The "cold"

[ElieEstephane]

I usually take my cacti and succulents inside during the winter without a second thought. It's a very labor intensive work and the plants take up a whole room that's not very cold. This year im thinking i don't have to do it. I was thinking that our definition of cold is different than Europe so i checked our monthly average temperatures and here they are.

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I don't think that't too cold at all for cacti! Im thinking i'll bring in only the brazilians (gymnos, notocacti and pilosocerei), echeverias, myrtillocactus, hylocereus, African succulents and seedlings.
What stays outside: barrels, cephalocereus, oreocereus, pachycereus, stenocereus, opuntiads, espostoa, mammilaria, echinopsis, cereus, polaskia, coryphantha, some aloes, neoraimondia, astrophytym..

Are the divisions right? Should anything be moved from one category to the other?

Thank you!

[stefan m.]

You live in Lebanon. Unless theres an unusually cold day(or you live on high altitude, for all intents an purposes , you have the same geographical height as arizona, and to top it all off , you are exposed to the mediteraneean and have a desert climate overall. So most cacti and succulents SHOULD be in their natural habitat conditions. Also knowing pilosocereus, lyn of desert gardens of avalon labeled them as "hardy".

[ElieEstephane]

Actually it's not a desert climate at all. We are the only country in the area with a temperate weather and an abubdance of precipitation and natural springs. Altitude of my winter house is around 150 meters.
Im guessing most plants stay out this year

[stefan m.]

Do you get -40 frost ? That would be "temperate" nowadays .

[kuni1234567]

I live in Southern California near the ocean and have very similar weather conditions as Lebanon. I do not bring any cactus inside during the winter months. I should probably cover the cactus due to the winter rainy season, but grow cactus that are sensitive to winter rain under a covered patio.

[ElieEstephane]

I live in Southern California near the ocean and have very similar weather conditions as Lebanon. I do not bring any cactus inside during the winter months. I should probably cover the cactus due to the winter rainy season, but grow cactus that are sensitive to winter rain under a covered patio.

That's exactly what im asking thank you!

[esp_imaging]

I've just brought most of my plants indoors today, as frost is expected overnight. I think lots of plants can cope well with the cold.

From your list, I'd expect most Echeverias to be hardy (or even very hardy), so I'd not rush to bring them inside.
Similarly most S. African succulents should be happy with your winter temps ( and a lot of them will like the winter rain, too). Obviously more tropical species may need to be indoors. Many Notocactus and Gymnos will be OK with your temps too.

The only possible expection in the opposite direction from my personal experience would be Neoraimondia herzogiana, it seems to be pretty tender, I killed a couple on cool but frost free windowsills indoors a couple of winters ago.

[kuni1234567]

I am growing some cactus that should not have winter rain and should move them under the covered patio. I do not like to move plants unless the weather is unusually cold or if it rains more than normal. I used to have a small heater greenhouse for tropical succulents and do not grow them anymore.

[ElieEstephane]

I've just brought most of my plants indoors today, as frost is expected overnight. I think lots of plants can cope well with the cold.

From your list, I'd expect most Echeverias to be hardy (or even very hardy), so I'd not rush to bring them inside.
Similarly most S. African succulents should be happy with your winter temps ( and a lot of them will like the winter rain, too). Obviously more tropical species may need to be indoors. Many Notocactus and Gymnos will be OK with your temps too.

The only possible expection in the opposite direction from my personal experience would be Neoraimondia herzogiana, it seems to be pretty tender, I killed a couple on cool but frost free windowsills indoors a couple of winters ago.

Seems i underestimated them! That was very helpful thanks!
It's a shame though about Neoraimondia. It was one of the columnars i was planning to plant outside in the garden.

[stefan m.]

Ive had issues with neoraimondias as well. Sunburn and root rot are among them.
Ill try to grow them from seed next spring.

[jfabiao]

Notocacti are safe outside under that kind of weather, mine have not seen the luxury of a greenhouse for years (and Lisbon has a very mild mediterranean climate as well). A good number of them come from climates that get a fair amount of rain throughout the year.

[ElieEstephane]

Notocacti are safe outside under that kind of weather, mine have not seen the luxury of a greenhouse for years (and Lisbon has a very mild mediterranean climate as well). A good number of them come from climates that get a fair amount of rain throughout the year.

I'm glad and reassured to hear from someone with a similar climate. Thanks jfabio.