Trichocereus cold tolerance
Trichocereus cold tolerance
Anyone have experience with keeping Trichocereus hybrids outdoors in cold weather? I have heard anywhere from 10F to 40F as recommended lowest temps. Don't know what to believe. I have been bringing mine in when it gets below 33F, but some of them still have strange constrictions which show up later when growth begins again. My brother thinks it's from cold damage to the tips.
Do true Tricho species have better cold tolerance than Tricho hybrids?
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Do true Tricho species have better cold tolerance than Tricho hybrids?
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I don't personally have experience, but:
Trichocereus terscheckii is quite cold hardy. They normally grow here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area fine until a winter like the one we just had, which was extremely unusual. Most of the ones I know that people planted here were killed after this winter, probably do more to the prolonged cold then the actual temperature. But, I do know of 1 large survivor that just had a blanket on it - I believe. I think it is about 4ft +/- This winter the DFW area got around 10f and stayed under 32f for over 100 hours. Quite unusual, but bad for plants that normally are ok.
EDIT: I just realized you said hybrids, sorry. Hopefully this was helpful anyways.
Trichocereus terscheckii is quite cold hardy. They normally grow here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area fine until a winter like the one we just had, which was extremely unusual. Most of the ones I know that people planted here were killed after this winter, probably do more to the prolonged cold then the actual temperature. But, I do know of 1 large survivor that just had a blanket on it - I believe. I think it is about 4ft +/- This winter the DFW area got around 10f and stayed under 32f for over 100 hours. Quite unusual, but bad for plants that normally are ok.
EDIT: I just realized you said hybrids, sorry. Hopefully this was helpful anyways.
John In Fort Worth, Texas
"Where the West begins"
"Where the West begins"
I have a T. grandiflorus hybrid I planted in ground this spring. Ill let you know how it fairs this winter. There's a local nursery here with a lot of pachanois that survived the abnormal winter here and a huge neobuxbamia. I was actually in California for the worst of the cold and left about 10 pereskiopsis grafting stocks outside and was surprised to see one had survived.
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--Aldous Huxley
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it depends
It really depends on the parents, since they're hybrids you don't know. Some trichs, like pachanoi or tershekii are quite hardy, others get burned by frost fairly easily.
That said, I have a red hybrid in the ground that's seen the mid 20's with no problem, and T. lobovoides in pots got full frost last winter with no damage (T. peruvianus and T. bridgesii suffered tip damage). My winters are quite wet, which is harder than dry cold.
They only way to know is to try, unless you know the name of a specific hybrid and someone else here has experience with it.
That said, I have a red hybrid in the ground that's seen the mid 20's with no problem, and T. lobovoides in pots got full frost last winter with no damage (T. peruvianus and T. bridgesii suffered tip damage). My winters are quite wet, which is harder than dry cold.
They only way to know is to try, unless you know the name of a specific hybrid and someone else here has experience with it.
Depends on which hybrids you have.
I have many planted out and many in pots also, and years of winters under their belts.
Outside, unprotected:
T. atacamensis pasacana (about 12F for last six winters, snow loads, now 30-inches tall)
T. terscheckii (microclimate, probably saw 15F each of last two winters)
T. huascha x schickendantzii hybrids (variable, some succumb, some slight damage, some no damage)
T. formosa (no problem whatsoever, all hardy as a rock so far to 9F)
T. bruchii - variable, one has survived and grown quite large with only slight damage from last years record cold winter.
T. bruchii x thelogonus - no damage so far down to 12F
I have many planted out and many in pots also, and years of winters under their belts.
Outside, unprotected:
T. atacamensis pasacana (about 12F for last six winters, snow loads, now 30-inches tall)
T. terscheckii (microclimate, probably saw 15F each of last two winters)
T. huascha x schickendantzii hybrids (variable, some succumb, some slight damage, some no damage)
T. formosa (no problem whatsoever, all hardy as a rock so far to 9F)
T. bruchii - variable, one has survived and grown quite large with only slight damage from last years record cold winter.
T. bruchii x thelogonus - no damage so far down to 12F
some photo documentary -
T. pasacana winter 2010. Not a scratch.
Here’s another T. pasacana in a microclimate near my steps.
T. huascha x schickendantzii hybrid, winter 2009. 10F lows.
Same plant spring 2010.
more photos here
http://naturefoto.org/showgallery.php?cat=566&ppuser=89
T. pasacana winter 2010. Not a scratch.
Here’s another T. pasacana in a microclimate near my steps.
T. huascha x schickendantzii hybrid, winter 2009. 10F lows.
Same plant spring 2010.
more photos here
http://naturefoto.org/showgallery.php?cat=566&ppuser=89
- Peterthecactusguy
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- Location: Black Canyon City, Arizona
I have T. 'Flying Saucers' too - and it is sensitive to cold at about 20F, so DON'T let it stay outside.
The SPECTACULAR flowers are worth hauling into the greenhouse (actually mine is unheated so technically is a large cold frame), then back out.
And, no, I don't keep them dry - just let the weather hit them, whatever it is.
This year I am leaving my T. tarijensis forms outside in their large pots. It would be GREAT if someone could let me know if this is a BAD idea before we dip into the low teens.
The SPECTACULAR flowers are worth hauling into the greenhouse (actually mine is unheated so technically is a large cold frame), then back out.
And, no, I don't keep them dry - just let the weather hit them, whatever it is.
This year I am leaving my T. tarijensis forms outside in their large pots. It would be GREAT if someone could let me know if this is a BAD idea before we dip into the low teens.
So if you hauled them into the greenhouse, would you water them through winter? Since they seem to do okay in the rain/snow apparently they're not a cactus that has a root rot problem in cold weather?MJPapay wrote:I have T. 'Flying Saucers' too - and it is sensitive to cold at about 20F, so DON'T let it stay outside.
The SPECTACULAR flowers are worth hauling into the greenhouse (actually mine is unheated so technically is a large cold frame), then back out.
And, no, I don't keep them dry - just let the weather hit them, whatever it is.
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