Which End Of My San Pedro Cactus Trunk Cutting Is The Top!?

WHICH END IS UP?

I am often asked how to tell which end of a San Pedro cactus trunk cutting (section of a column) is the tip end. Without the tip attached, determining the top can be a little tricky at first. I hope this clear things up for you.

This first photo is of the edge of two San Pedro cactus cuttings showing the spines. The cactus on the left side is lying with the tip up towards the top of the picture (tip of the cactus). Note that the spines are also all generally pointing upwards towards the top (tip) of the cactus.

The cactus at the right side of the top photo is lying with the top (tip) of the cactus pointing down. Note that all of the spines are also pointing generally downward. This trunk section is upside down and should be inverted before planting for best results.

The two remaining pictures are close up images of the top picture showing the sticker orientation more clearly.

As a rule, the stickers on most San Pedro cactus generally point toward the tip of the column.

That being said, even if you plant them upside down, they will likely sprout roots from the end in the soil and pups from the end in the air, but correct orientation is best. Planting truck sections on their side also works quite well with multiple “pups” emerging from a single trunk section quite common.

Additional growing instructions here: https://awco1988.com/propagation/

awco1988.com is the largest provider of genuine San Pedro cactus in the USA