Content
- Which cacti are hardy? - Tips on varieties and wintering
- These cacti survive frosty temperatures - a selection
- Tips for hibernation
- Tips
Prickly pears are good for winter hardiness
Which cacti are hardy? - Tips on varieties and wintering
If the winter cactus puts on a snow cap, are surprised looks over the garden fence preprogrammed. The question arises as to whether Mother Nature actually has frost-resistant cacti in her portfolio. Get to know hardy cactus species and varieties here with tips for hibernation in the open air.
These cacti survive frosty temperatures - a selection
In order to discover frost-resistant cacti, we focus on areas of distribution with comparable weather conditions in winter. In South America, these are mainly the Andes. Winter hardy cacti have also settled in the North American mountains as well as in Canada. The focus is on the following 3 cactus species and their species:
Opuntia (prickly pear)
Echinocereus (hedgehog cactus)
Escorbaria (ball cactus)
If you are on the lookout for frost-resistant rarities, the genus Gymnocalycium (Cactus Cactus) is the center of attention. Among the more than 50 species are about 7 to 10 winter hardy jewelry. With a height of 10 to 20 cm, bizarrely shaped, tattered ribs, inspire these cacti in May and June with a beautiful, yellow blossom. In winter, up to - 32 degrees Celsius are tolerated.
Tips for hibernation
In the Central European wilderness, winter endurance is the biggest problem for your prickly survivors. If the location is not under a canopy, solve the problem with a superstructure as a rain shelter. Translucent greenhouse film or Plexiglas panes keep snow and rain away. Two open sides ensure the vital air circulation.
As part of the preparation for the hardships of winter, please reduce the water supply from August and complete it from September onwards. The free-range cactus will no longer receive fertilizer from August. When the plants start to crumble over the winter, this process is part of the ingenious survival strategy of hardy cacti.
Tips
The ideal location for hardy cacti is sunny, lean and sandy-gritty. In the planting plan for your rock garden or the pebble bed, the exotics can be wonderfully integrated. Where the soil does not meet the requirements, mix in the course of planting inorganic materials, such as fine-grained grit, quartz sand or expanded clay.