26 replies to this topic

[trucha]

This thing has several forms that all were started from seeds Harry Johnson Sr brought back to the US in the 1950s. It seems to be all over the planet now.
It can be insanely variable even within one form depending on where it gets grown.
It gets easily as fat (and often fatter) as any peruvianus. It can have no spines or long spines but usually not many per areole.

It looks sort of like a sparsely spined macrogonus and sort of like a bridgesii on steroids.
I'll get a bunch more images posted but want to focus on where this all started for me before returnign to this.

Here is one for starters. Please be patient with me for more images as they will come.
 huanucoensis_HBG.jpg   22.79K   106 downloads

[nitrogen]

Is this an active plant?

[trucha]

That is a darn good question.
The only lonely bioassay I am aware of reported it a stimulant but not hallucinogenic but perhaps a larger amount should have been used.
To me it would be a surprise if at least some did not turn out to be nice.

[Evil Genius]

Hi Trucha,
i love huanucoensis as it´s a stunning plant! It´s not really a rare form in germany but it´s rather rare that you get one that is labeled correct. I would love to see some more pics as this is one of the most interesting Trichs i know.bye Eg

[Pisgah]

I've started growing some seedlings of huanucoensis x SS02 (bridgesioid), and there is a strong presence of spines on the little ones that I've grafted to pereskiopsis.

[M S Smith]

Here's the Sacred Succulents T. huanucoensis which looks a bit different than that above. kt, do you know the source of Ben's plant?



~Michael~

[trucha]

To me that looks like the same plant just grown in a richer mix and both smaller and on a younger stem. Its very distinctly huanucoensis. Lower on the large plant pictured at the top you'd find that same distinctive spine array just not the tip spination which seems a nutritional thing.
Give it a more mineral rich blend with less food sources, more mycorrhizal and bacterial support and less space around its roots and it will get fatter and more typical. Providing a more natural soil mix, restricting the space around the base of the plant and ceasing to repot once they get into 5 gallon pots unless the stem fills it is a really good thing for getting container grown plants to look less pumped and encouraging flowering.
The Huntington's gets that nice blush on it due to having solid shade for part of the day and sun for part of the day and being watered with a sprinkler.
Its a rather variable plant depending on where it gets grown. Grow it in more shade and it can get almost unrecognizable as it can almost stop putting on any spines.
I should get busier with uploading images from different gardens.

Sacred Succulents got theirs from Ed Gay who was a friend of Johnson and Hutchison and other old timers (all of whom are now dead).

Here is a shot of one that is the same clone as Michael's pictured above but being grown in a different mix

 HUANUCOENSIS_4.jpg   64.28K   98 downloads

Edited by trucha, 03 September 2007 - 08:33 AM.

[M S Smith]

Here's a suspected T. huanucoensis.



~Michael~

[Teotzlcoatl]

Mr.Smith that is an awesome cactus!!!!

Edited by Teotz', 30 December 2007 - 04:42 PM.

[mark80]

!

Edited by mark80, 30 December 2007 - 04:30 PM.

[Teotzlcoatl]

Does anybody have any more pics of this cactus?

Edited by Teotz', 05 January 2008 - 02:37 PM.

[Teotzlcoatl]

Here's a Pic!

Edited by Teotz', 06 January 2008 - 08:42 AM.

[M S Smith]

Here's a Pic!

Ha ha ha ha ha, that's one of my really old photos. How about that label on the pencil? Cracks me up!

The same plant is seen in post #6 above. And here it is again....



The photo below isn't too great, but sort of fun.

~Michael~

Attached Files

•  ThuanucoensisSS025.jpg   136.06K   106 downloads

Edited by M S Smith, 13 January 2008 - 01:27 AM.

[Teotzlcoatl]

I wonder why the spines are so varaiable on T. huancoensis?

It's a very pretty cactus.

What do you think it's closest relation is Mr. Smith? T. peruvianus?

[Gunter]

I believe it to be peruvianus allied, as do some of those who have grown it for more than a decade.

[Teotzlcoatl]

I just got mine from S.S. and holy shit is it THICK!

It's like 5-6inchs across!

I'll try to post pics soon...

[Teotzlcoatl]

Trichocereus huanucoensis



from S.S.

[kushizm]

Here are some pics of my aff 'huanucoensis' obtained from The Huntington botanical gardens in San Marino, California. It was purchased at some small plant sale for $7-USD.

The tag reads Trichocereus aff 'Huanucoensis'. Peru #80361

The following is from trouts notes Trichocereus aff huanucoensis
H 80361
suspected to have come from Harry Johnson according to Jon Trager






I am also enclosing some pictures of their specimens of 'Huanucoensis'.. Pics are for size not detail. My camera sucks.

[trucha]

The sad word there is suspected.


The Huntington has no data on this, nor on their peruvianus, nor on their macrogonus. Apparently someone lost, stole or misplaced their data cards in the Huntington archives some years ago.



The aff. huanucoensis looks very much like a typical pachanoi in Peru to me but I have yet to see it flower or fruit.


I love where I live but sometimes wish the HBG was not more than 8 hours drive away from me. I try to make a few trips there each year but all are mere snapshots of time.


I've been collecting data on flowering and fruiting periods whenever possible though so if anyone living in the LA area wants to help with it a joint photo collection effort might be possible. Same story with UC.

[gotcacti]

hello all
here is picture of a new tricho i just cut from a large stand i found in a back yard here in san diego california which i have been told is huanucoensis is it or is not please let me know what you all think,
thanks in advance jim in san diego

Attached Files

•  IMG_8347.JPG   85.29K   113 downloads

Edited by gotcacti, 14 March 2009 - 08:18 PM.

[Evil Genius]

Hi Gotcacti! The spination looks pretty much like Huanoceonsis! Thats a cool find! bye Eg

[Gunter]

T huanucoensis bought from grower in CA
 SANY1616.JPG   73.33K   69 downloads

[Mr. Bowser]

Looks like the T. Huanucoensis adapts to the environment with changes in spine length, rib width and coloration. Just curious, how does one reliably distinguish a T. Huanucoensis from a short spined T. Pachanoi or T. Scopulicola if they aren't grown under the same conditions?

[trucha]

That's a good question.
Several forms grew from Johnson's seeds. Its not just environmental since two of them are at UC in the same garden.
Even if grown out side by side they look different from each other.
They should all fit into the larger concept of pachanoi though (now Trichocereus macrogonus subsp. pachanoi if agreeing with Albesiano & Kiesling's ongoing revision work for resurrecting the genus Trichocereus).
WIth the exception of the one at UC that to me looks like a typical pachanot, they commonly exceed 4.5 or 5 inches in diameter and often reach around 6 to 6.5 inches in diameter. Its rare to find a typical pachanoi in cultivation that is more than 4 inches. Most are even skinnier. Scopulicola too. It can happen but its not as common as being more slender. (Some shading often is crucial for the fat columnar pachanoids to get fat.)
To tell any of these appart from scopilicola an easy and fast way is just grab it carefully with bare hands. Scopulicola can *usually* be grabbed even carelessly without experiencing spine punctures. Its also got a skin texture that is unique and recognizable once familiar with it.

The images posted above of S Cal plants are most likely correctly identified.

Edited by trucha, 10 November 2012 - 03:43 AM.

[Mr. Bowser]

Thanks for clarifying KT! Will probably need to grow and get up close and personal with them to learn to tell them apart better. Just another excuse to grow more cactus!