San Pedro Cactus, Trichocereus pachanoi, is native to several places in South America. San Pedro Cactus is found in Southern Ecuador at the Chanchan valley ranging from 6,600-9,000 feet. In Peru, in the Huancabamba valley and in Quebrada Santa Cruz at 10,800 ft. San Pedro Cactus grows naturally in these locales, San Pedro Cactus is cultivated all over Peru and in other places in South America.

To harvest San Pedro Cactus the stalks are cut off some 5 to 10 cm above the ground. The remaining San Pedro Cactus cuttings will develop shoots again in a short time. San Pedro Cactus, Trichocereus pachanoi can be grown from its tiny seeds or propagated from cuttings. San Pedro Cactus cuttings require simply placing the San Pedro cutting into the ground, one or two new stalks will grow from were the San Pedro Cactus was cut.

San Pedro Cactus cuttings are fast growing (12-18" per year) if grown in warm, moist and rain-rich areas. If San Pedro Cactus cuttings are grown indoors they should be kept in a warm area of your house, direct sunlight is important for San Pedro Cactus cuttings to flourish in-doors. Watering San Pedro Cactus cuttings should be done daily, doing so you can almost watch your San Pedro Cactus cutting growing. San Pedro Cactus is a very hardy cactus, it grows quickly when watered daily but will survive long periods without water. San Pedro Cactus cuttings can survive for months or even years and can develop lateral shoots even without food or water. 

The almost spineless columnar San Pedro Cactus can grow as tall as 6 meters. San Pedro Cactus has several ribs, usually six but often seven or eight, sometimes as many as twelve. San Pedro Cactus has beautiful white flowers which only appear at night and very delicious red fruits which develop very rarely.

Preparing Fresh San Pedro Cactus Cuttings:

The key hallucinogenic alkaloid in the San Pedro Cactus is mescaline. Mescaline is unique among drugs in that its main action is a stimulant of the visual and visuo-psychic areas of the cortex. This lets the brain experience an altered state of consciousness. Mescaline is also found in many other cacti and succulents, including the well known Peyote Cactus.

     . Take a one foot section of San Pedro Cactus which is a single dose depending on your sensitivity.
     . The one foot section of San Pedro Cactus cutting is then sliced like a cucumber into star shaped sections. These star shaped sections are then chopped into smaller sections, the spines can be left.
     . Take equal amounts of San Pedro Cactus cuttings and water and blend until the cactus bits and water expend to the top of the blender or until the San Pedro Cactus cuttings are completely liquefied.
     . The Blended San Pedro Cactus cuttings are then cooked slowly on low heat until the mixture is even, approximately 30 minutes. As the mixture cooks the cactus pulp will rise to the top of the pot.
     . After the cactus pulp and water have rejoined the heat should be increased slightly to a simmer, stirring frequently. This is allowed to boil, simmer for two to four hours. During this two to four hour period the mixture needs to be monitored closely to prevent burning, more water can be added if needed. Boil the pulp down to a messy glob.
     . This messy glob is then poured back into the blender thru a piece of fiber cloth so that the liquid slowly seeps thru the cloth and drips into the blender, the pulp is caught in the cloth and can be pressed to remove all the liquid.
     . The liquid from the San Pedro Cactus cutting is then allowed to cool so that it can be drunk. The remaining pulp can be discarded. Mixing lemon to the liquid can help the taste and this should be drunk in a oner.