Ariocarpus Fissuratus

Contains:

Range:

The plant looks closely like a rock (or some might say to a sun dried cow pie)

Cultural Practices:
The Ariocarpus are rare slow growing cacti, a 6 inches in diameter mature specimen might be 20 years old. For many years the large mature specimens were collected in the wild, practice that has been severely limited by the new regulations, either in Mexico or in international trade. They are not adapted as house plants as they need a lot of sun and careful watering. The large taproot needs enough room to grow, which complicates the good drainage requirement, since the deeper the pot, the slower it drains.
The center growing part is sensitive to mealybugs attacks. Since this part is woolly, mealy bugs can be difficult to notice. The plant should be treated as soon as mealybugs are noticed.

Blooming Habits:
The Ariocarpus fissuratus has large, 1.5 inches in diameter (4 cm), pale to deep pink satin flowers in mid summer, followed by fruit buried in the wool.

This flattened green plant is also called living rock, or dry whiskey as it can be made into an intoxicating drink. Also called Peyote cimarron. It is a powerful teacher, and is considered by many to be more potent than even Peyote. Sacred to the Tarahumare, who value it for witchcraft, and the Huichols, who consider it evil and a source of permanent insanity. Native to northern and central Mexico. An extremely slow growing, very rare, hardy cactus that survives off of desert mists in the wild. Mature plants reach only 15 cm in diameter after 20 years of growth. Also classified as Mammillaria fissurata. Consumed fresh or made into a drink by crushing in water.

Sources:

http://www.desert-tropicals.com

http://www.shaman-australis.com/~visionarycacti/Files/A/Ariocarpus%20fissuratus/Ariocarpus%20fissuratus%20.htm

Photos:

http://www.cactuspro.com/images/6/619.jpg

http://www.cactuspro.com/images/6/687.jpg

http://www.viridis.net/cactus/images/a_fiss.jpg

http://space.tin.it/scienza/faccadia/foto/farfislh.jpg

http://www.photo-thorns.am/images/Ariocarpus-fissuratus.jpg

http://www.astrobase.de/Capricorn/Bilder/SierraPa/Bilder/00002095.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/3759/ariocarp.jpg

http://www.cactopathe.com/images/1ariocarpus%20fissuratus_0018.jpg

http://www.cactopathe.com/images/1ariofiss.jpg

Where you can buy:
http://plant-planet.net/ariocarpus_fissuratus.htm