Exoten und Garten Forum               Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board


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I see cold damage on the ribs

Message from Richard TX

That's what gets me, I know these aren't very cold hardy cacti. I had about 20 "species" of Cereus (all real Cereus) that I planted into a cactus bed in San Antonio in 1991. A man from California had sent me cuttings of all of them in 1990 and I rooted them then put the pots out a year later. Most froze within the first 3-4 years, 1996 finished off all but 2 (a small aethiops type and a large tree form that was something like forbesii). Those went on to live for two decades, getting cut back a few feet if it dropped below 20 but recovering quickly. The large one had a "trunk" about a foot across at the ground until 2011 came along. The freeze of 2011 killed both plants dead: root, stems, and all. The base of the large trunk was just mush when you pressed on it. A single arm that had been potted up before the freeze is all that's left.

I also noticed damage on the Cereus down here in Cameron County in 2011 on all except that Ming Thing form. It might be hardier because of its slow growth rate. All Cereus fared better in Hidalgo County to our west


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