The hardiest cactus

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Dave Brown
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Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by Dave Brown »

Here is the pic of the Opuntia humifusa seedlings frozen in the tray. Would seem ideal candidates for cold wet winter areas.
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Dave
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col

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by col »

DavidF wrote:Sorry Col, I've totally hijacked your thread :oops: Dave, if you want me to move this to a seperate thread on how to kill spikies I don't mind.......
:lol: Thats ok :lol: - it'd just about run its course anyway as my question has been well answered - Optunia it is, then! Thanks to all who offered their kind advice :D

cp;
Alexander

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by Alexander »

Opuntia fragilis and O. polyacantha have to deal with minus 40 in Canada. I have a O. polyacantha from the badlands of Medicin Hat, Alberta. At one day they had a maximum temperature of minus 30 there...

Alexander
ChrisG

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by ChrisG »

Alexander wrote:Opuntia fragilis and O. polyacantha have to deal with minus 40 in Canada. I have a O. polyacantha from the badlands of Medicin Hat, Alberta. At one day they had a maximum temperature of minus 30 there...
Alexander
Hardy to -30 :shock: One even DavidF could grow
Alexander

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by Alexander »

The sort of cacti you could grow in Siberia... Well there is a PDF list on www.kakteengarten.de

Alexander
DavidF

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by DavidF »

Hardy to -30 One even DavidF could grow
Hmmmm, I have a couple of so called winter hardy Opuntias in the greenhouse but can't remember their names at the moment. I'll have a look later. When I was in there the other day they looked fine, perhaps a little shrivelled so I may give them a little bit of water although I'm forecast -3 every night next week so maybe not a good idea :evil:
DavidF

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by DavidF »

I've just checked and I have:

O. compressa Monmouth County
O. imbricata
O. microdisca
O. rutila and
O. polyacantha icon_cheers

So they can go outside in Spring/summer.

Oh and with a bit of sunshine my greenhouse has hit the dizzying heights of 9C today icon_cheers :?
eslok

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by eslok »

HI guys im new to tropical plants ive been buying plants all last year i still have to start going my garden yet so ive kept the plants in pots and one of the cactus i have is a PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS (Opuntia rufida) it been in a clay pot outside and we have had it all so far and it still looks good i no im new to this and would like to thank you guys for your posts as i have found them helpfull. thanks eslok
grub

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by grub »

Hi Eslok and welcome aboard icon_cheers plenty of info on all aspects to be found here so you've come to the right place icon_thumright
MarkD

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by MarkD »

Welcome to the forum Eslok icon_thumleft Feel free to post and ask questions, members here are helpful :)
lee-ann

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by lee-ann »

Hi ESLOK
col

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by col »

I had a bit of free time this morning whilst on my travels and spotted a garden centre and so went in for a wander around. They had stacks of different cacti there all nicely fully labelled-up - except for their Optunias, which were just described as 'Optunia' :x I bought one though - for £1.75!

Could some kind soul out there ID my Optunia? :
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Regards..............
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bodster
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Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by bodster »

opuntia cycloides has survived unprotected through the winter in my garden
DavidF

Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by DavidF »

Can't help you there Col, there are so many Opuntia species and (for fear of stating the obvious) a lot are very hard to differentiate.

I bought some hardy cacti, including Opuntias from a reputable grower and one of them turned up with a label that just said "Opuntia species". When I emailed the grower to see if he could shed any light on it he mailed me back and said he didn't know, and he'd grown them from seed himself :lol: .
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Dave Brown
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Re: The hardiest cactus

Post by Dave Brown »

I have been told this is Opuntia Santa Rita with a purple hue. This is reputed to be hardy to -18C so good for most of the UK. This has been out in the cold and wet. Even 2 pads which I broke off back in the autumn are just laying there in perfect condition.
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Dave
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