Outdoor cacti must be hardy
In order to enrich the garden design with distinctive cacti, a few selected species come into consideration. The following overview presents recommended cacti that prove their stamina all year round outdoors:
- Prickly pear cacti (Opuntia), mainly the disc-shaped Opuntia phaeacantha and the columnar Cylindropuntia imbricata
- Hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus), in particular E. baileyi, E. caespitosus, E. coccineus, E. inermis
- Ball cacti (Escobaria), especially E. missouriensis, E. vivipara, E. orcuttii, E. sneedii
also read
- These succulents are suitable for outdoors - a selection of beautiful species
- These cacti are suitable as indoor plants - a selection
- Which cacti are hardy? - Tips on varieties and wintering
These cacti can withstand severe frosts down to -25 degrees Celsius. A sunny location with sandy-loamy or sandy-gravelly soil is an important premise for the undamaged wintering. Turn off the water supply in September / October and do not apply any more fertilizer. The plants then reduce their water supplies and increase the salt content in the cell water to protect themselves from frost.
These cacti rely on rain protection outside
The following cacti lose their winter hardiness outdoors if they are exposed to rain and snow without protection:
- Hybrids of the hedgehog cactus Echinocereus inermis as well as Echinocereus octacanthus and viridiflorus
- Desert cacti of the genus Gymnocalycium, especially the species G. andreae
- All varieties that have emerged from hardy Opuntia and Escobaria wild species
In order to offer sufficient protection for the moisture-sensitive cacti outdoors, a location under a canopy is sufficient. The thorny journeymen also feel well protected under a simple superstructure made of wooden posts and a roof made of greenhouse foil (€ 8.99 on Amazon *). The little house should be open on two sides so that the air can circulate.
Tips
Do not trust full-bodied promises about stable winter hardiness if the cacti were grown in the protected climate of a warm greenhouse. Only species bred in the open can actually stand up to the rigors of a Central European winter. Here a cactus can develop the necessary frost resistance as a seedling or cutting.
