have you considered adding various cacti that you can grow indoors during the winter when they "rest"? i did this when living in ohio and simply placed them in a position that gives them ample light during their "resting period". never lost a cactus plant and i still do the same since moving to south carolina and have yet to lose a plant. have a few to trade if you are interested. jeff

The coldest temperatures are usually around the end of December through January, with a few scattered cold days (just barely below freezing) in February and March. I've seen the temperature drop to 22 degrees, but not every year. Usually, about 28 degrees is the coldest, and it doesn't stay under freezing for very long, only a couple hours. I do have some cacti, succulents, spider plants, prickly fern (and a few other plants) outside all year, but they don't tolerate full sun, so I have them hidden, where they get very little sun, or no sun. The prickly fern, however, does tolerate full sun, no sun, partial sun, very hot weather (even up to 118 degrees F!), and the very cold, even the lowest temperatures down to 22 degrees. I lost some beautiful jades and spider plants from heavy ice on the leaves (winter of 06-07), and about eight years earlier, so I've brought all my jades inside, and some other succulents along with some cacti. They are doing very well inside! Although, I don't expect that they will flower with no sun ... - Riding 4 Life http://vj4him.blogspot.com/

blown, Why not just buy from a reputable nursery, such as Mesa Gardens, rather that shopping from Ebay? You've got a neighbour here (chadec) who's got a wonderful garden going. You might email him and ask for some leads, but the Ebay path is too often fraught with disappointment, whereas when you deal with someone reputable, that's clustered with happiness.

Opuntia Phaeacantha Hybrid Var Purple Mesa, Zones 5-8