Help with a Freak Cactus

[Natty_Dread]

Hi all! A few years ago, a friend gave me an indoor cactus as a gift. I'm
not sure what kind of cactus it is (he claimed that after a few years it
would have psychedelic properties if consumed with the proper preparation,
but who knows), but it's just one tubular-shaped stalk, with no "arms" or
anything, that was about six or seven inches tall and about three inches in
diameter when he first gave it to me. Now, almost four years later, it's
about 2 feet tall and has slightly widened in diameter -- I'd estimate it to
be about five to maybe six inches in diameter. It actually looks like a big
zucchini squash with cactus needles all over it. It's really thriving, in
that there's been a lot of growth, but it just seems to grow ever upward but
doesn't branch out or anything. I've never had a cactus before and I'm not
sure if there's something I should be doing other than watering
occasionally -- does it need to be pruned? Right now, it's supported by
leaning up against a wall because it would fall over otherwise -- should I
stake it? Does anyone have any idea what kind of cactus this might be (and
could I really catch a buzz off of it?? <grin>)?

Thanks in advance for any information. :-)

[ecologicals]

"Natty_Dread" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all! A few years ago, a friend gave me an indoor cactus as a gift.
I'm
> not sure what kind of cactus it is (he claimed that after a few years it
> would have psychedelic properties if consumed with the proper preparation,
> but who knows), but it's just one tubular-shaped stalk, with no "arms" or
> anything, that was about six or seven inches tall and about three inches
in
> diameter when he first gave it to me. Now, almost four years later, it's
> about 2 feet tall and has slightly widened in diameter -- I'd estimate it
to
> be about five to maybe six inches in diameter. It actually looks like a
big
> zucchini squash with cactus needles all over it. It's really thriving, in
> that there's been a lot of growth, but it just seems to grow ever upward
but
> doesn't branch out or anything. I've never had a cactus before and I'm
not
> sure if there's something I should be doing other than watering
> occasionally -- does it need to be pruned? Right now, it's supported by
> leaning up against a wall because it would fall over otherwise -- should I
> stake it? Does anyone have any idea what kind of cactus this might be
(and
> could I really catch a buzz off of it?? <grin>)?
>
> Thanks in advance for any information. :-)
>
> This may be helpful:

http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/horticulture/g187.htm

As for properties.... best to identify the specific cactus first. Electric
bananas were SUCH a letdown....
http://peyote.com/jonstef/peyote.htm
:)

--
John H. Immink

http://www.ecologicalsgardens.com/
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