winter cactus protection

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:16 am

PERFECT! I'll send you a PM.

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 1:09 pm

that chlorotica is awesome !!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:17 pm

DesertZone wrote: No... its not hardy where I live. This is a plant in Twin-Falls Idaho zone 6a. This plant is coverd every year and so is the barrel. They will live uncovered for a year or 2 around here. Mine do good until about 5F Tim it my have a good chance in your zone if kept very dry.

Hi Aaron,

Dry in my area? LOL.........it gets dry for a few hours between the rain storms! I get mushrooms and moss growing in the hottest, south facing cactus bed which is pure sand/gravel.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 11:35 pm

Tim....I have a few seeds if you would like to try some.

damir · Post by **damir** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:44 pm

it would be great to have opuntia like that one in my climate. that size. even my fragilis would never be big like that one,still it's ok. also humifusa and other opuntias i have. they are hardy but cant grow high, more to the ground. last year i left 2 opuntia ficus indica outdoor during the winter, but didnt make it. too cold for that one. others "cold hardy" not a problem. opuntia macrocentra should be bigger and grow up, but it is sensitive to wet winter. who has dry winters should try with this one. at my place bigger problem is rain/snow/freeze/low temps/rain etc.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Jan 26, 2011 5:35 pm

damir,
Have you ever tried O. engelmannii. They are can be very cold hardy if from higher places. They don't make it through my winters, but
in zone 6-7 should be good?

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:44 pm

To continue this thread, here is that same patch of Opuntia humifusa (Onatario native form?) after the winter. It's been cool to see all of the variations of O. humifusa and other cacti in this thread. Most of the pads have started to straighten up again, and this spring I've already removed around 12 to sell. Don't mind the weedy/dirty cacti bed

:

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue May 01, 2012 7:21 am

Cam- If you ever want to try some different cacti just let me know!

I think I will leave a cutting from my chlorotica out this winter. I want one that looks awesome like Aarons! Aaron, btw if you ever do get seeds again, or seedlings from that plant please let me know!

I guess this info is good here. I tried some larger/more southerly cacti this winter... Not much to report. I lost O. macrocentra (syn. violaceae) which had survived a previous winter. I had an Opuntia humifusa var. ammophila mostly (but not completely) killed... This is the southern upright form of the species. I also lost another form of Opuntia basilaris. Still looking for a true var. basilars that has those awesome white pads and is hardy. No luck yet (but any other var. seems fine).

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:30 am

The tallest 'erect' type of cactus which I've come across which is long term hardy is this baby. If it forms seeds I'll save them for anyone who wants them.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 0633-2.jpg>

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat Jun 02, 2012 4:14 pm

Paul Ont wrote:Cam- If you ever want to try some different cacti just let me know!

I think I will leave a cutting from my chlorotica out this winter. I want one that looks awesome like Aarons! Aaron, btw if you ever do get seeds again, or seedlings from that plant please let me know!

I guess this info is good here. I tried some larger/more southerly cacti this winter... Not much to report. I lost O. macrocentra (syn. violaceae) which had survived a previous winter. I had an Opuntia humifusa var. ammophila mostly (but not completely) killed... This is the southern upright form of the species. I also lost another form of Opuntia basilaris. Still looking for a true var. basilars that has those awesome white pads and is hardy. No luck yet (but any other var. seems fine).

I lost all my O. macrocentra, but I have hybrids from thier seeds and this will be thier first year in bloom.

You ca have some of the seed paul if you want?

marceli · Post by **marceli** » Sat Sep 29, 2012 11:28 am

This was my winter protection for cacti. You can call it tipi

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Sep 30, 2012 12:23 pm

Thats how I protect my stuff, works good.