Many of the plants on this list was obtained from: Home Gardening and Oasisdesigns.com
Cactus and other succulent species that are cold and moisture tolerant:
Plants that have an * (or are linked) are on the mail order list
Agave havardiana
- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F)
Agave lechuguilla
- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F) *
Agave Neomexicana (Mescal Agave) to +05F *
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
Agave utahensis var. nevadensis
- average cold resistance (-20C, -4F)
ALOES
Coryphanta Macromeris (Flabby Pincushion) to +10F *
Echinocactus Horizonthalonius var. Moelleri to +10F *
Echinocereus Coccineus (Mexican Claret Cup) *
Echinocereus Dasyacanthus (Texas Rainbow Hedgehog) to 10F *
Echinocereus Fendleri var. Fasciculatus *
Echinocereus melenacanthus - very good cold resistance
Echinocereus Nicholii (Nichol's Golden Hedgehog) *
Echinocereus reichenbachii v. perbellus
Echinocereus Stramineus (Strawberry Hedgehog) *
Echinocereus triglochidiatus
- very good cold and average moisture resistance (reports of -34C, -30F)
Echinocereus viridiflorus
- good cold resistance (at least -25C, -13F)
- resistant to moisture and rain
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
Escobaria vivipara (var. vivipara)
- same as Mammillaria vivipara, Coryphantha vivipara
- very good cold resistance
- grows in Alberta, Canada
Opuntia basilaris (Beavertail Cactus)
- average resistance to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
Opuntia compressa
- resistant to moisture and rain
- very good cold resistance (at least -34C, -30F)
- easy to grow, one of the best Opuntia s to grow in north, tolerates light shade
Opuntia cyclodes
Opuntia cymochila
Opuntia Englemannii var. Aciculata (Chenille) can survive to +5 F *
Opuntia erinacea (Grizzly Bear Prickly Pear) *
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- poor resistance to moisture and rain
- var. columbiana is the northest species
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
Opuntia humifusa (Eastern Prickly Pear)
- very good cold resistance (at least -34C, -30F)
- resistant to moisture and rain
- tolerates light shade
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
Opuntia mackensii
Opuntia Violacea var. Macrocentra (Texas Santa Rita)
- sensitive to moisture and rain
- reports of surviving from -40C, -45F
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
Opuntia macrorhiza x phaeacantha
- resistant to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
Opuntia Phaecantha
- resistant to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- easy to grow
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)
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
Opuntia polyacantha v. hystricina
- 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
Opuntia pulchella
- good cold resistance (at least -30C, -20F)
Opuntia sandiana
Opuntia sanguinicula
Opuntia tardospina
Opuntia whipplei (Whipple Cholla)
- average resistance to moisture and rain
- good cold resistance (-26C, -15F)
Pediocactus nigrispinus
- good cold resistance (at least -30C, -20F)
Pediocactus simpsonii
- good cold resistance
- average resitance to moisture and rain
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
Trichocereus Pachanoi (San Pedro) can survive to +10 F (for short durations) *
*Yucca filamentosa Adam's Needle Yucca
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- easy to grow, tolerates light shade
*Yucca glauca
- good cold resistance (-29C, -20F)
- grows in southern Alberta, Canada. It also grows well in Middle Europe.
Many Sedum and Sempervivum species are extremely tolerant to cold and moisture.
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From: http://www.oasisdesigns.co.uk/hardy_cacti.htm
Most info supplied by Craig Howe, who grows these in his Northern California garden - around 40” rainfall
mainly during winter, annual lows of 20F, often much lower ( recently, 1997/8 it was 13F, around -10C ). High
humidity all winter long, many sunny days but sometimes no sun for a couple of weeks. No guarantees for this
lot, however. Opuntias have been omitted.
