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Echinopsis pachanoi
Also called San Pedro Column Cactus
Echinopsis pachanoi is a fast-growing columnar cactus from the Andes, widely grown as an ornamental and used in traditional medicine. The key to growing it is bright light, fast-draining soil and restrained watering, since it rots if kept wet.
Echinopsis pachanoi, synonyms including Trichocereus pachanoi and Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi, is a fast-growing columnar cactus found in the Andes at 2,000–3,000 m (6,600–9,800 ft) in altitude. It is one of a number of kinds of cacti known as San Pedro cactus. It is native to Ecuador, and Peru, but is also found in Bolivia, Colombia, central Chile, the Canary Islands, and mainland Spain, and is cultivated in other parts of the world. Uses for it include traditional medicine and traditional veterinary medicine, and it is widely grown as an ornamental cactus. It has been used for healing and religious divination in the Andes Mountains region for over 3,000 years.
Echinopsis pachanoi is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8b to 10. The range of minimum temperatures in which it is known to grow is between -9.4 °C and 10 °C. Because it grows naturally at high altitudes in the Andes, it can withstand temperatures far below those of many other cacti for a day or two if the soil remains dry. It requires fertile, free-draining soil. A good soil mix includes an inorganic lightweight substrate such as pumice or perlite. Plants grow up to 30 cm per year. They are susceptible to fungal diseases if over-watered, but are not nearly as sensitive as many other cacti, especially in warm weather when they are in their growth phase. They can be sunburned and display a yellowing chlorotic reaction to overexposure to sunlight.
In winter, plants can etiolate, or become thin, due to lower levels of light. This may be problematic if the etiolated zone is not sufficiently strong to support future growth as the cactus may break in strong winds.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Echinopsis pachanoi by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
