Here are a few photos from last night of some Trichocereus panachoi in my outdoor cacti collection flowering en masse. The flowers begin to open around dusk with the tremendous scent being emitted from just after dark and throughout the night. Come mid-morning the next day, the display is all over.

T.panachoi is native to higher altitudes of Peru and Bolivia, hence its suitability to grow outdoors in temperate climates. The plant has some notoriety as it contains the psychoactive alkaloid 'mescaline'. Shamanistic use has, over time, lead to its consumption recreationally in the West. The level of mescaline is less significant than in Lophophora - Peyote.

Spectacular. Does the plant attract all the night flying moths in the neighbourhood?

Interestingly, in my garden at least, not really. In fact, apart from a few late afternoon bumble bees that investigate but ultimately turn up their noses, nothing much goes near them. As a consequence, I rarely get more than a couple of seed pods each season, the flowers not having been fertilised. The plant, obviously, doesn't recognise the fact that NZ lacks the natural bat pollinator and produces the flush each summer.

Same here. Even though I keep a few beehives at my place I seldom get any fruit.

Due to our climate, rainfall etc.. they are quite common around here, and perfectly legal where as peyote isn't. With a truck and chainsaw I can harvest more mescaline in one afternoon than one could harvest with an army in a year in Texas from peyote, but that's the California bureaucratic mentality.

:o Impressive plants and flowers!!! That's really marvelous.

Cheers,
Markus

Lovely, Just the cacti growing in your garden is impressive enough, but flowers as well........

What a stunning flower!!

Fantastic!