Yopo

More about Yopo

The black beans of this tree are roasted, ground and mixed with ashes and lime to prepare Yopo, a snuff used by Indians in the Orinoco basin in Colombia, Venezuela and possibly in the Amazon region in Brazil.
The snuff mixture is blown into the nostrils using bamboo straws or bird bones for a very powerful spiritual experience. The Yopo tree grows in open plains. The trunk, leaves and seeds contain the psychedelic substances bufotenine, DMT and in smaller quantities 5-MeO-DMT. These powerful substances cause a trip with powerful visual effects. The seeds are first heated, made into tea, snorted or chewed. The Yopo tree is native to South America and has been used for centuries by indigenous people there.

Preparation
One way to prepare the seeds is to cook them in a frying pan over medium heat until they 'pop'. They should not burn and are ready when they can be easily removed from their husk. Grind the seeds to a powder.

Cultivation
The seeds can also be planted, so that you get your own Yopo tree! To do this, imitate nature: the seeds fall to the ground and attach themselves to the soil with their roots. So put the seeds on well-draining soil. Yopo is prone to rotting, so watch out for too much moisture.

Scientific name

Anadenanthera Peregrina