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Last update
28th of Nov 2000
 
 
 
 
 

Cactus and other succulent species that are cold and moisture tolerant:

Cacti

Opuntia basilaris (Beavertail Cactus)

- average resistance to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- a picture
- Desert USA description
- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia compressa

- resistant to moisture and rain
- very good cold resistance (at least -34C, -30F)
- easy to grow, one of the best opuntias to grow in north, tolerates light shade
- a picture

Opuntia cyclodes

- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia cymochila

- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia erinacea (Grizzly Bear Prickly Pear)

- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- poor resistance to moisture and rain
- var. columbiana is the northest species
- a picture

Opuntia fragilis (Fragile Prickly Pear)

- average moisture resistance but rain is not a problem
- very good cold resistance (-34C, -30F), rumours about -60C, -75F
- light shade preferred
- var. fragilis grows in the most southern parts of Canada and even reports of growing in British Columbia near the Arctic Circle!
- description in Northern Prairie Wildlife RC

Opuntia gilvescens

- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear)

- very good cold resistance (at least -34C, -30F)
- resistant to moisture and rain
- tolerates light shade
- a picture
- and another picture

Opuntia humifusa var. humifusa

- grows near the border of Canada and USA

Opuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla, Devils Rope)

- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- good moisture and rain resistance
- EPBIONET description
- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia mackensii

Opuntia macrocentra (v. nova)

- available from SuccSeeds
- sensitive to moisture and rain
- reports of surviving from -40C, -45F
- a picture of O. macrocentra

Opuntia macrorhiza (Plains Prickly Pear)

- resistant to moisture and rain
- very good cold resistance (-34C, -30F)
- easy to grow
- grows up to the border of Canada
- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia macrorhiza x phaeacantha

- resistant to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)

Opuntia phaeacantha (Fire Prickly Pear)

- resistant to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- easy to grow
- EPBIONET description
- a picture
- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia phaeacantha var. camanchica

- resistant to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)

Opuntia phaeacantha var. major

- resistant to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia polyacantha (Hair-Spine/Plains Prickly Pear)

- average resistance to moisture and rain
- very good cold resistance (-34C, -30F)
- grows up to the border of Canada and USA
- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia polyacantha v. hystricina

- available from SuccSeeds
- var. polyacantha

Opuntia polyacantha v. polyacanta

- grows also in Canada

Opuntia polyacantha x. fragilis

- very good resistance to moisture and rain
- very good cold resistance (-34C, -30F)
- grows in Canada
- this species is a miracle, a real survivor, must be one of the most hardy cacti (correct me if I am wrong)

Opuntia pulchella

- good cold resistance (at least -30C, -20F)
- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia sandiana

- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia sanguinicula

- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia tardospina

- available from SuccSeeds

Opuntia whipplei (Whipple Cholla)

- average resistance to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-26C, -15F)
- available from SuccSeeds

Escobaria missouriensis (var. missouriensis)

- same as Mammillaria missouriensis, Coryphantha missouriensis
- one of the most hardy cacti
- grows up to the border of Canada
- survives even in Scandinavia, Northern Europe
- a picture
- available from SuccSeeds

Escobaria vivipara (var. vivipara)

- same as Mammillaria vivipara, Coryphantha vivipara
- very good cold resistance
- grows in Alberta, Canada
- a picture
- another picture
- available from SuccSeeds

Echinocereus coccineus

- available from SuccSeeds
- not so good picture

Echinocereus melenacanthus

- very good cold resistance

Echinocereus reichenbachii v. perbellus

- available from SuccSeeds

Echinocereus triglochidiatus and var

- very good cold and average moisture resistance (reports of -34C, -30F)
- available from SuccSeeds

Echinocereus viridiflorus

- good cold resistance (at least -25C, -13F)
- resistant to moisture and rain
- available from SuccSeeds

Pediocactus nigrispinus

- good cold resistance (at least -30C, -20F)

Pediocactus simpsonii

- good cold resistance
- average resitance to moisture and rain
- available from SuccSeeds

Pediocactus simpsonii var. minor

- good cold resistance

Pediocactus simpsonii var. robustior

- good cold resistance

Pediocactus simpsonii var. simpsonii

- good cold resistance

Pediocactus spp.

- average moisture resistance
- good cold resistance

Sclerocactus spp.

- average moisture resistance
- good cold resistance

Other cold hardy succulents

Agave havardiana

- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F)
- available from SuccSeeds

Agave lechuguilla

- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F)
- available from SuccSeeds
- EPBIONET description
- a picture

Agave parryi

- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F), maybe even -30C, -20F
- better resistance to rain than most Agaves

Agave tomeyana

- average cold resistance (-15C, 5F)

Agave utahensis

- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F), maybe even -29C, -20F
- available from SuccSeeds
- a picture

Agave utahensis var. nevadensis

- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F)
- available from SuccSeeds

Yucca filamentosa Adam's Needle Yucca

- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- easy to grow, tolerates light shade
- a picture of a 'Bright Edge'
- available from SuccSeeds

Yucca glauca

- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- a picture
- grows in southern Alberta, Canada. It also grows well in Middle Europe.
- available from SuccSeeds