How to Store San Pedro Cactus
Echinopsis Pachanoi, also known as Trichocereus Pachanoi, achuma, huachuma, aguacolla, or San Pedro Cactus, is a very popular columnar cactus that is easy to grow and care for. It is native to South American countries such as Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, and in the northern part of Argentina. This cactus is of great interest to gardening enthusiasts and one of its main uses is ornamental. Much has been said about its cultivation but how to store san Pedro cactus?
San Pedro cactus is a very versatile cactus that has been used for thousands of years to prepare different natural medicines. This cactus from the Andean mountain range is very resistant to climatic changes and can resist for a long time once harvested if properly stored.
How to Store San Pedro Cactus
Once you know how to grow and care for this cactus, the question that arises is how to store San Pedro cactus? To answer this, it is important to know the different ways in which this cactus can be transformed and the ideal environmental conditions to store it so that it does not change its quality, does not grow mold and retains all its properties.
Types of San Pedro Cactus Products
San Pedro cactus is a very popular cactus among botany and gardening lovers. You can get its seeds and products derived from this cactus in botanical stores or specialized websites. Some of its most popular products are San Pedro cactus powdered, San Pedro cactus dried skin also known as chips, and live cuttings of San Pedro cactus.
Whether you buy some of these products or you harvest and process the cactus yourself, these are the recommendations on how to store San Pedro cactus so that it lasts a long time and does not lose its quality.
San Pedro Cactus Powdered
This is a way to obtain a completely fresh and moisture free product so it will be easier to store it and keep it fresh for years to come. The powder is obtained from older and larger cacti harvested in a sustainable way. The cactus is cut into small pieces and the skin and spines are removed. The cactus core and spines are not used to make the powder. The powder is made from cactus skin.
Once the skin is dry, it is pulverized to obtain a very fine powder with a texture similar to flour. To store it so that it lasts for years, it is important to keep it in a cool place without humidity.
San Pedro Cactus Dried Skin (Chips)
San Pedro cactus chips go through the same harvesting and drying process as San Pedro cactus powdered. The difference is that they are not powdered but cut into small pieces. The ideal way to store it is to keep it in a cool place with low humidity.
San Pedro Cactus Live Cuttings
You can stores San Pedro cactus in the form of a live cutting of the plant but this can lead to mold and fungus growth that can affect the cactus and cause it to lose its quality so it is important that you do it the right way. You can save large cuttings for planting later by making sure the ends are well dried and calloused. Do not store in plastic, or in any exceptionally warm place. Let it dry out and keep it cool.
As long as the cut end is completely dried so that it does not become moldy, it can be stored without problems for months or even years. If kept in a dark, cool place, the cactus will not grow roots and will keep its uniform shape.
Live cuttings of San Pedro cactus can last stored like this for months or even years. The important thing is to make sure the ends are well dried and calloused. Then, you can plant them later or process them as you like.