Trichocereus cold tolerance

RichR · Post by **RichR** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:44 am

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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John C · Post by **John C** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:52 am

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.

RichR · Post by **RichR** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:41 am

Good to know, John. I think maybe it was tersheckii that I heard was good down to 10F. Considerably more hardy than the hybrids, I would think.

Post by **daiv** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:43 am

Sorry Rich, no experience here. Since it is way to cold in winter for me, I just bring everything in before it gets a chance to freeze.

m4rkz0r · Post by **m4rkz0r** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 7:57 pm

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.

promethean_spark · Post by **promethean_spark** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 3:17 am

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.

RichR · Post by **RichR** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:43 pm

OK, thanks for the info. I'll probably just leave them in pots and bring them in.

MJPapay · Post by **MJPapay** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:35 pm

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

MJPapay · Post by **MJPapay** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:44 pm

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

RichR · Post by **RichR** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:03 am

That's amazing. Had no idea any of them would take that kind of cold. My hybrids are Flying Saucer, First Light, Cherry Red, and Scream.

So you're not keeping them dry, are you?

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:01 am

BTW MJ it still amazes me to see your plants under snow!

I have lost very few plants with no snow,(yet) however last winter we were very cold right around now.

(16F is record cold for AZ)

MJPapay · Post by **MJPapay** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:42 pm

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.

John C · Post by **John C** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:39 am

Nice plants! Every time I see your Tricho's it really inspires me to try some here!

RichR · Post by **RichR** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:26 pm

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.

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?

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:14 am

Heres a few from St David AZ after the 2011 winter 0.F or colder
The pics was from early June I think.

Trichocereus cold tolerance

Trichocereus cold tolerance

it depends