Cold Hardy Cacti

Cactus Plants
Echinocereus triglochidiatus 'White Sands Strain' Escobaria leei
Escobaria (Coryphantha) vivipara Echinocactus texensis
Echinocereus reichenbachii v. baileyii Echinocereus viridiflorus
Echinocereus triglochidiatus Escobaria missouriensis
Pediocactus simpsonii v. minor Echinocereus fendleri v. kuenzleri
Escobaria orcutti v. koenigii Coryphantha echinus
Echinocereus caespitosa Echinocereus rigidissimus v. rubispinus
Echinocereus fendleri Gymnocalycium bruchii
Echinocereus rigidissimus Echinocereus reichenbachii v. perbellus
Gymnocalycium gibbosum v. nigrum Echinocereus x lloydii
Epithelantha micromeris Echinocereus x roetteri
Gymnocalycium calochlorum v. proliferum Echinocereus knippelianus v. krugeri
Mamillaria heyderi v. buling Ferocactus hamatacanthus
Echinocereus fendleri rectispina Ferocactus wislizenii
Echinocereus fendleri Bernalillo NM  

Mostly we think of cacti as grocery store items grown in small pots or dish gardens for use as house plants. However, the cold hardy members of this large and diverse plant family have the potential for much broader use. They are very showy in outdoor plantings where their spectacular flowers, fascinating spination and bold evergreen stems add interest and diversity to our plantings.

Types of Cacti:

See all Cacti and Succulents

About Cacti:

Cacti and succulents are revered for their

  • bright, showy flowers
  • geometrically arranged spines
  • handsome architectural foliage

Also, their adaptability to heat, intense sunshine and ability to thrive with little maintenance under dry conditions make them an excellent choice for potted gardens.

Part of the reason that cacti are so popular as houseplants is that cactus container gardens are often the easiest way to grow cacti and succulents. This is especially true in climates where high amounts of rain/snow fall rot the roots of xeric species when planted in the ground or where the climate is too cold in the winter.

How to Grow Cold-Hardy Cacti in the Garden

In the garden cold hardy cacti are not difficult to grow if you keep their basic requirements in mind. First and foremost, cacti require excellent drainage. Secondly, they like alkaline, mineral soils. That is, they need lean soils that have not been amended with lots of sphagnum peat moss or compost. And thirdly, they should be situated to receive full sun, especially during the winter months.

Drainage is critical to the health of a cactus plant’s root system. Planting cacti into water retentive soils like heavy clays and rich loams will result in root rot. Low spots that collect water should also be avoided. Excellent soil drainage is particularly important during the winter, especially in areas that receive frequent rains or snows. I recommend planting in raised or bermed (mounded) beds, especially where the native soils hold water and stay wet.

To create a lean, fast draining soil for these raised beds and berms, mix the native soil with one half coarse sand by volume. Add to this mix the minerals that cacti crave by incorporating Planters II (a natural trace mineral fertilizer) and phosphate at recommended rates. Working larger rocks into the planting area also adds a pleasing landscape element. Well-placed rocks also create pockets of soil that duplicate spots where cacti are found growing in the wild.

Situating the planting area properly is also of critical importance. Locate planting beds in full sun against south and west facing walls, or in hot, dry areas surrounded by cement sidewalks and driveways. When looking for a planting spot, be sure that a garden bed in full summer sun doesn’t find itself in the shade as the sun drops lower in the winter sky.

Transplanting Techniques for Cacti

When it comes time to plant your new cactus, several techniques can be used to improve transplanting success. Most importantly, always plant cacti bare-root. Wait for the soil in the pot to dry out. Then gently loosen the soil in the root ball with your fingers and shake it off. Once the soil is gone trim the roots back by 1/3rd with sharp scissors or pruning shears. Plant into a shallow hole, spreading the roots out evenly. Back fill the hole holding the cactus so the crown (junction of root and stem) in just above the surrounding soil. Settle the soil between the roots by carefully vibrating the plant up and down. Now mulch with crushed (not round) gravel to a depth of 1 to 2 inches depending on the size of the plant. Don’t worry when the gravel covers some of the spines up from the base of the plant. The mulch will settle a bit with time.

I wait a day or two to water in the new transplants. This gives the cut roots time to callus over. At that point I water thoroughly with a root stimulating mixture of seaweed and a dilute high phosphorous fertilizer. When watering cacti, it is better to err on the side of dryness than to overwater, especially in the colder months. However, during the heat of the summer cacti will respond positively to a weekly soaking.

Cactus Plant Maintenance

A well designed planting of cacti and companion plants should make for a low maintenance garden. Apply a single application of a granular fertilizer in late fall or spring. I prefer organic formulations especially those with alfalfa meal. This should be supplemented with a dose of liquid seaweed several times through the summer. With the arrival of fall, watering should be discontinued to allow the cacti to shrivel and harden off for winter.

Fall clean-up is also important. Remove fallen leaves and prune back the stems of neighboring plants that have grown over or around the cacti. This helps to keep the cacti dry during the winter by facilitating maximum sunlight and air circulation around the plants.

Protecting Cacti in the Wild

An important part of installing a garden is purchasing the plants. It has been an unfortunate fact that many gardeners with their infatuation with cacti have purchased plants collected from the wild. Over time, this has decimated the populations of many cactus species in their native habitats. It is of utmost importance to purchase cactus plants form reputable nurseries that propagate the cacti they sell and do not re-sell wild collected plants. Nursery propagated plants will transplant readily with few loses. On the other hand most wild collected cacti struggle and die when removed from their homes.

Another advantage of buying nursery-propagated plants is that quite often the plants come with information concerning their origins. This collection data (where the original seed was found) adds a lot to the horticultural value of that plant. Many species have tremendous variability throughout their range. These differences include variations in stem size, spination, and even flower color. This is of particular interest to gardeners who enjoy building a collection of the various cactus species. Collection data also gives valuable information regarding cold hardiness. Many species exhibit increased cold hardiness within their range, particularly when it is found in more northerly, high elevation locations.

More on propogating cacti and succulents