Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

BennieAnTheJets · Post by **BennieAnTheJets** » Sun Sep 19, 2021 9:14 pm

My house is full. I live in Virgina, U.S.A. (zone 7, I think - it's in my signature block which I can't see while typing) and we go down to 5 F sometimes, mostly down to 20F at night and up to 50s F or so during the day in winter, summer 90 F during the day and 70s at night.

Was thinking I could grow some Opuntia and Cholla species outside but how do I know which ones would make it? I think some do and some may not?

Is there a data base where one could look up one's plant to see if it would be ok outside / cold hardy (and to what zone)?

Thanks for any help!

Post by **Steve Johnson** » Sun Sep 19, 2021 11:22 pm

Go to Llifle:

http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... e/Opuntia/

Each species page listed there gives you the frost hardiness info in the section on cultivation, so you'll need to do some research. If you want to look into Chollas, I believe that'll be Cylindropuntia.

Although the frost hardiness numbers should be accurate, you might want to take the rest of Llifle's comments on cultivation with a grain of salt.

BennieAnTheJets · Post by **BennieAnTheJets** » Sun Sep 19, 2021 11:50 pm

Thanks for the link, Steve!

If anyone has another source, please don't be shy.

This one does mention min. acceptable temperature for the species but not for all of them. Sometimes the cultivation sections just talks about something else.

I am so spoiled with the internet: half expecting everything I need to know to be available in table form and within seconds. I guess there is not that (!) much interest in cacti in the world of people. Hard for me to understand.

samhain · Post by **samhain** » Mon Sep 20, 2021 12:13 am

Can get a good idea here too
https://coldhardycactus.com/

Various engelmannii, polyacantha and basilaris have been the toughest opuntias for me, though basilaris are very sensitive to watering.

Cylindropuntia ramosissima, bigelovii, fulgida and imbricata all do well

phil_SK · Post by **phil_SK** » Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:32 am

Also https://www.bennyskaktus.dk/Hardy_UK.htm

BennieAnTheJets · Post by **BennieAnTheJets** » Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:07 am

Very helpful! Thank you so much!

Steve-0 · Post by **Steve-0** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:30 pm

Here's two Opuntia that will grow outdoors in Virginia. Opuntia stricta and O. humifusa.

How do I know?

Bonap!

http://bonap.net/Napa/TaxonMaps/Genus/State/Opuntia

Steve-0 · Post by **Steve-0** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 4:32 pm

Glad to see we're back up and running, too. Bonap is a fantastic resource.
Happy New Year!

samhain · Post by **samhain** » Sat Jan 01, 2022 3:40 pm

Nice to see the site back. I guess Bonap is showing natural habitat? showing the whole state isn’t real helpful for cold hardiness, ex: littoralis I don’t expect to have a chance at my local.

Andrzej1972 · Post by **Andrzej1972** » Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:50 pm

I have opuntias and few of kind Echinocereus in Poland all year free in the garden. Never soil was really dry, frost min - 25 C. Just windows cover on winter for echinocereus, but I m not surre was nesesery.

RAYWOODBRIDGE · Post by **RAYWOODBRIDGE** » Fri Jan 21, 2022 10:48 pm

There is a full list on this web site under Outdoor Cacti top thread cold hardy list.
Hope this helps

mikethecactusguy · Post by **mikethecactusguy** » Sat Jan 22, 2022 2:21 pm

Thanks Steve-O
I never knew about Bonap. What a link.
Mike M

Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?

Re: Which Opuntia are cold hardy and how do you know?