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Growers Notes... New Species or Not??

Lophophora Williamsii
var. Cuatrocienegas

Lophophora Williamsii var. Cuatrocienegas comes from the area outside the city of Cuatro Cienegas in the state of Coahuila Mexico. It is also of the northern variety of Lophophora meaning it is self pollinating. Interestingly the area this special variation comes from has the greatest number of endemic species of any place in North America and is only 270 kilometres SSE of Big Bend National Park where one of the most famous variety of Lophophora comes from (I presently have a tray of one thousand Lophophora Williamsii var. Big Bend on the go and am very excited to soon bring seedlings up for sale in the near future, as well as reporting my findings here among these pages). The Big Bend variation is said to be the hardiest of all Lophophora variations so being this close should make this variation of Cuatrocienegas an interesting plant to continue studies with.

So far, in the early stages of study of this variation Lophophora Williamsii var. Cuatrocienegas, the most interesting thing I have come to realize is the vibrance of the flowers color as can be seen in the second photo down below. It is most difficult at times to get a realistic color representation with point and shoot cameras but the image below worked out very well offering the viewer an excellent true representation of this variations magnificent colouration. The Cuatrocienegas flower is most definitely the brightest and prettiest I have seen as of yet within the Williamsii family of variations.

Above: Lophophora Williamsii var. Cuatrocienegas seedlings

Above: Lophophora Williamsii var. Cuatrocienegas flowering 21 month old