Cactus in the snow

The Danish winter has been warm and damp this year with almost no snow nor frost. All this changed last week. A couple of days after the vernal equinox Denmark was hit by a cold spell with lots of snow and temperatures down to -10 C (14 F). This weather only lasted a few days - the pictures below were taken when it all started.


Cactus in the snow

The above photo shows a Cylindropuntia viridiflora (Pojoaque, New Mexico) with a ground cover of Delosperma 'John Proffit'. In the back, at the right, grows a Opuntia tortispina (DJF 1139; west Albuquerque, New Mexico) and, at the left and in the center, a couple of Yucca plants.


Cactus bed being covered in snow

The last photo shows the full bed as it starts to be covered in snow. The front part of the bed was established last summer so the plants in this part of the bed are still rather small.

Opuntia – post winter status, 2007

As mentioned in yesterdays Delosperma post, this winter has been extremely wet in Denmark but not very cold. All of my cacti, growing in unprotected beds, seem to be coping very well with the conditions, though.


Opuntia polyacantha (Redcliff, Alberta, Canada)

My two Opuntia polyacantha (Redcliff, Alberta, Canada) plants were started from seed (bought from Mesa Garden) in 2004. They spent their first couple of years growing protected in a coldhouse, and were transplanted to an unprotected bed late last spring.

The unprotected Cylindropuntia viridiflora (Pojoaque, New Mexico, USA) plant has been very marked by winter in previous years, but made it through this winter virtually without a scratch.


Cylindropuntia viridiflora (Pojoaque, New Mexico)

The only sign of winter on last years new growth is a slight blushing (displayed against a rusty-red carpet of winter dressed Delosperma 'John Proffit').


Cylindropuntia viridiflora (Pojoaque, New Mexico) – new growth

In general the plants are not as withered as they usually are at this time of year, as is evident from the (mostly) turgid cladodes of this Opuntia tortispina (DJF 1139; w. Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA).


Opuntia tortispina (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

The C. viridiflora and O. tortispina plants were both bought from Uhlig-Kakteen.


BTW, I just realized today is the vernal equinox – a suitable day to post on the status after winter ;-)

Autumn colors

Well past the autumnal equinox the cacti are displaying a range of beautiful colors as they get ready for winter.


Cylindropuntia whipplei

Cylindropuntia whipplei is turning reddish as it prepares for winter. Some of the not fully developed stem segments are going yellow-orange and will probably be shed before winter. The pictured plant is growing in a pot outside all year, only protected by a house wall. I had a C. whipplei growing unprotected in a bed, but it didn’t make it through last winter.

Opuntia humifusa was very popular with the bumble bees when it flowered and their activity has now resulted in many fruits.


Opuntia humifusa fruits

The glaucous coating gives the fruits an almost velvety sheen. I don’t know if O. humifusa is self-compatible or if the fruits are the result of hybridizing with other plants – I’ll sow the seeds and know in a couple of years ;-)

One of my Cylindropuntia viridiflora plants is growing completely unprotected in a bed. It had a hard time last winter and is now shedding some of the damaged branches that are turning deep Tyrian purple in the process.


Cylindropuntia viridiflora

The plant grew prolifically during summer so I hope it’s not completely set back by the upcoming winter.

Opuntia and Cylindropuntia – new growth

After a couple of weeks of almost summer-like temperatures in Denmark the Opuntia species growing in my unprotected bed has resumed growth.

The ever trustworthy Opuntia 'Claude Arno' cultivar is bursting with budding cladodes.


Opuntia 'Claude Arno'

Opuntia 'Smithwick' is also a survivor, coming out of winter dormancy with great vigor.


Opuntia 'Smithwick'

My Opuntia polyacantha also lived through winter without damage.


Opuntia polyacantha

Finally the Cylindropuntia imbricata plants growing in pots protected from the worst precipitation are much better off than the C. imbricata in the unprotected bed.


Cylindropuntia imbricata

Cylindropuntia - post winter status

My cacti are slowly recuperating as the growing season comes to a start. My regular Opuntias are all doing well; unfortunately my Cylindropuntias are marked badly by the cold and wet Danish winter.

The Cylindropuntia viridiflora looked beautiful in the snow but the top has now completely died back.


Cylindropuntia viridiflora – scorched by snow

My Cylindropuntia whipplei flowered last summer with amazing yellow-green flowers. Today it resembles a bunch of withered twigs – the only part still (seemingly) alive is the absolute base of the plant. If it’s still alive it will probably be years before it flowers again.


Withered Cylindropuntia whipplei

Alas, my Cylindropuntia imbricata is dead. I’ll leave it standing as a “snag” in the bed (given the plant was old enough to have formed wood).


Dead Cylindropuntia imbricata

All of the plants above are (or were) growing in an unprotected bed. I have similar plants growing outside in pots with some protection from rain and snow – these plants are doing considerably better. This indicates that the harm is not inflicted by the cold (even though the winter was exceptionally cold this year) but rather the consequence of too much precipitation.

Cylindropuntia whipplei

While waiting for the return of summer I’ll post a handful of photos of plants that flowered last year. I'll start with my Cylindropuntia whipplei (MUG 125; 2100m, San Juan, New Mexico) that flowered for the first time even though it’s still young and far from being the compact shrub described in the Flora of North America.


Cylindropuntia whipplei flower

The flowers are a beautiful green-yellow and develops on the upper part of the stem segments.


Flowering Cylindropuntia whipplei

I’m a bit worried if the plant will make it through winter – last time I checked some of the stem segments seemed to be rotting. I hope the damage is located to individual segments and will not spread to the whole plant.

Cylindropuntia viridiflora in the snow

My Cylindropuntia viridiflora seems to be coping quite well with the cold and damp Danish winter. The plant pictured below is seemingly weighed down by snow, but the drooping form is common for plants in winter dormancy (as illustrated in the previous post).


Cylindropuntia viridiflora covered by snow

My plants are growing unprotected in a natural “raised bed” on top of a dune close to the north-western coast line of Denmark. Evidently the heap of sand is supplying sufficient drainage for the plants to survive the wet winters.


Cylindropuntia viridiflora


Opuntia sp. hidden in snow

Christmas Cacti

I can’t exactly say my cacti are basking in the sun – rather they are striving to endure the wet and cold Danish winter. The pictures below were taken December 25, 2005.


Drooping Cylindropuntia viridiflora


Opuntia humifusa hugging the ground


Opuntia 'Claude Arno'

My cold house grown Lophophora williamsii aren’t doing as well as the Opuntias – some critter ate large bites out of them.