Desert plants in New England

14 years ago

Is anyone growing cacti, succulents, agaves, yuccas, etc.? In particular, larger growing yuccas (with trunks) and taller species of cacti, or the barrel forming type. I have prickly pear growing for years, and of course the ubiquitous Yucca filamentosa. I have a nice 5 foot tall Y. recurvifolia. I lost a small agave after three unproductive years in the ground. Also have had some nice results from Delosperma (ice plants).

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diggerdee zone 6 CT

2 years ago

Yeah Bill had an awesome garden. Hope everything is good with him!

Dee

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Comments (16)

tree_oracle
14 years ago
Do you mean outside? I would think think that this area gets too much rainfall (especially this year!) for a desert plant to do anything but rot.
lschibley
14 years ago
It really depends on your soil. I'm about a mile from the ocean in plymouth county, plus the majority of my full sun beds are above builder's fill, which means my soil is very sandy and well-draining. I have a thriving succulent garden with hens & chicks and sedum. I have also ordered a number of desert perennials from High Country Gardens some of which have done quite well. I would definitely look at that catalog. They talk a lot about what desert plants do well in our climate.

Lisa
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bill_ri_z6b
Original Author
14 years ago
T. O.,

Yes outside. There are many cacti, succulents, yuccas etc. that do very well here. Not all desert plants require dry conditions, but the can tolerate them. Now there are some that don't like the wet when it's also cold. That's what probably killed my agave. The prickly pear I have has spread to cover probably 20 sq. ft. in maybe 10 years. Loads of flowers in early summer. The yuccas do well also, as do the ice plants and sempervivums (Hens & Chicks). I think the reason we don't see more of all of these types of plants in our area is because people simply think they can't grow them here. I always say that you can't fail if you don't try! And now and then you get rewarded with a success story.

lschibley,
You are lucky to have good draining soil. That is key to success in our wet winter climate.
donaldb
14 years ago
Here in Worcester a couple of Yuccas and three varities of
prickly pear that love being on a large rock garden hillside facing southwest. These plants are totally ignored all season and thrive on it.
bill_ri_z6b
Original Author
14 years ago
Donald,
What species of Yucca are you growing?
chazparas
14 years ago
Bill,
I have three varieties of opuntia. I'm working on getting a trunking yucca from a friend at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens in NY, I'll let ya know if it survives. I won't attempt to plant it outdoors until spring If I get it though. I'll let ya know the variety when and if the deal comes through for me.
Chaz
donaldb
14 years ago
to bill ri z6b

Stupid me. I had picked them up at a nursery because the price was right and they were not tagged. Do the same with orchids then spen all sorts of time trying to ID them. The don't seem to be special at all two have plain leaves and one has green and yellow stripped leaves.
bill_ri_z6b
Original Author
14 years ago
Chaz,

I have Yucca recurvifolia which is a trunking type. It has four trunks, each about six inches in diameter and about three feet tall. The leaves reach up another foot and a half and some hang down to within a foot or so from the ground. I cut off the dead leaves once a year because I like the look. If I knew how to post pictures here I would. It makes a lot of pups too. I have cut some off and planted them this spring and they're doing fine.

I have the common opuntia that's growing like a weed for maybe forty years! I have intended to get more hardy cacti, but until a major landscape renovation, I wouldn't be sure where I want a cactus garden.
bill_ri_z6b
Original Author
14 years ago
Donald,
I assume your yuccas are the low-growing type. There are lots of variegated varieties now that are fairly common in nurseries. Nice thing about them is that they are colorful all year long.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
14 years ago
Bill:

Re posting photos:

For general theories, see the FAQ How do I use HTML Code to change fonts and insert stuff in posts?

Many people swear by various web hosting sites; I just use TinyPic.com.

Following up on information in the FAQ;

You don't have to set up an account at a hosting site if you use TinyPic.com.

1. The photo files on your computer must be in a format such as jpeg or jpg.

2. Using Tiny Pic, you hit the "Choose File" button and it searches your computer desktop. Choose one photo file then select a size ("Resize" button), and then UPLOAD NOW.

3. When the file is uploaded (Tiny Pic will tell you), copy the HTML tag by clicking on it, not the IMG tag.

4. Paste the HTML tag in your post.

This is the easiest way I know.

Claire
bill_ri_z6b
Original Author
14 years ago
Claire,
Thank you! I will give it a try!
donaldb
14 years ago
Yes, that's what they are. Low growing but the first year I had them they bloomed and this year they did not. Was all that rain we had here in the Northeast the culprit?
Happy growing and may the fall be warm and last into December.
bill_ri_z6b
Original Author
14 years ago
Donald,
I doubt that the rain kept them from blooming as they are native to the eastern US anyway. These aren't really desert natives as the taller kinds are that we find out west. Mine don't bloom every year either, although the clumps that they form over time seem to insure that one or the other in any one clump will spike a flower.
The trunk-forming revurvifolia doesn't bloom every year either. It did last year, but only two of the four branches did. This year there were no flowers. I guess they're just temperamental!
HU-542818561
2 years ago
Hello all. I am in Fall River Massachusetts. I'm aware this is a very old thread but I am hoping to find someone local who might have cold hardy succulents, agave/yucca to share.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Hi, sorry, no I don't. Bill I think might have been the only one who did - he had Prickly Pear and some succulents and maybe an agave, but Bill hasn't posted in awhile. Which is a shame, because he had a very different garden that he had just redone and I would love to see how it is developing.