This cactus, native to South America, has more than just ornamental aspects. It contains alkaloids (hardenine, mescaline, tryamine, and others). The second of these may be familiar to some as it is an hallucinogenic used for religious divination in the Andes mountains for thousands of years; and more recently as a recreational drug gaining widespread popularity during the "hippie era" in the 1970's. Another cactus has the same alkaloids (Peyote).
The cactus may be spined or spineless and is capable of attaining great heights. The largest recorded topped out at 40 feet.
The name roughly translates to "rolled up hedgehog." The St Peter Cactus nickname is based on the idea that St Peter holds the keys to the kingdom, and by ingesting this cactus, you can visit there while still here.

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Basally branching columnar cactus with dark green to blue green stems and fragrant, white, nocturnal flowers. Stems are 2.4-6 inches in diameter and may grow to 16 feet tall, with 6-8 ribs. Buds, floral tubes, and pericarpels are hairy; flowers are up to 8 inches in diameter and may last 2 nights. Plants may grow buds and then drop them if conditions are not right for flowering. This cactus is from Ecuador and Peru. It is easily propagated from cuttings and relatively common in cultivation. It contains alkaloids with psychoactive properties and has a history of medicinal and ceremonial use.

Recently renamed from Echinopsis pachanoi to Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi.

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