm long (which is too small for a Trichocereus flower), white, covered with white wool and scales. This original plant occurs in South Peru, above Mollendo.

Now back to KK1421: The Seeds came from Karel Knize and were originally collected from Matarani, Peru at 300m altitude. Knize´s plant obviously comes from the group around Tr. cuzcoensis but it´s difficult to know if this is actually the same plant as Backeberg described as I lack a pic of the flower. What I can say is that 12 cm would be very small of a Trichocereus flower. And there are pics showing a type of Weberbauerocereus, which most believe is THE original Tr. cephalomacrostibas. Mr. Knize´s plant is 100% sure NOT a weberbauerocereus.

Where to buy seeds of KK1421: I actually have some in my shop every now and then. Check it out here: trichocereus.net/shop . This article is an excerpt from my book KAREL KNIZE TRICHOCEREUS FIELD GUIDE.

Pictures provided from Troutsnotes.com!

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Also have a look at some of the other articles in our Trichocereus database. For example Trichocereus PC or Trichocereus macrogonus.

Clone One (Trichocereus pachanoi – Aplantis)

Clone One is a Trichocereus pachanoi clone that was made available by the owner of the website Aplantis.net! The clone was collected in Cajabamba in Peru in 2013. Its main characteristics are the bright green epidermis color and the rather uniquely shaped V-notches. It has 6 – 7 ribs and very short spines. This San Pedro also reminds me of the Ecuadorian plants, which makes it a beautiful and rare plant.

At the original site, this plant was hacked down by the previous owner and dumped beside a road. In Peru, those plants are often used as natural fencing and it is very common for the plants to be removed and thrown away at some point. In this case, it was a real case of luck that made this clone available.

Aplantis sometimes offers Clone One in our Trichocereus Facebook group or through his website www.Aplantis.net. His prices are very affordable and it is one of the most typical and attractive Trichocereus pachanoi clones I know of. If you want to buy a cutting of this clone, you should message Aplantis through his website.

On the following two photos you can see how the plants looked when Aplantis came across them.

Trichocereus huanucoensis (Echinopsis)

Trichocereus huanucoensis goes back to a nursery owner called Harry Johnson senior, who brought this plant into the USA in the 1950s. Unlike popular belief, Trichocereus huanucoensis is NOT an official species. There is no official description and very little information about the plant. According to Herbarium pieces, its place of origin is Huanuco. It is a beautiful town directly beside Chavin de Huantar and the plants that can be found there are Trichocereus santaensis and intermediate forms between Trichocereus santaensis and Trichocereus pachanoi. The same applies to Trichocereus huanucoensis too. It is fairly typical of Backeberg´s species Trichocereus santaensis and the place of origin underlines that. If you want to see similar plants, check out the posting about Chavin de Huantar.

Trichocereus huanucoensis has very wide ribs, which give it a similar look to Trichocereus santaensis and Trichocereus bridgesii. The original site where Johnson collected his seeds is unknown, but the plants grown from them are common to be found in some parts of the USA. In California, quite a few larger plants were planted outside. Apart from its occurrence in cactus nurseries and collected in the USA, it is very rare in Europe. This underlines the suspicion that Mr. Johnson was indeed the source and distributed this plant among his friends and customers.

Trichocereus huanucoensis tends to be extremely fat and has a very bloated look. Its spine length is extremely variable and the specimens can have no spines or long spines but it usually has very few spines per areole. The spines are usually golden, but lack a swollen spine base. This is a key similarity to the plants from Chavin de Huantar as well.

Though the obvious lack of a description, it is a very attractive plant that deserves to be propagated. It is commercially available from Sacred Succulents or Misplant but it is still a rare plant.

One specimen of Trichocereus huanucoensis is also growing in the Huntington Botanical Garden in California. The specimen that Sacred Succulents use for their Huanucoensis crosses was originally from Ed Gay, who was a close friend of Johnson & Huntington. Some people tend to believe that Trichocereus huanucoensis is a Bridgesii relative, but the flower morphology pretty much rules that out right away. Its flowers and flower buds are typical for a Peruvian San Pedro, especially T. santaensis.

There is a variety of this plant on the market labeled H80361, which probably originated from Johnson also. There might have been the chance to find out more about the origin of the plant in the Huntington Botanical Garden but unfortunately, they do not have any info on where some of their older plants came from. At some point, their ID cards were stolen or lost, what makes it more difficult to find more information on the plant´s origin other than that it came from Huanuco.

Copyright: Misplant.net

Trichocereus Aff. Huanucoensis – Trout

Huanocoensis var. Stillman

Trichocereus huanucoensis x Serra Blue Echinopsis Delia Kisar

Trichocereus huanucoensis x Serra Blue Echinopsis Delia Kisar

Trichocereus ‘Parque de las Leyendas’ Peru

Trichocereus Parque de las Leyendas:
The Parque de las Leyendas is located in the San Miguel district of Lima and was founded as the first Zoo of Peru. Peru is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world and the park is home to countless amazing plants and creatures, including some interesting Trichocereus species.

There are many cool San Pedros in the Parque de las Leyendas in Peru. Ben Kamm and his friends from Sacredsucculents.com visited the park during various field trips, collected some seeds and made some photos. Here are some of the pics:

BK08611.4 Trichocereus , Jardin Botanico, Trichocereus Parque de las Leyendas, Lima, Peru

BK08611.5 Trichocereus Parque de las Leyendas, Lima, Peru

Another Trichocereus Pachanoi from the park! Same Location, different Plant.

And this is a plant that was grown from the Sacred Succulents Field Trip seed. Copyright: Stillman.
The very long spines are really interesting because they are nothing like the almost spineless appearance of the mother plant. Nonetheless, it´s actually quite common for old plants to be pretty spineless. It´s also interesting because the plant has very few ribs and a large distance between the areoles.

BK08611.6 Trichocereus, Jardin Botanico, Parque de las Leyendas, Lima, Peru

As far as I know, Ben also visited those Trichocereus pachanois during the 2014 Field Trip! So in case you bought some Pachanoi seeds starting with BK14, it´s very possible those are the mother plants!

Trichocereus BK14518.4

Apparently Sacred Succulents visited the same plant shown in the photo before again in 2014. This plant should be the same mother plant, but from a different year. Ben sent me a photo of this type and I am super happy to share it with you! The copyright of the photo is BEN KAMM, Sacredsucculents.com!

Chavín de Huántar: Trichocereus santaensis & El Lanzon

Chavín de Huántar is an archaeological site in Peru with a long history of Trichocereus cultivation. There are plants that can be found within the ruins and those plants probably go back for many thousands of years. The ruins are thought to be from 1200BC and the age of this complex is energetically discussed among archaeologists.

This legendary place is located in the Ancash area and holds great religious as well as historic significance, which is why the center was in the midst of the Chavin culture. It is located near the important Peruvian city Lima and lies at the confluence of two large rivers: The Rio Mosnar and the Huanchecsa river. The Trichocereus strains from this area have a huge botanic variability and the area is home to a large number of different plants and Trichocereus species.

Photo: Sharon ODB

Map: Urutseg

Photos from the Sacred Succulents Field Trips. Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com. 

Trichocereus sp, Chavindehuantar, Ancash, Peru 

The regional form known from this area is probably somewhere between Trichocereus cuzcoensis and Trichocereus peruvianus. We saw plants that clearly belonged into the Trichocereus santaensis group as well as other weird plants…some of which even look like Trichocereus huanucoensis.

BK09509.2 Trichocereus sp, Chavin, Ancash, Peru

Another great Specimen from the Ancash Region in Peru.

BK09508.2 Trichocereus sp, Chavin, Ancash, Peru 2009

BK09509.1 Trichocereus sp, Chavin, Ancash, Peru

BK09509.1 Trichocereus sp, Chavin, Ancash, Peru 2009

El Lanzon Trichocereus :

This legendary photo is made by Aplantis.net:

Photo: Aplantis.net

This plant has a great history and most people who visit the area can´t go by without taking loads of photos. It´s one of my most favorite plants.

Those plants were posted by ChavinHerbalist. They are trying to preserve the genetics and posted some amazing photos on Facebook. Check them out!

Photos below Trichocereus santaensis / Echinopsis santaensis in Chavin de Huantar, El Lanzon (Riley Flatten)

Trichocereus Species from the Sacred Succulents Trips

On this page, I want to show some of the plants that my friends from Sacred Succulents visited during their Field Trips. I had those listed as separate pages, but it made the whole process to look at them a bit complicated. And that´s why I brought some of the species on one page. On this page, you can see some Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Trichocereus bridgesii, Trichocereus peruvianus and others.

BK08519.4 Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Pisac

This plant was visited during the 2008 Sacredsucculents Field Trip. It´s a beautiful Cuzcoensis that partially grows creeping. For some types of Trichocereus cuzcoensis and Trichocereus peruvianus, it´s definitely common that they can lean over and grow hanging down rocky slopes and cliffs. This Trichocereus cuzcoensis from Pisac is relatively typical Cuzcoensis that is not unlike the so well known and widely distributed KK242.

Ben from Sacred Succulents gave away a very limited amount of seeds to people who supported the Sacred Succulenst Field Trips with seed shares and this was one of them.

BK08521.12 Trichocereus cuzcoenis, Ollantaytambo

This one is another rather typical cuzcoensis, but that shows slight variation to what we usually know. This is a plant that is unlike the typical KK242, but which shows relationship to plants like the amazing cuzcos from the Bolivian Isla Del Sol. Definitely an amazing plant!

BK08526.4 Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Peru

I will add more Info about this Plant soon. It is a plant that was visited during the Sacred Succulents Field Trips. Picture by Ben Kamm from sacredsucculents.com!

Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Lamay, Cusco, Peru 2010 copyright B. Kamm

First One from the 2010 Sacred Succulents Field Trip! Trichocereus Cuzcoensis in Lamay, Cusco, Peru. Pic: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com

BK08526.11 Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Raqchi

I will add more Info about this Plant soon. It is a plant that was visited during the Sacred Succulents Field Trips. Picture by Ben Kamm from sacredsucculents.com!

BK08612.9 Trichocereus peruvianus, Sucro, Peru

Trichocereus Pervianus from Sucro! Pic: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com!

Trichocereus Bridgesii Mutant Achuma, above Huachjilla, La Paz, Bolivia 2010

One of the coolest Plants I ever saw! A mutated Trichocereus Bridgesii growing above Huachjilla, La Paz, Bolivia. Pic: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com

Trichocereus bridgesii-baby Achuma, above Huachjilla, La Paz, Bolivia

Another very small Baby Bridgesii from La Paz. Taken during the 2010 Sacred Succulents Field Trip! Pic: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents

Trichocereus peruvianus, Fortaleza Canyon, Ancash, Peru

A very cool Peruvianus from the FORTALEZA CANYON in Ancash, Peru. Ben Kamm

Trichocereus seedling, Sedum, Peperomia, Chavin, Ancash, Peru

Another small Peruvianus Seedling, growing in relationship with Peperomia and Sedum. Pic: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com.

Trichocereus peruvianus baby, Huariquina. Lima, Peru

Another Pic from the Sacred Succulents 2009 Field Trip! Pic: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com!

BK08526.12 Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Raqchi

I will add more Info about this Plant soon. It is a plant that was visited during the Sacred Succulents Field Trips. Picture by Ben Kamm from sacredsucculents.com!

BK08608.4 Trichocereus bridgesii, El Vergel, La Paz, Bolivia

Another Bridgesii from La Paz, Bolivia. Pic: Ben Kamm, sacredsucculents.com. More text will follow soon.

Wild Trichocereus peruvianus-pachanoi hybrid, Huariquina. Lima, Peru  

Trichocereus bridgesii, Huachjilla, Bolivia

Another Plant from the 2008 Sacred Succulents Fieldtrip! Trichocereus Bridgesii around Huachjilla, Bolivia.

Unfortunately, there were no seed collected from this amazing plant.

Other Cacti from the Sacred Succulents Field Trips

Hi Guys, in this post I will show you some of the other cacti from the Sacred Succulents Field trips. The copyright of all those pics is: Ben Kamm, Sacredsucculents.com

BK08530.1 Mahueniopsis boliviana, Tambillo, Bolivia

This majestic Mahueniopsis is from Bolivia. Sacred Succulents gave away seeds of that plant, which was visited during the 2008 Sacred Succulent Field Trip

Haageocereus sp, Matucana, Peru

This very nice Haageocereus grows in Matucana, which is the home of many amazing Trichocereus species as well. There were no seed collected from that species.

 BK09508.4 Borzicactus fieldianus, Chavin, Ancash, Peru

This interesting Borzicactus is definitely a Trichocereus Lookalike that you should have seen. At first, it looked a little big like a Rauhocereus but the strong segmented areoles are a lot more dominant than on other Rauhocereus species. This plant was visited during the 2009 Field Trips! Copyright: Ben Kamm

 Rebutia sp, Rio Lope Mendoza, Cochabamba, Bolivia 2010

Have a look at this barely visible cactus in between rocks and dead plants. That´s a pretty typical Rebutia population and it gives you a better understanding why cacti are sometimes so hard to find. I am pretty sure that there still are a lot of new species out there to be discovered, that are just not visible enough to be found. There were no seeds collection from those plants.

Lobivia sp, Puya habitat near Rodeo,  Cochabamba, Bolivia 2010

Cereus sp, descent to Chujllas, Cochabamba, Bolivia 2010

Echinopsis sp, descent to Chujllas, Cochabamba, Bolivia 

Neoraimondia herzogiana, descent to Chujllas, Cochabamba, Bolivia 2010

Neoraimondia herzogiana, circa Aquile, Cochabamba, Bolivia

 Harrisia, descent to Chujllas, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Opuntioid, descent to Chujllas, Cochabamba, Bolivia

BK10508.3 Harrisia tetracantha, Tiatako, Cochabamba, Bolivia

BK10506.1 Cleistocactus buchtienii, Cerro San Pedro, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Echinopsis sp, Cerro San Pedro, Cochabamba, Bolivia

Harrisia tetracantha, Cerro San Pedro, Cochabamba, Bolivia

BK08602.2 Lobivia sp. Isla del Sol, Bolivia

Oreocereus psuedofossulatus, Bolivia (N. Logan)

Haageocereus, Vilcabamba, Ecuador (N. Logan)

Matucana haynei, Matucana, Peru

BK08611.3 Haageocereus tenuis, Jardin Botanico, Parque de las Leyendas, Lima, Peru

BK08611.1 Cleistocactus xylorhizus, Parque de las Leyendas, Lima, Peru

BK08606.3 Cleistocactus sp. Pasto Grande, Yungas, Bolivia

BK08606.6 Yungasocereus inquisivensis, Pasto Grande, Yungas, Bolivia

BK08521.10 Corryocactus erectus

Echinopsis bridgesii, Huachjilla, Bolivia

BK08520.4 Austrocylindropuntia floccosa & BK08520.1 Festuca Taucca, Peru

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Trichocereus riomizquensis Ritter

New Trichocereus photos from the Parque de las Leyendas

Trichocereus tulhuayacensis

OCHOA, KAKTEEN UND ANDERE SUKKULENTEN 1957

This species is very rare and could only be found around Huancayo. This is the only San Pedro cactus in nature with a flower other than white. The flower is pink what indicates a natural hybrid of a San pedro with something else.

It gets up to 2 meters tall, has a dark green epidermis and can reach a maximum diameter of 10 to 12 centimeters. It shows a mild reddening around the Areoles, has 7-9 ribs (in most cases 8). The Areoles are 8-10 mm large with V-notches above them. The Diameter of the Areoles is 6-8 mm. The Areoles are yellowishly felted at first and change their color to a dark gray later on. It has 8 radial Spines (1,5 to 2,5 cm in lenght) and 3-4 middle spines (up to 8 centimeters) of which one is usually very long. It resembles Trichocereus Tarmaensis and is probably related to it. All spines apart from the long middle spine are usually bent down or pointing downwards. The large Spine is usually gray with a brown tip.

Flower: Flower tube 6,5 to 7 centimeters long, 2,5 centimeter in diameter, reddish & dark green. Scales are approximately 1,8 cm distanced with black or gray brown hairs. Hair is also present on the ovary. Sepales are pink green with with pink edge and up to 6 cm long. Petals pink to ivory. Up to 5 cm long.

Fruit up to 4,5 cm in diameter. With lots of brown hairs.

Origin: Middle of Peru (10 kilometers away from Huancayo, 3400 m near Huachac. It was found by C. OCHOA

I am really happy about those pics because this Trichocereus is really rare. It is very similar to a Cuzcoensis and I don´t think it´s possible to spot this plant at a plant sale. You have to collect it at the original location in Huachac, Peru at 3200 meters. And even if you can, there is a white flowering KK337 and a red flowering KK337. I am not sure how the Sacred Succulents plant will flower but chances are it will flower in white.

Trichocereus Tulhuayacensis KK337 x Trichocereus Bridgesii. Pic by Richard Hipp! Please note that those plants can look identical to Trichocereus Cuzcoensis and I know a whole lot of people who would label them KK242 and put them on the compost. And that´s a good reminder that there are some amazing plants within the whole Cuzcoensis group.

K.Trout from Troutsnotes.com

Trichocereus Longispina KK1670

This Clone was distributed by Karel Knize and the Plant on the Pictures was provided by our Friend Trout from troutsnotes.com! The Cutting was obtained in 2000. Another Seed grown KK1670 was distributed by Shaman Australis but doesn´t seem to be available at this Time.

Knize gives as Place of Origin:

Trichocereus Longispinus KK1670 – Seeds originally collected from Cusco, Pisac, Peru at 2800m altitude.

This Picture is the One SAB has on their Site:

Just like the Place of Origin already suggests, this is most likely some kind of Trichocereus Cuzcoensis Variety. New Spine growth is yellow and very spiny. Unfortunately, we don´t have any more Pics of this Type as a larger plant. We will add some more in the Future.
Where to get seeds or cuttings of KK1670 Trichocereus Longispinus?

Well, since this plant originally came from Knize, there aren´t that many sources for his plants or seeds but him. In addition to that, you might be lucky to get some cuttings from the SAB shop, who sold some of them every now and then. So far, I´ve only seen them available on the market once and only as a seedling. As this type is probably just one of the countless Cuzcoensis varieties out there, it will probably be labeled Trichocereus Peruvianus or Cuzcoensis on the open market and I don´t feel like it´s possible to distinguish it from other, similar Cuzcoensis specimens. The pics here show how variable the plant can be and it will be very hard to keep it apart from others.

If you bought this type of Trichocereus from Knize or someone else, please let me know because I´d love to see if this really deserves the name “longispinus”. From what I´ve seen in those pics, it´s not very different from some other Cuzcoensis Varieties that I know. I am currently thinking that it is nothing but a marketing name.

KK340 Trichocereus cuzcoensis (Echinopsis)

KK340 Trichocereus cuzcoensis is a wild strain collected by Karel Knize. Knize´s numbers stand for regions instead of mother plants, which is why there are various different plants with this field number and not all are the same species. Most ended up to be Trichocereus cuzcoensis, but the photos show that at least some of them are Trichocereus peruvianus or close to it.  The first strain was on the 1998 seed list and Karel gave “Area Cuzco” as place of origin. It also turned up on his 1999 seed list as var. cuzcoensis. In the year 2000, Knize sold it through his cuttings list. He also sold it as seed and cuttings through his 2004 Seed list with the remarks “Cuzco, Huachac, 3200 meters”.

I lack more pics of this plant to say anything for certain. The pics of the relatively small cuttings that Knize sent look like a mix between Trichocereus Cuzcoensis and Trichocereus Peruvianus. There is no real source for seeds or plants, apart from maybe Karel Knize. But everytime I tried buying from him, he let me down and either sent me nothing or dead seed. I always wanted to do business with him but ended up being extremely disappointed and frustrated. Well, but enough of that.

This pic shows KK340 Trichocereus cuzcoensis and is from the Shaman Australis shop. It shows a rather typical Cuzcoensis with a bright green epidermis. The plant is currently out of stock but if you are interested to buy one, maybe send them a message and ask if they will get them again.

We are working on a Karel Knize Field Guide or database, but I do not know when it´ll be finished. If you have photos of KK plants, please send them over and we´ll include them.

Those pics are from K.Trout – Troutsnotes.com