Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Discuss hardy cacti grown outside all year.
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CactusBoss
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Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by CactusBoss »

I have Opuntia humifusa, Opuntia polyacantha, and Escobaria vivipara. what other cacti can I grow out here in zone 5a that can tolerate snow coverage and moisture?
Sorry for all these topics but I have had a lot of questions lately.
Daniel (age 25)

Zone 5a
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gemhunter178
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by gemhunter178 »

It's said on M2G that Echinocereus viridiflorus ssp. viridiflorus is hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Some other Echinocerei might be able to live outside in 5a as well.
Don't forget about the Pediocacti! :D
A cactus and succulent collector who especially likes Ariocarpus. …Though I have a bit of everything! Want some pictures? See my flickr! I also do art and such.
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CactusBoss
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by CactusBoss »

Do any of those require winter coverage?
Daniel (age 25)

Zone 5a
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gemhunter178
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by gemhunter178 »

Not that I know of.....I've seen a quite a few pictures of them just buried in the snow. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
A cactus and succulent collector who especially likes Ariocarpus. …Though I have a bit of everything! Want some pictures? See my flickr! I also do art and such.
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CactusBoss
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by CactusBoss »

gemhunter178 wrote:Not that I know of.....I've seen a quite a few pictures of them just buried in the snow. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
I see different information depending on he source so I don't know.
Daniel (age 25)

Zone 5a
JimHSoars
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Location: Tulsa, USA Zone 7a

Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by JimHSoars »

gemhunter178 wrote:It's said on M2G that Echinocereus viridiflorus ssp. viridiflorus is hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Some other Echinocerei might be able to live outside in 5a as well.
Don't forget about the Pediocacti! :D
What the heck is M2G?

Thanks,
- Jim
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gemhunter178
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by gemhunter178 »

Miles' to Go- it's an online/catalog cactus and succulent nursery.
A cactus and succulent collector who especially likes Ariocarpus. …Though I have a bit of everything! Want some pictures? See my flickr! I also do art and such.
gan4734
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by gan4734 »

New here, but not to cactus. I live in Oklahoma. As far as zone 5a you might try looking at bonap (biotics of North America plants) and get an idea. That's what I did. Other species: I've found Escobaria missouriensis in Montana. Echinocereus triglochidiatus in Colorado. Cylindopuntia imbricata, leptocaulis, davisii, kleiniae are hardy around here, maybe 5a with protection. Likewise Echinocereus reichenbachii subspecies like perbellus. Coryphantha sulcata might be hardy with protection. Hope I helped. Keep us posted with any others you might find.
roddimmitt
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by roddimmitt »

Check out John Weiser's list of cold hardy cactus, that is on the Outdoor Cacti forum list. He is in Reno/Sparks, where we get about 24" of snow per year on the average. Last Winter we had lows that just dipped below zero! He also has a link to his flicker account that has photos of his garden in Sparks. Pretty spectacular!!
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hoteidoc
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by hoteidoc »

I know this response is real late in season, but have been wrapped up in very long days for the past 6 months. Anyway, super text -- Leo Chances' Cactus & Succulents for Cold Climates! Definitely a "bible" for me. Go to Mesa Garden & look over their seed info -- anything listed /17 or /18 are cold hardy to -10F or lower. Yahoo's "Too Cold for Cactus.." forum/group. Winter's the time for homework and/or seed germination for Spring :wink:
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
jnewmark
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by jnewmark »

I live in Zone 5 also and have discovered that drainage is the main key to keeping cold hardy cacti from rotting. My first attempt at raising Echinocereus cold hardy cactus only lasted a few years before they all rotted, even with a cover of 6 mil plastic. My soil was all wrong, even in a 12" raised bed. The constant thawing, freezing, snow, sleet, and freezing rain was just too much. The only success I had was with Opuntia Humifusa, and Opuntia Polycantha, which grow like crazy. Going to try a larger depth, raised bed this time around, with mostly pea gravel as my drainage, with the sandiest top soil I can find locally.
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hoteidoc
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by hoteidoc »

Jnewmark - you hit the nail on the head! And add heaving -- especially damaging to the several Echinocereus seedling beds I had constructed. Weren't elevated near as much as yours, but were a good 12" deep. Even well-established plants underwent a lot of heaving. Thanks goodess the roots were quite deep & established, but probably 75% exposure after Winter was finally over, with a classic March of "everything" with several stray nights in the upper teens!
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
jnewmark
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by jnewmark »

I'm actually going to try a hardy Agave this time around, with a few of the smaller, compact, Opuntias. I found an online dealer who has a strain of Agave Parryi that is supposedly hardy to Zone 5. Problem is, as with most online dealers, you get tiny plants, and/or cuttings, with just unrooted Opuntia pads. I'm planning on starting the Opuntias in a small, round, dish garden, and the Agaves in pots, but keeping outside in the Winter, protected from the elements as much as I can ( this was suggested to me by the dealer ). Just as well, as I won't have the raised bed done until end of Summer anyway. I'm also wondering if insulating the inner walls with some type of foam board would help any with the constant thaw, freeze we get here ( NW Ohio ), all Winter.
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hoteidoc
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Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by hoteidoc »

I doubt it, but no harm in testing. I, too, have gone to several Agave & Yuccas species -- from seed this (early) Spring. Plan on using them as "protectors" for other cacti. Have also lost most of these "standard" CH's over the past 2 Winters, but a Y. nana did make it. Can only just keep plugging away with different strains. Hope I live long enough just get them figured out!
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
jnewmark
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Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 2:20 pm

Re: Cold hardy cacti for zone 5a?

Post by jnewmark »

Yeah, I think if the plants could just stay snow covered for most of the Winter, they would have a better chance of making it here. But, snow doesn't last, in fact, with the exception of the last two Winters, which were brutal, it almost rains as much as it snows here. I think it's because I live so close to lake Erie, that I'm getting some kind of " lake effect " weather. 50 miles south of me will get 6 inches of snow, while we'll get freezing rain. Some Yuccas do pretty good here, but take a beating in the process. Also, full sunshine days are pretty rare, all year long.
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