Discover the rich history and cultural significance of Trichocereus peruvianus var. Huancabamba or the Huancabamba Peruvian Torch Cactus. Found high in the Andean mountain deserts of Peru and Ecuador, this cactus has been used by the monks of a pre-Inca culture known as Chavín in their ritualistic ceremonies to diagnose spiritual links to a patient's illness. Its active compound, mescaline, has been reported to be present in a concentration of 1.2% in the dried cactus, and it also contains varying phenethylamines and other substances in minimal proportions. Today, Curanderos or medicine men of northern Peru still use it for spiritual and medicinal purposes. A close relative of the San Pedro cactus, this cactus is not to be missed on your journey of self-exploration.