peyote

Peyote, scientifically known as Lophophora williamsii, is a small, spineless cactus native to the Chihuahuan Desert of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It forms slow-growing, button-like structures up to about 2–7 cm in diameter. The plant contains mescaline, a psychoactive alkaloid that produces psychedelic effects when consumed.

It grows in arid grasslands and desert scrub, typically at elevations around 300–1,600 meters, on rocky, well-drained soils with scattered sun. It is long-lived and slow to mature, which can make wild populations vulnerable to overharvesting.

Peyote has been used for thousands of years in Indigenous ceremonial contexts, especially by the Huichol (Wixárika) in Mexico and by tribes in the United States; ingestion occurs in ritual settings under spiritual leadership. In the United States, possession of peyote is illegal for nonmembers of tribes; mescaline is a controlled substance, but federal law provides religious exemptions for Native American Church practices.

Conservation concerns arise from overharvesting and habitat loss, which threaten wild populations. Some jurisdictions encourage cultivation to reduce pressure on wild stands, and various Indigenous groups maintain cultivated stocks for ceremonial use.

Effects are primarily attributed to mescaline, which can cause perceptual changes, emotional shifts, and vivid visuals. The onset is typically 1–2 hours after ingestion, with effects lasting about 8–12 hours. The experience varies with dose and individual physiology.