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Latua pubiflora - "Tree of Wizards"/"Socerers Tree"

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Its from the Solanaceae tribe, and intersted to know if anyone has experience growing it.

http://www.znaturforsch.com/ac/v58c/s58c0626.pdf

I miss my "poison garden"which I retired due to a youngster being about and this may be a candidate to keep that interest ticking over if suitably contained/confined.

WB

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i got one germinated , it stayed about 3 inches for about 4 months and then died ... was the only germination of 15-ish seeds as a free gift with a purchase

will be trying again at some point....

I germinated it fluctuating between 25c daytime temps and 16c night time temps , i dont know if this helped ...or worsened.

and with the lights on at 1am-off when daylight , got dark about 4pm (was brit winter)

so ummm 15 hours light a day.... and in miracle grow compost which i stopped using now, the sowing pot was wrapped in cling film

i poked a few tiny holes a day for venting after it began to make its first true leaves...

-will add more if i remember anything i missed out

2010+September+407.JPG

Edited by ☽Ţ ҉ĥϋηϠ₡яღ☯ॐ€ðяئॐ♡Pϟiℓℴϟℴ
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its a wicked plant

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I looked up some pictures of it and I thought its flowers were eggplants haha. It is a pretty interesting plant.

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the sole representative of the monotypic plant genus Latua native to Chile, where it prefers wet habitats in southern coastal mountains.

just found this.... sounds like latua could be something that would probably do better on a cold windowsill or outside here ... much like silene capensis turned out

lol i tried 100 s'capensis in the same glass tank with night/day temp control and they all failed,

the kids managed to germinate every single one of their 10 seeds each on a wintery but south facing windowsill tho same method , minus artificial heat/light - with the exception of human activity and central heating

their silenes are now producing their first seed pods ... , they were moved outside about a month ago after looking poorly and now are flourishing

Edited by ☽Ţ ҉ĥϋηϠ₡яღ☯ॐ€ðяئॐ♡Pϟiℓℴϟℴ
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I am thinking I can get it going outside here without too many issues other than needing a fair bit of water during the summer.

http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/HighResPages/EH0759.htm

Height: 7 m.

Excellent ornamental value (A +)

HABITAT

In Chile this species grows in the following environmental conditions:

Habitat according to altitude:

Coastal mountains, 500 - 2000 m.
Coastal areas, 0 - 500 m

Watering conditions:

Humid areas, with almost constant rainfall. Short dry periods are possible (generally not longer than 1 month).

Light conditions:

In shadow. Steep slopes facing south or a vegetation cover which filters 40 - 80 % of light.
In deep shadow. Deep ravines facing south with additional shadow from trees, or where there is a very dense vegetation cover which gives 80 - 100 % shadow (for instance, the Valdivian forests)

GROWING TIPS

This species has the following hardiness:

USDA Hardiness Zone 9. The plant does not tolerate snow, but can tolerate occasional freezing spells of about - 5° C (the typical morning frost of central Chile).

but I read this and it looks contradictory to what I've read on some other seed vendors sites: http://www.rareplants.es/shop/prodtype.asp?CAT_ID=1041

Tree of Wizards (Latua pubiflora) is a monotypic genus native of evergreen costal forests in the Cordillera de la Costa de Valdivia in the region of los Ríos and the province of Osorno in the region of los Lagos (Chile). Latua pubiflora and the closely related Dunalia species grow as a woody shrubs with elliptic leaves on spiny stems and pendulous, beautiful bell-shaped, magenta or rich violet flowers followed by round, yellow fruits. All plant parts contain highly poisenous hallucinogen alcaloids, which have been traditionally used by indigenous tribes in the Valdivia region. Easily cultivated in pots in any rich, well drained soil with some grit sand added in a sunny spot throughout the year. In winter keep plants drier at a minimum of some 15°C.
Sow seeds flat in any rich, well drained soil at some 20°C to 30°C throughout the year. Cover seeds only very sparsely with soil. Germination in both Dunalia and Latua is slow and erratic. Keep pots and seedlings always sunny.

The Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh looks like its got cultivation sorted though :wink: :

http://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/8623

"Could this be the hedging plant of the 21st century; reliably floriferous, barbed to repel, and responding positively to pruning cuts?" lol

http://stories.rbge.org.uk/archives/10822

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AWESOME

i think I'm going to have to use this as a hedge when i get it going !!

and i think i might try one in the rainforest box too for night photos and just in case

thank you :)

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Latua pubiflora “Latue” “Palo de Bruja”

Solanaceae. Multi-branched shrub 6-20′. Gray-green lanceolate leaves 1-3″ long. Violet bell-shaped 1.5″ flowers hang from the branches, small yellowish berries. Some clones have long thorns, others are nearly thornless. A monotypic genus endemic to limited regions of Chile. When our colleagues Rob Montgomery and Christian Ratsch first came upon this plant in Chiloe, they literally fell to their knees in awe! Revered by the Mapuche, the plant is used for rheumatism and as a shamanic deliriant, similar to Datura. Sun to part shade, well drained rich soil. This stunning rarity is new to cultivation, a true horticultural gem. Germinates in 4-8 weeks, GA3 or cold treatment helps. Fresh seed harvest. Z8b and below

just found this at SS , :)

so stratification via fridge I guess

Edited by ☽Ţ ҉ĥϋηϠ₡яღ☯ॐ€ðяئॐ♡Pϟiℓℴϟℴ
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can u import these seeds waterboi?

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GA3 or cold treatment helps

sweet, was looking for a clue there.....I was thinking there must surely be a germination mechanism.

Can find them here in Oz bullit.....will send you a link mate....viability and such of the seeds I cant vouch for....but others from the source have been good from past experience.

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I'd wager that there will be quite some interest in the next generation of seed once it becomes available.

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I'll be having a crack at growing it and just to add to the thread:

post-8169-0-98952100-1404030688_thumb.jp

post-8169-0-81440900-1404030708_thumb.jp

L.pub 1.jpg

L.pub 2.jpg

L.pub 1.jpg

L.pub 2.jpg

Edited by waterboy
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dang the only place i could find em as plants ,whilst hunting all night ;...want £35 for one!

it is the only uk ethno plant guy i trust tho to actually send the right plant, and theyve never sent me rubbish before ....

, and lol incidentally the same source of the free gift seeds from before, but only has plants atm

I will keep hunting seeds for now I think ... unless i get some crazy urge to fork out (if I find info that it's easy to stem propogate)

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I've got some beans.....will give em a crack in a few weeks.

Be nice to see how others who are taking the plunge go :wink:

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My seeds arrived yesterday,, put a cupl in for now to test viability. Will be sowing a huge assortment of cactus and leafy plants very soon.

Hope you other cats have success! :-)

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Latua pubiflora (Latúe, KILL PALO PALO OF WITCHES)

palo_d5.jpg

The Sorcerer Pole, is endemic to Chile, which is characterized by a strong alkaloid Mapuche people use for ceremonial purposes. It grows to about 6 feet tall, exclusively in the Cordillera de la Costa in the Region of Rivers and Lakes. Features long and thorny branches. Hermaphrodites purplish flowers in late winter and early spring. By the summer gives yellowish green fruits, which ripening become golden yellow. For its beautiful appearance should be used as ornamental species, although always keeping away from children.

The Latúe, latuy or kalku-Mamull is the classic hallucinogen Mapuche ethnology. According to the etymology of Lenz and Mosbach means "deadly". Alonqueo translates it as "the land of the dead" (Alonqueo 1995); a meaning that can hint at its characteristic habitat in the Cordillera de la Costa, cardinal point where, within the coastal Mapuche cosmology, the deceased undertake the journey to the afterlife. Its Spanish nickname is directly "witch tree," kill stick "or" stick witches ". It was first described by white men in 1854, under the name of Lycioplesium pubiflorum and current scientific nomenclature Latua pubiflora dates from 1888.

Studies of Juan Carlos Olivares and Daniel Quiroz noted the distinctive quality of this, one of a kind and restrictive to laurifolio forest of southern Chile endemic species:

The Latúe is a plant with power, alive (...) and is very good plant, then anyone, everyone, or even the sea, wherever, have faith and collect (...) alive means that is applicable to many things and has very great healing powers (...) planted in the corner of the house, protects it and its inhabitants (...) is used to steam in Santo Canillo (...). You can, as a secret one go to the ground and ask for something, anything. Pay as if you were buying something (...) also serves to incense (...) can be (...) grow with affection and faith and never forget to do good (...) people ask for when they are needed Latúe then, almost like a memory, like remembering our Lord, seek ... ( Olivares 1985:42 )

The narrator of this story is defined by Olivares as a "man of knowledge" and in his speech can notice features of positive shaman ( Eliade 1976 ), such as the intrinsic desire to do good to others and the ineffable connection with God, however syncretic Christian so it is alleged in the citation; all without being initiated as machi.

On the other hand, the peculiar characteristics in relation to the plant coincide with those of many others that are revered in the American shamanic context has its own spirit, is alive, it has special requirements for collection and ways to use and, above all, has a distinctive and dangerous power. The distinction expressly states the informant is essential:

Used to do good, but not applicable at all times, because there are some who use it for evil and that people lose the brain and can not remember; memory is lost, and not a normal person, it will be abnormal, crazy person (...) I've seen people, guys who have been in love with a girl who is honest and at least have made ​​the mistake of leaving it "list "then they have not returned as such, then the person himself, through another person," the sorcerer "give Latúe (...) it is difficult to recognize, never give guideline, reason and the secret is for them and one not because one gives the recipe as well or do it this way. The "witches" used for evil Latúe ( Olivares 1985:43 )

In the late sixties, Plowman et al. (1971) recorded ethnographically fear that the native population seemed to feel toward Latúe and its quality as a vehicle for communication with the other world, hence the zeal with which its use and dose was kept: it was a plant machis. The data collected were the authors of a machitún in Chiloé, and his informant, a Santiague psychologist, describes not only the intake of the potion by specialists, but scores chants aimed specifically at the plant and which she is named repeatedly. Stresses in this publication, the ethnographic description of some casual poisoning because of their confusion with palo santo, or by eating fruit apple shaped, like a detailed report of Swedish academic who experienced true about yourself a decoction.

Another interesting fact is the indication of its use as an aphrodisiac, compared with Datura metel, which was used in India for the same purposes. Schultes returns this information in a publication of 1972, and aims its general botanical features, and integrating it definitively to the category of so divine plant. In 1982 the situation had not changed much, even if it was fully elucidated its chemical composition.

Known since the last century as an extremely poisonous plant, it is said that the Indians scattered in the water Latúe lethargic fish and they were easy prey. The counter or antidote is yerba mora (Solanum nigrum), the culle (Oaxalis sp.) Or the fruit of black hawthorn (Rhaphithamus spinosus). Due to its habitat, the authors believe that it was a plant for the exclusive use of huilliches.

Finally, it seems illustrative of a certain ideology which expresses the conception Capuchin Father Ernesto Mosbach, who openly Latúe indicates that corresponded to the same type of plant persecuted by the church throughout America for its quality of having the demon inside:

Devilish vegetable; one of the most toxic plants of the country. Its infusion upsets the mind and breaks its resistance against crooked intentions and even cause death. This incident shrub grows in Osorno Cordillera Pelada, especially in its southern part, called Pucatrihue ( Mosbach 1992:104 )

google translate from : http://naturalpsycho.tumblr.com/

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Yeah, I got some seeds a week or 2 ago too, after seeing WBs post about it. It's a nice looking plant!

I was thinking I'd try the overwintering in the fridge with half of them and not the other half. Fingers crossed in spring I get a few to germ and survive into larger plants!

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lol...what have I done :wink:.

Just would like to remind folk this is one of those must be respected entities, and always thinking about what you are doing when playing with it. It aint fit for a sensory garden or where little tackers are going to play.

(grandad moment over....)

I am looking to stratify (fridge time) some and try GA3 on a smaller batch. I am thinking a "gritty" mix as I am seeing a few references to it growing in river side gravel deposits.

Still plotting and scheming though....

Edited by waterboy
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I'm pretty much categorizing it with brugmansia and datura as a hopefully beautiful but definitely deadly part of the garden.

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I had some success sprouting Latua by cold stratifying them in the fridge for a month, in peat pellets. After that, they took another month or so to germinate. These seeds came from S.S. The germination rate wasn't great, but I was happy to get a few sprouts up.

Though my plants are still little (largest being about a foot tall) they are outside in the ground (Zone 8) and appear to be tough plants, not overly bothered by pests, fluctuating temps, or wet/dry spells.

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Big can of interest is what you've opened WB lol ;-)

I remember reading about this in one of my fav. books almost 20 years ago,, Plants of the Gods :-) beautiful flowers and a very powerful shamanic tool!

I love knowing I'm helping preserve something as rare and gnarly. Gotta germinate yet tho ;) but this will be one of those look and admire, but don't touch plants, alongside the brugs etc.

Much respect!

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How big do these get? What climates can they endure? Can they survive indoors?

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