With so many sketchy vendors selling cacti online, it's becoming increasingly difficult to know whether the "peyote" you purchased is actually genuine. Many sellers misidentify plants, while others intentionally label look-alike species as peyote to make a sale.
If your cactus has just arrived in the mail, you might be wondering: How do I know if it's real? Fortunately, there is a reliable way to identify peyote.
Don't Rely on the Ribs
One of the biggest misconceptions about peyote identification is that you can identify it by its ribs.
Rib structure is actually one of the least reliable characteristics. Different genetics and locals of peyote can all produce very different rib patterns. Because of this natural variation, using the ribs can easily lead to misidentification.
Identifying Peyote With Its Flowers
The most reliable way to identify peyote is by its flowers. True peyote (Lophophora williamsii) produces short, rounded petals with a soft pink color.
Below is an example of a true peyote cactus.
Lookalikes
There are a few species within the Lophophora genus that can look remarkably similar to peyote. The real truth lies in the flowers. Flower color and petal shape are the most reliable characteristics for distinguishing peyote from close relatives.
Lophophora koehresii: Produces flowers with longer, narrower, more pointed petals.
Lophophora fricii: Tends to have flowers with a darker, richer pink color that is generally more uniform than the softer shades seen in peyote.
Both of these species typically have a more globular body shape than peyote, which can help distinguish them, as peyote tends to grow flatter. However, this should not be used as the sole identifying characteristic, since peyote can also develop a more globular shape, particularly when it is young and actively growing.
Lophophora diffusa: While it has a similar flat body shape to peyote, it produces white flowers, making it easy to distinguish once it blooms.
If you can wait for your cactus to flower, you'll have the best chance of confirming its identity with confidence.
What If Your Cactus Isn't Flowering?
Many growers become frustrated because their cactus hasn't produced flowers yet. The good news is that healthy peyote will usually bloom once it receives the right growing conditions.
To encourage flowering, you need to replicate the wet season of the desert by keeping daytime temperatures between 80–90°F (27–32°C) and watering the plant thoroughly so the soil is completely soaked. Water again as soon as the growing medium has dried out completely.
These warm temperatures combined with regular wet-and-dry watering cycles signal to the plant that it's the rainy season, which is when peyote naturally produces flowers.
Buy From a Trusted Source
Unfortunately, misidentified cacti are common online, and many collectors don't realize they've purchased the wrong species until later when the plant flowers.
At Sacred Buttons, every peyote seed and cactus we sell is genuine Lophophora williamsii. We carefully identify our plants and seeds so you can grow with confidence, knowing you're receiving true peyote from the very beginning.