Hi, I'm in Pennsylvania. If you're just getting started, the first cold hardy cactus I would recommend to you would be "Eastern Prickly Pear" that's native to the East Coast. It's usually listed as Opuntia humifusa. I have also seen it listed (more than once) as Opuntia compressa - but I believe that is incorrect as I "think" O. compressa is a synonym for the Prickly Pear of grocery store comerce (I E. Prickly Pear may be edible (I've not tried), but it's fruit is small). To give an example of its durability - I planted a cactus garden on part of a southern facing road cut on my parent's property. It's been effectively abandoned since I moved away over 7 years ago. This spring I went to check it out. - the O. humifusa was the only cactus or succulent still there and it was thriving. It won't get more than about a foot tall, and will tend to make more of a mound than an upright plant. It's not my favorite Opuntia as I don't like the reddish center to its yellow flowers. It doesn't have a lot of big spines, but boy does it have glochids (small almost invisible needles that don't hurt initially, but keep on giving)! On hardiness ratings. Cacti are often rated on their hardiness by temperature. There are a number of cacti hardy to quite low temperatures. However many of them cannot handle cold and *wet* conditions. Another cacti to consider: Opuntia polyacantha Two sites: Mesa Garden: http://www.mesagarden.com/index.html - not the most elaborate site - plants small - but inventory selection huge, good prices, and a good company to deal with. http://www.oikostreecrops.com/store/prodtype.asp?PT_ID=79&strPageHistory=cat Only 3 cacti from this site, but they're raised in Michigan , so quite hardy. Good luck, Chris P.S. Checked out your slideshow - Beautiful tropical type plantings.

Yes they will probably root, but orchid compost is not ideal, try something more inorganic (but free-draining). The seeds do not need any special treatment, but it can improve germination. I have sown this type of Opuntia with almost 100% germination without pretreatment. They can germinate after a few weeks or several months. For this kind, do not give up until after about 3 months. Growth rate is difficult to predict, it depends so much on soil, temperature, light and other things. They grow faster than most other "desert" cacti but slower than ordinary plants.

Adding to what saturn said...PP are very easy to root from cuttings. You won't hurt the plant if you remove a pad. If you choose to go the cutting route...wait until spring to increase your chances of success. Unless you plan to do this indoors that is.

This is a trunk-forming Yucca (Y. recurvifolia). The trunks are about three feet high and the leaves add maybe another two feet. When it bloomed in 2008, the flower spikes were about four or five feet more. You said your yuccas aren't so big, but it depends on which ones you have. As I recall you have the variegated types of Y. filamentosa, which doesn't form a trunk at all. Those form clumps over time but stay low to the ground. It's nice if you have some of both the low growing ones and the trunked types. There are some that have narrow leaves and others with various colorations in the foliage, so it's possible to have quite a display made up of nothing but yuccas. I personally like to mix their spikiness with softer growing plants too. However you use yuccas, I think they're great plants.