Nice cactus......first cactus looks like Opuntia polyacantha, the second photo looks like Opuntia fragilis hybrid and the Escobaria sneedii may not be long term hardy for you.........keep us updated on their progress.

and the Escobaria sneedii may not be long term hardy for you.........keep us updated on their progress.

It was planted as an experiment. Surprisingly, it survived almost 14 days of -30C/-22F 😯

those are colder temps than we get. How much winter precipitation do you get? We average about 10cm every month of the year. Many cactus loose hardiness with all our precipitation. We also tend to get 1/2 rain and 1/2 snow events which cactus hate. They prefer all snow over rain followed by cold. I too didn't have a problem but I've read so many reports that zone 6 is their limit.....you success is nice to hear.

Here's a photo of my Escobaria sneedii.......I have it away several years ago to another collector since I tossed most of my cactus back in 2009?

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We get about 6cm per month, statistically. The wettest month is usually November. Cacti other than some opuntia species would never survive such conditions - wet & cold. That's why I always build a roof for them. Probably that's why they are still alive, but it's their second winter, so still too early to tell if they're fully hardy here.
The fight for survival continues each winter 😈

That E. sneedii looks AWESOME!

Once I'll construct a succulents bed some cacti will be growing there for sure. We have about 60 cm precipitation a year but a most of them falls to April, May and June. It's absolutely impossible to gain rain in a winter season but snow only. Thant's why many Opuntias including Chola cactus (O.imbricata), some Escobaria, hardy Echinocereus, some Pediocactus and Maihuenia. I've seen them growing at one local cacti collector garden.

It's absolutely impossible to gain rain in a winter season but snow only. Thant's why many Opuntias including Chola cactus (O.imbricata), some Escobaria, hardy Echinocereus, some Pediocactus and Maihuenia. I've seen them growing at one local cacti collector garden.

This is great. Cacti can be overwintered under snow with great success. Our weather is bad for them. One day we get snow and other rain. That's why I need to protect them by building roofs, or they're dead meat 🙁

Awesome cactus.

Tim, that one is big! 😯 I let mine dry out and die. No rain here in the summer, next one I will water a bit. 😳

Here's mine before I let it die. 😕 The more I think about it, a pack rat may have ate it. They eat lots of cactus, and the love ball cactus. 😡

Aaron, how old was it? 🙁

Aaron, how old was it? 🙁

Not sure? About 4 years? 😕

a pack rat may have ate it. They eat lots of cactus, and the love ball cactus. icon_mad.gif

Oh man! Wouldn't the scent of your 3 dogs keep pack rats away, Aaron?

Barb

My new purchase 8)

Echinocereus reichenbachii var. baileyi

Pediocactus simpsonii

My new cacti planted outdoor:

E. triglochidiatus:

E. viridiflorus:

Very nice!

Be careful with the Triglochs if you get a really raining spring/summer.

After flowering so magnificently this summer,mine have exploded and cracked apart.....

Even some of the ends have split in half..I doubt they will flower again from these,
some of the smaller new shoots are fine though.