Cacti aren’t just exotic houseplants meant to sit on a sunny windowsill. These tough, low-maintenance succulents actually look incredible in the garden and can be a surprisingly perfect match for classic favorites like roses. If you’re looking to add some desert flair to your outdoor space, here’s the scoop on which species can handle life in the great outdoors:
Cold-Hardy Cacti for Your Garden
If you want to spice up your backyard with these striking desert dwellers, you’ll want to stick with varieties that are truly winter-hardy. These tough cookies can stay outside all year long without needing to be dragged indoors or wrapped in blankets when the temperature drops:
- Various Prickly Pears (‘Opuntia’): Especially *O. phaecantha* and the tree-like *Cylindropuntia imbricata*.
- Hedgehog Cactus subspecies: Look for *E. baileyi*, *E. coccineus*, *E. caespitosus*, and *E. inermis*.
- Beehive and Pincushion varieties: Specifically *E. vivipara*, *E. orcuttii*, *E. missouriensis*, and *E. sneedii*.
These succulents are absolute champions, surviving temperatures as low as -13°F (-25°C) and heavy frost. To help them thrive, make sure they have a sunny spot with sandy, gravelly soil or a sandy-loam mix. Good drainage is the secret to helping them survive the winter unscathed!
Pro Tips for Winter Care
To keep your cacti healthy during the freezing months, there’s one golden rule: stop watering and fertilizing around September or October. It sounds counterintuitive, but as you change your watering routine, the plants naturally reduce their internal water supply. This increases the salt concentration in their sap, which acts like a natural antifreeze to protect them from the frost.
Outdoor Cacti That Need a Little Rain Cover
You can also opt for certain varieties that are cold-tolerant but a bit “water-shy” during the winter. These beauties can stay outside, but they’ll lose their hardiness if they get too soggy from rain or snow. To keep them happy, you’ll need to provide some moisture protection for:
- Hedgehog Cactus hybrids (like *Echinocereus inermis*, *E. octacanthus*, and *E. viridiflorus*).
- Anything from the *Gymnocalycium* genus (especially *G. andreae*).
- Hybrids derived from hardy Opuntia or the wild Escobaria family.
How to Protect Your Cacti from the Wet
Protecting these guys from moisture is easier than you think! A simple spot under a roof overhang or a porch works wonders. You can also build a basic DIY shelter using wooden posts and a roof made of greenhouse film. Just make sure to poke a few small holes in the film to keep the air circulating so your plants can breathe.
