In southern Texas, the peyote cactus grows naturally in a unique region known as the “peyote gardens,” found only in this area and northern Mexico.

Peyote holds profound spiritual significance to members of the Native American Church, or NAC, as it is believed to be a natural healer that aids in emotional and physical health, particularly in the context of the trauma caused by colonization.

Even though peyote contains mescaline, a hallucinogen that is illegal in many parts of the United States, a 1994 amendment to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act legally permits its use during religious ceremonies.

The rich spiritual history of peyote is now at risk, as overharvesting and poaching threaten the plant’s survival. It takes 10 to 30 years for peyote to mature to the point where it can be harvested. But thanks to agricultural expansion, infrastructure projects, and border construction, its habitat is being threatened. This problem looks to be further compounded by growing calls to decriminalize peyote for medical research and treatment.

Native American groups have taken steps in recent years to protect this sacred plant. Back in 2017, the National Council of Native American churches acquired 605 acres of land in Texas for the purpose of establishing a peyote “spiritual homesite”—a biological preserve, essentially. It is now run by an organization called IPC I, or the Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative.

Others want the plant to be federally protected, fearing external investors will simply exploit it. Scientists argue that growing peyote outside of its natural habitat will help preserve the species, while Native American church members believe spreading the plant outside of its natural habitat would dilute its sacred value.