I just moved into a new place and there is a huge cactus in the front
yard. My friends think that it is a San Pedro (Trichocereus pachanoi),
but I am not sure. The plant is huge, it has one main trunk several
branches which are not growing perfectly upright, more like 20 degrees
off center. The main problem is that the branches seem to have grown in
sections and when I see San Pedros they always seem to be one
continuous smooth shape whereas this one is pinched in places. I know
that San Pedro is quite a popular garden plant so it makes sense, but
are there any other look alikes that might be duping my friends?

Are there any good places on the net to help me in trying to identify
this plant?

Thanks.

A picture of the plant would be most helpful.

There are many columnar cactus in cultivation, including many that are
nearly without spines.

If the plant has nearly spineless blue-green stems with 6 to 8 rounded ribs
and large nocturnal white flowers with silky dark hairs on the outside, it
could be Echinopsis (Trichocereus) pachanoi or a related species.

If the stems have much narrower, almost wing-like, ribs and flowers without
hairs, it is probably a Cereus.

There are also several other, less likely, possibilities.


wrote in message
oups.com...
I just moved into a new place and there is a huge cactus in the front
yard. My friends think that it is a San Pedro (Trichocereus pachanoi),
but I am not sure. The plant is huge, it has one main trunk several
branches which are not growing perfectly upright, more like 20 degrees
off center. The main problem is that the branches seem to have grown in
sections and when I see San Pedros they always seem to be one
continuous smooth shape whereas this one is pinched in places. I know
that San Pedro is quite a popular garden plant so it makes sense, but
are there any other look alikes that might be duping my friends?

Are there any good places on the net to help me in trying to identify
this plant?

Thanks.

Sorry, it took a while to figure out how to get the pictures uploaded.

Here they a

The first plant I am quite sure is a san pedro.
Pictu http://img325.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10nb.jpg

The second one I am not sure about.
Pictu http://img325.imageshack.us/my.php?image=39lv.jpg
Closeup: http://img325.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3b0of.jpg

I have my suspicions, but can anyone identify these for sure?

The first plant is Cereus hildmannianus, often misidentified as Cereus
peruvianus in the trade. It is NOT San Pedro.

The second plant isn't a cactus. Its Euphorbia ingens, a plant with a toxic
white sap.


wrote in message
ups.com...
Sorry, it took a while to figure out how to get the pictures uploaded.

Here they a

The first plant I am quite sure is a san pedro.
Pictu http://img325.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10nb.jpg

The second one I am not sure about.
Pictu http://img325.imageshack.us/my.php?image=39lv.jpg
Closeup: http://img325.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3b0of.jpg

I have my suspicions, but can anyone identify these for sure?