really winter hardy cacti and succulents

Jovibarba species

Jovibarba species

In Ottawa, temps dip to -30. I have some Opuntia that survive under a foot of snow but Lobivias and some Echinocereus rotted in the wet spring. Looking for other cacti or Graptopetalum or Sempervivens or Delosperma that will survive our winters.
Thanks for any species you can think of and if you know where I can obtain them.
Cheers
Raymond

Comments for really winter hardy cacti and succulents

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Aug 23, 2016
 There's cold, then there's cold
by: Jacki

Temperature is only one factor of hardiness. Most often, it's wetness, prior to being frozen that kills even the toughest hardy succulents.

No matter how 'hardy' a plant is, if it's got wet feet that will be the death knell.

There are a few reliably hardy succulents, mostly Jovibarba, both the species and heuffelii. These are similar to Sempervivum in form, but they flower differently, and also split differently. Rather than having chicks held on a long stalk, they produce rollers (in the case of the species) and split right in the crown (huffies).

These might be a good option for you to try and locate. You can see more about them here;Jovibarba

Sempervivum are some of my favorite hardy succulents, but they don't always make it through the winter. The hardiest ones are the cobweb types, which you can see here

As for cacti, they really aren't as hardy as some would have you think. They grow best in a raised bed, with lots of gravel for drainage. If you can't provide this, they won't succeed for long.

As for finding them as plants, you may want to look at Succulents.ca and Valley Succulents as potential suppliers.

A source of seed for reliable plants for your area might be your local alpine garden club. I know some of them have a seed sale, where people package and sell seeds from plants in their gardens to raise money for the club.

I hope that helps get you rolling with your own collection!

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