1. San Pedro T. bridgesii seeds — 100 pieces
A hundred seeds of Trichocereus bridgesii — the Bolivian torch, also classified as Echinopsis lageniformis. It is the third of the three columnar cacti sold under the San Pedro name, and like its relatives it contains mescaline.
It is also the most distinctive of the three to look at: fewer ribs, longer and more irregular spines, and a looser, more sprawling growth habit than the tidy columns of pachanoi. Growers tend to like it for that reason as much as any other — it looks like something from an altitude, which is where it comes from. Its native range is the Bolivian Andes, and it tolerates cold and drought better than most of the family.
If you are choosing between the three, section 3 is the practical comparison.
Legal status: Mescaline is a controlled substance in the Netherlands and in most other countries. Seeds and living plants of Trichocereus species are sold legally as ornamental horticulture; extracting or preparing mescaline from them is not legal. Check your local law before ordering.
2. Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product name | San Pedro T. Bridgesii seeds – 100 pieces |
| Species | Trichocereus bridgesii (syn. Echinopsis lageniformis) |
| Common name | Bolivian torch |
| Contents | 100 seeds |
| Price | €14.17 |
| Native range | Bolivian Andes |
| Habit | Fewer ribs, long irregular spines, sprawling |
| Alkaloid | Mescaline |
| Hardiness | The most cold- and drought-tolerant of the three San Pedro types |
| Germination temperature | Roughly 18 to 23 °C |
| Age restriction | 18+ only |
3. Bridgesii, peruvianus, pachanoi — telling the three apart
All three are sold as San Pedro, all three are Trichocereus, and all three contain mescaline. They are genuinely different plants to grow and to look at, and mislabelling in the trade is common enough that it is worth knowing the markers.
| Species | How to recognise it |
|---|---|
| T. bridgesii (Bolivian torch) | Typically four to eight ribs — the fewest of the three. Long, irregular spines. Sprawls and leans rather than growing straight. The most tolerant of cold and dry conditions. |
| T. peruvianus (Peruvian torch) | Usually six to nine ribs, distinctly blue-green, with long stiff spines. Grows as a thick, upright column. |
| T. pachanoi (classic San Pedro) | Six to eight ribs, bright mid-green, nearly spineless — small nubs where spines would be. The fastest and easiest of the three, and the one usually meant by “San Pedro” without qualification. |
3.1 Which to choose
- Easiest to grow: pachanoi. Fast, forgiving, spineless enough to handle.
- Best looking, in most growers’ view: bridgesii, for the spines and the habit.
- Toughest in a cold, unheated greenhouse: bridgesii again.
- If you want a straight architectural column: peruvianus.
- If you want a mescaline cactus at all: any Trichocereus over Lophophora. Peyote takes a decade from seed; these take a few years.
3.2 Sowing
- Sterilise everything. Cactus seedlings are lost to mould far more often than to anything else. Use sterilised or baked soil and clean trays.
- Sow on the surface. Fill shallow trays with a free-draining mix, place the seeds on top and press them gently in. Do not bury them — they need light to germinate.
- Water from below with boiled or rainwater. Stand the tray in a shallow layer and let the soil draw moisture up until the surface is damp. Tap water encourages algae.
- Cover and keep warm. Cling film or a propagator lid, held between roughly 18 °C and 23 °C. Green specks appear anywhere from a few days to a few weeks later.
- Harden off gradually from about four weeks. Pierce two holes in the film, then a couple more every other day, until the humidity inside matches the room. Remove it only then.
- Do not let them dry out, and do not drown them. Overwatering is the more common mistake once the cover is off.
- Read the colour. Yellowing means not enough light; a red or purple flush means too much sun or too little water.
One species-specific note: bridgesii handles a cool, dry winter better than the other two, but that is about established plants. Seedlings in their first year want the same warmth and humidity as any cactus seedling.
4. Before you consider using it
4.1 Preparation
- Have a sober sitter present. Someone who stays sober, stays in the room and knows what you have taken.
- Sit or lie down before you start. Do not stand, walk or handle anything.
- Clear the space. No open flames, no stairs, nothing breakable within reach.
- Have a trip stopper to hand. Knowing it is there matters even if you never use it.
- Nothing else alongside it. No alcohol, no cannabis, no other substance.
4.2 Do not use this if
- Not for anyone under 18.
- Not for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Do not use if you or a close family member has a history of psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or another serious mental health condition. Psychedelics can precipitate episodes in people predisposed to them.
- Do not use alongside alcohol, cannabis, SSRIs, MAOIs or any prescription medication without medical advice.
- Do not drive or operate machinery for the rest of the day.
- Legality varies widely by country and changes. Check your local law before ordering.
- Mescaline experiences commonly run ten to twelve hours, with nausea frequently reported in the early stages. Clear the day.
- Seed is a horticultural purchase. It takes several years of growth before a plant reaches any usable size.
Mislabelling between the three San Pedro species is common in the trade. Count the ribs and look at the spines — the plant tells you what it is.
- A hundred seeds of Trichocereus bridgesii, the Bolivian torch, for cultivation.
- Fewest ribs of the three San Pedro types, long irregular spines, sprawling habit.
- The most cold- and drought-tolerant of the three once established.
- Contains mescaline; native to the Bolivian Andes.
- Sow on sterile soil at 18 to 23 °C, water from below, harden off from about four weeks.
- Seeds sold as ornamental horticulture; mescaline is controlled. 18+ only.
- Order before 16:00 on weekdays for same-day dispatch in plain, unmarked packaging.
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