On Jan 13, 11:11*am, Phisherman wrote:
I'm in east TN and have a rather large cactus collection (about 100
specimens). *I have a place that gets full (brutal) sun and would like
to plant a cactus that survives East Tennessee winters. * I have an
American cactus (from the USA west coast) which I propagated and tried
to toughen it up, but I think it may have died due to frost. *I see
large cactus growing in various places (Knoxville, Oliver Springs, Oak
Ridge, etc) that have been growing for years and they produce summer
bloom. *Can anyone tell me what cactus will grow outdoors in my
location? *

a few varieties of the opuntia family (pad cactus) I see around here
growing everywhere (I live in Greeneville now, and the HUGE clumps of
larger pad cactus is astounding) I've just dug up an incredible
jumping Cholla (sp?) at an abandoned site and repotted it, I won't
know if it will resent my relocation from the back of the soon to be
torn down building or not, but given the texture of the cactus main
body, it took me ten minutes to cut it in half to transport it with
razor sharp pruners. It is quite evil. But it IS the jumping
Cholla. originally it was tucked at the back of this building, in
sandy soil but had grown to over seven feet in length, not standing
up, but lying down. The stem was four inches thick and the spine are
formidible. There are also cactus that grow in the fields around here
that are smaller and more prickly in the "hedge hog" variety. Pad
cactus as well, but not as huge as those I've seen everywhere here.
(didja know those "pears" all along the tops can be gathered with
tongs, the spines burnt off with flame and you can cook them down to
make a jam? I was sorely tempted this fall to gather a basket of them
around the area and put my hand to it)

If I think of anymore, I will let you know. There are also a wide
assortment of agave that grow quite well, including the newer striped
one with sharp points on the ends and threads between the leaves. The
more common one called Adam's needle grows wild in pastures as well
around here. Something else you might have not considered, which would
give you a wider selection, is sempervivums (hens and chickens) and
sedums. There are over 2500 different types of semps alone to collect
and grow outside successfully, they don't mind snow, freezes or rains
as long as you put them in a fast draining bed or container with small
rock as a mulch to wick away the moisture. And sedums? The huge
selection of them is amazing as well. I have found different varieties
that range in size to teensy little succulents that redden up with
sunlight, varigated flat paddle leaves of sedums, more than just the
variety of "Dragon's blood" or Kamchaticum that is more common. I
found some more unusual varieties at Stanley's nursery in Knoxville
one spring that are hardy outside.

I hope this gives you a good start. I might add that I have over 150
cactus, including thorny euphorbia's, but they can't live outside and
deal successfully with frost and freezing. I have a Cerius cactus now
that is in a 20 gallon pot that blooms at night around August, that
I've had now as a lot of my gardening friends know I call "Brenda" for
the woman and former neighbor who gave it to me 25 years ago that is
six foot tall in the pot with huge arms, and a wide assortment of
varieties in assorted sizes that I schlepp inside and out after frost
is past. They benefit greatly from cold winters in unheated rooms with
bright light. Keep me posted on your luck in finding hardy cacti and
succulents.

Madgardener gardening now in Greeneville, zone 7a, Sunset zone 36 (as
far as I know until I find out otherwise) just off of the downtown
historical area.