Or any unusual edibles/fruit/berry. I'm looking for multiples of each, so if you only have one kind of something, we can still do a nice box by doing 6 or so of that one something. (Hope that makes sense?) Everything on my trade list is not available at the moment, as we are still frozen and covered in snow (AGAIN). But alot IS available, as leftovers in pots from last season, resting in the hoophouse. If anyone can send me some SPRING,.I'll trade ya a whole 13" X 13" boxful or rare lovelies for THAT! Private emails OK, ThoseDarnSqurls@aol.com Thanks! Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: My Trade Page

Just sent you an e-mail. Thanks. dcarpenter

I was googling online about this very subject and was pleased to find this topic. Though I'm still unsure of answer. I purchased 3 of these from Santa Rosa Gardens when they were on sale. Then, upon recieving them, I started researching and getting conflicting info. Online,after a lot of browsing, sources state EVERYTHING from hardiness to zone 5, 6, 6B (whatever that is) to zone 7. The tag with the plants SEEMS to say hardy to minus 10 degrees, though it's hard to make out, as the "minus" sign in front of the 10 almost appears like a smudge. However, the site I got it from (Santa Rosa Gardens states zone 6). I'm growing in 3 pots for now, but would love to place in the ground. Consequently, would hate to lose them in our zone 6 winters (SW PA). Some plants I don't care if they may perish, others I like more... it must be novelty. It's SO hard for me to believe that one plant can be listed in so many diffferent sources as so many diff. hardiness zones. I always tend to plan for an unusually cold, nasty winter.. that may happen. I guess I could always dig up in late autumn and place in pots to store in protected area (basement). I do love the looks of this plant, and hey... if they must stay in pots, so be it. I'll be interested further on in more info about hardiness as it becomes more available. I also think of additional winter protection if they were in ground, but don't want to rot or otherwise harm a plant that doesn't seem to appreciate excessive moisture. I know my response to this is outdated, as compared to the original posts here.

thanks Jeffrey, but i have way too many to keep in pots. with a few exceptions i only keep species that can take the cold, and try to stick to those that can handle the moisture here. i stretch the limits on a few each year with mixed results. i made a cover of sorts to protect from too much snow and spring rain, but have become too lazy in recent years to bother with it. my biggest problem is deer and rabbits. if i pick all the fruit in the fall the deer dont bother with the plants too much, but the rabbits get a taste for the plants. a few species of the Opuntias are roubust enough that i have to "cut" them back a couple times per year. i have only lost a few plants to cold (and it was expected) but i have lost several to wet springs and rabbit damage. they usually come back from the rabbits, but are less than attractive or develope fungal infection at the wound site. the triglodiatus is one of my favorites, but i do need to protoect them from the wet, raising their planting site in the raised bed works pretty well, until they develop a large enough clump to hold water at their base, then i pick the best one from the clump and start over.