|
Family: Cactaceae
Native to: Four Corners region of Southwest USA
Dimensions: to 2 - 3' tall, 3 - 5' wide
Cold resistance: hardy to at least -25°F
Drought resistance: excellent
Key Features: evergreen succulent with white spines, showy yellow flowers in late spring/early summer.
Uses: rock gardens, rock walls, hellstrips, containers, gravel garden, excellent in urban settings/reflected heat, deer resistant.
Description:
When you can't find something that is tough as nails for that dry, hot spot with rocky soil, maybe this is just what you need. Forming a low shrub of spiny branches, this cactus is about the easiest thing to grow that exists, as long as it has sun and excellent soil drainage. It will reward you with cheery yellow flowers in late spring. Native to the colder regions of the American Southwest, it can handle temperatures well below 0°F, making it suitable for garden use throughout much of the Intermountain West. But even west of the Cascades, it is not fussy; I am aware of it thriving in a garden that receives over 50 inches of average annual rainfall.
|
