Cold Hardy Columner Cacti?

[bananaman]

Are there any cold hardy columners?

Here in central Texas, we are borderline zone 8 and 9.
(90% of winters, we don't get below 23 degrees farenheight, and the other 10% gets down no lower than 15)

In the summer, the highs are always over 90, sometimes over 100. The lows are in the 70's to 80's.
In the winter the lows are the temperatures mentioned above, and the highs are in the 30's to 60's. However, once every 2 or 3 years, the highs will be below freezing (no longer than 4 days or so though)
We get an average of 33" of rain a year, 1/4 in winter, 3/4 in summer.

Are there any columners that will survive outside in these conditions?


Thanks!

[CoronaCactus]

The big question is...protected or not protected? There are probably quite a few of the higher elevation species that could handle the cold provided they are dry =protected. There are very few that would survive unprotected. Saguaro comes to mind, but a large one costs too much to get it to Texas and a small one will grow as fast as molasas going uphill in January i could be very wrong, as i have no idea what cold really is anymore...

Chollas are kinda like columnars, just a little more shrubby

[bananaman]

I would be able to protect from the wet, but not the cold, so I'll look into the possibility of getting one of the high altitude ones/

[tumamoc]

I think saguaros might be doable with cold but dry winters provided you take the necessary precautions. I had to dig into daiv's vault for this one:

http://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 0&p=137755

[Gnostic]

Echinopsis terscheckii is said to do well with lower temps and can grow to a massive size.

[hoteidoc]

San Pedro's were good to 24f on my glassed-in porch. Soil would have to be very well-drained & probably some wind protection. Still iffy in my mind.

[Peterthecactusguy]

be careful if you plant a saguaro. They DO not like it really cold and really wet. There is a big die off this summer after the winter two years ago. I lost one of mine, and another looks suspect...
Below freezing is a bad thing for a saguaro during the day time, so if that happened 4 days in a row it would likely kill it. you need to look at your every 2-3 years really bad lows, because those lows will be what kills anything you plant if it can't take the cold, and esp if it is cold and wet during those lows.

[John C]

As other have said, Saguaros will survive those temperatures, but they can't take the moisture. That is the real issue.

T. terscheckii would be a good choice. With good drainage they do pretty well here in Fort Worth. I know of some saguaros that have survived the winters, but normally they get too wet. Some other S. American varieties may be hardy, such as what MJPapay has posted. I don't have experience with many of those, but they seem to do very well for him.

[bananaman]

Thanks a ton!

[bananaman]

I just found a list by the Austin Cactus and Succulent Society of cold-hardy cacti.
I see four different columners on it. You can find it here: http://austincss.com/Cold%20Hardy%20Cac ... 003-11.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This may be helpful for anyone looking for good outdoor cacti.

[hoteidoc]

Bananaman - Thanks for the post! Contains virtually all I've search out over the past 6 months of possibilities in Zone 6b & all the temps seems to match up too. Plans for "Horse Crippler" have progress to seedling stage & are doing great! Word of experience -- & Arizona growers will probably confirm - E. grusonii is good to upper teens, but is definitely prone to frost. My big potted one got (minor) nipped @ 34! but OK @ mid-20's (wasn't paying attention to frost-warning, didn't think that critical @ that temp1 . Probably applies to many others, too. Will continue to "push the envelope"
Peter

[MJPapay]

If you have seen tall specimens of Trichocereus formosa, with big fat arms to boot, you will be bowled-over.
Mesa Garden has one DJF176 that shows every sign of being such a wondrous beast.
In only a few years I have one 18-inches tall or so, and 9-inches wide.
Get them while they last!


All the way up here near Raleigh, NC I grow the following columnars outside:
Trichocereus formosa
Trichocereus pasacana
Trichocereus terscheckii

If I were down your way I would grow (try):
Neobuxbaumia polylopha
N. tetezo
Myrtillocactus geometricans
Pachycereus marginatus
Trichocereus tacaquirensis
Trichocereus tarijensis

and probably many more.

[bananaman]

Thanks a lot!

You are welcome hoteidoc!

I may get some seeds or plants of T. fromosa now...

I'll definately try at least those species in the pdf, and probably the ones in MJPapay's post.

Thanks again!

[bananaman]

Whoa!
I was reading through some old threads, and on this one it says that Cleisocactus strausii can take down to -10 celcius (around 14 farenheight) with the stem tips protected.

I thought it was a lot less cold hardy than this.
Is this true?
If it is, then I could put mine outside.

Thanks!

[Kurt]

I have several Trichocereus candicans in an unheated greenhouse with no door that have survived down to 0F but if you put them in the ground (i.e. they get wet), they lose their hardiness and are mush by Christmas.