That is a great example of microclimates JoJo! The time spent at the minimum temperature (minutes, hours, days) plays a big role in what temperatures a plant can survive. So does the amount of water in the plant, and in the soil. Dry plants are much more tolerant of cold compared to wet plants. Plants in the ground can survive colder temperatures than plants in pots. I have found most of my plants can tolerate much lower temperatures than typically listed. These lows are brief, just a few hours at most, and it's at least 20 degrees warmer during the day. So plants that are supposed to not go below the mid-thirties F can tolerate minimum temperatures in the high twenties. Agave ferdinand-regis is listed at both +5, and -12 in the list above. The difference between a minimum average temperature, absolute minimum temperature, and Fahrenheit and Celsius scales is often confused. Minimum temperature listings should be regarded with great suspicion, even when coming from a more or less credible source like Desert-Tropicals. It is better to research the plants natural environmental conditions. I would not give much credence to this, or any other so called 'minimum temperature' list. There are too many variables for these to be accurate to any degree. ;) Brad

Hi zone denial. The plant in the background is Cordyline australis, as will as some large Trachycarpus, and a very, very tall Yucca aloifolia in the background to the left, with a weeping flower stalk. I am starting to think that yucca may be Yucca filifera, but who knows. Anyway, glad you liked the pics. I always trim each point individualy as they emerge from the center of the Agaves, or Yucca's like Aloifolia for example. Take care. -Brian

Rostrata, the most popular ... I'm in zone 7a and have several trunking Yuccas, the cold is not an issue, the wet is ... well drained soil is best .... I have all of these and they are fairly fast growing, some faster then others ... aloifolia (very fast, 1 ft plus a year ), baccata, campestris, carnerosana, constricta, elata ( this one is fast as well ), faxoniana ( slower growing but this one has a HUGE trunk, very impressive ), filifera ( this one is actually rated zone 9 or higher but I have had no problem with it here in 7a planted in a dry slot by my house, fast growing, its about 3 feet tall ), pallida ( no trunk but nice ice blue color ), rigida ( trunking, nice ice blue color ), thompsoniana ( multi trunk, looks like Rostrata but more moisture sensitive, I have had little problem with that even in our wet east coast winter, NO MULCH ) , torreyi (nice grey/blue color), treculiana. This should get you started ... your in zone 8 and probably alittle dryer climate then east coast so there may be some more species you can grow ... best advice I can give on Yucca trees out of their nature habitat is, well drained soil, no or very little mulch and make sure you know where the root line meets the trunking line and do not plant soil anywhere above the root / trunk line, if you do the tree will rot for sure at the trunk ...... good luck.

Preparing the soil and planting in Autumn, as Eduarda says, is the best possible start you can give to your plants. The following list features plants that when established will need only occasional deep watering, otherwise they will fend for themselves or cope with the winter rains. I use some of them on my designs, not only for their environmental adaptations, but also because of their aesthetic value: Trees Albizia julibrissin Alnus cordata Araucaria heterophylla Arbutus unedo Brachychiton acerifolius Brahea armata Butia capitata Castanea sativa Ceratonia siliqua Cercis siliquastrum Chorisia insignis Chorisia speciosa Chamaerops humilis Cupressus arizonica Dracaena draco Eriobotrya japonica Euphorbia tirucalii Eucalyptus filicifolia Fraxinus angustifolia Ginkgo biloba Jacaranda mimosifolia Juniperus oxycedrus Laurus nobilis Myoporum laetum Olea europaea Populus alba Pinus aristata Pinus halepensis Pinus pinaster Pinus pinea Pistacia atlantica Phoenix canariensis Prunus dulcis Punica granatum Quercus canariensis Quercus ilex Quercus ilex subsp. rotundifolia Quercus suber Trithrinax campestris Washingtonia filifera Washingtonia robusta Yucca filifera Shrubs Agave attenuata Ballota pseudodictamnus Banksia integrifolia Buxus balearica Callistemon viminalis and cultivars Ceanothus spp. and cultivars Cistus spp. and cultivars Choisya ternata 'Aztec Pearl' Convolvus cneorum Dasylirion quadrangulatum Echium candicans Echium nervosum Elaeagnus angustifolia 'Quicksilver' Erica arborea Euphorbia canariensis Euphorbia charachias Euphorbia mellifera Helichrysum italicum Helichrysum stoechas Hesperaloe parviflora Lavandula angustifolia and cultivars Lavandula buchii var buchii Lavandula dentata candicans Lavandula lanata Lavandula latifolia Lavandula multifida Lavandula pinnata Lavandula rotundifolia Leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' Leucadendron salignum 'Fireglow' Leptospermum scoparium Mahinot palmata Melaleuca uncinata Myoporum tenuifolium Myrtus communis Nerium oleander Nolina nelsonii Pelargonium 'Graveolens' Phygelus x capensis and cultivars Phormium spp. and cultivars Pinus mugo 'Mops' Pistacia lentiscus Pittosporum tobira Protea caffra Protea cynaroides Protea grandiceps Protea laurifolia Protea repens Protea venusta Quercus coccifera Rhamnus alaternus Rosmarinus officinalis and cultivars Salvia canariensis Salvia gregii Santolina chamaecyparissus Santolina pinnata neopolitana Santolina rosmarinifolia Tecoma stans Teucrium x lucidrys Teucrium fruticans Thymus vulgaris Ugni molinae Viburnum tinus Yucca rostrata I'll post bulbs, herbaceous, grasses and allies tomorrow. More plants could be add to the list. Please feel free to do so.