If cacti thrive in the garden, the exotic thorny creatures cause a sensation all year round. With the right species and varieties, you can experiment with outdoor cultivation even in the Alpine region. Get to know completely winter-hardy cacti that are not intimidated by frost and snow.
Beautiful prickly pear cacti for outside
Prickly pear cacti represent the most species-rich genus within the cactus family. You can also discover magnificent varieties here that are frost-resistant down to -32 degrees Celsius. The following selection names outstanding Opuntias for outdoors:
- Cylindropuntia imbricata: shrub-like growth up to 100 cm high, dense thorns and pretty flowers
- Cylindropuntia viridiflora: strong growth up to 200 cm high, strong thorns and summery flowers
- Opuntia fragilis 'Freiberg': delicate in growth with 4-5 cm long, dark green shoots and violet flowers
- Opuntia macrorhiza 'Apricot': bushy habit up to 30 cm high, salmon-red flowers
Opuntia phaeacantha and its varieties, which stand out with disc-shaped limbs, deserve special mention. With a growth height of 15 to 30 cm, these hardy prickly pear cacti are perfect for beds and pots. If you are looking for a frost-hardy, thornless prickly pear cactus, we would like to recommend Opuntia rodantha 'Thornenlos' with bright yellow flowers.
These hedgehog columnar cacti stand up to winter
When colorful flowers are enthroned on their columnar shape in summer, hedgehog columnar cacti attract everyone's attention. You can leave a variety of prickly beauties of this genus in the bed all year round without hesitation because they are frost-resistant down to -30 degrees Celsius:
- Echinocereus baileyi: brown, protruding thorns, purple flowers in May and June, up to 40 cm in diameter when old
- Echinocereus baileyi v. albispinus: white thorns, numerous small heads, each 4 cm in diameter, pink flowers
- Echinocereus caespitosus: single-shoot columnar growth with white thorns and pink flowers in June
An Echinocereus inermis almost completely dispenses with sharp thorns, because at 1-2 mm they are vanishingly small. This hedgehog columnar cactus sprouts vigorously, with its 3 cm small, spherical limbs gathering to a total diameter of 50 cm. In summer, dark red flowers crown the exotic spectacle.
Majestic mountain cactus for mild winter regions
Take a look at a man-sized cactus that adorns the garden all year round. Then the mountain cactus (Oreocereus celsianus) comes into focus. The columnar giant grows up to 200 cm tall over the years. Since it is not quite as frost-resistant as Opuntia or Echinocereus, the impressive cactus from the Andes is only suitable for winter hardiness zones Z7 and Z8.
Tip
The basic requirements for reliable winter hardiness are a location in full sun, well-drained soil and protection from rain. It is not the bitter frost that causes problems for cacti when overwintering outdoors, but rather excess moisture. Therefore, from October to February, stop the water supply and protect your cacti with a simple superstructure made of wooden posts and greenhouse film.
