Cold Hardy Cactus Fruits

Growing Cold Hardy Cactus Fruit

There are many types of cactuses that are cold hardy to USDA zone 6, and many that are hardy to USDA zones 4 and 5. Some opuntias cactuses even grow in USDA zone 3. So there are options. Usually cactuses that are cold hardy will be smaller and stay low to the ground rather than growing tall or wide, but there are some like Cylindropuntia leptocaulis, which grows upright and has edible buds and fruits. 

There is a lot of conflicting information about the cold hardiness of certain species and varieties of cactuses on the internet. Many cactuses are hardier than described by cactus growers in warm zones. I have seen cactuses listed as USDA zones 9-10 when they are actually very cold hardy species. It could be possible that the hardiness varies significantly within a species, or they could be mistakenly labeled. The best bet is to get cold hardy cactuses from a person or nursery that is growing in a cold zone so you know it can handle the winter. As an example Opuntia engelmannii is almost always listed as zone 8-10, however I know a nursery that grows them outdoors in Colorado, which means it is demonstrable hardy to at least USDA zone 6.

Another note: some cactuses can tolerate cold well, but are not considered "winter hardy" because they cannot tolerate getting very wet while they are cold. Cactuses tolerate cold better when they are drier.

Echinocereus triglochidiatus in a pot.

Delicious Cold Hardy Cactus Fruits, Hardy to USDA Zone 6 or Lower

There are many cold hardy cactuses, and many of those that have edible fruit; here is the list of cold hardy cactuses that are known to have sweet and delicious fruit.

• Opuntia humifusa  "Eastern Prickly Pear" Zone 4 some to Zone 3
• Opuntia woodsii Zone 4
• Opuntia phaeacantha Zone 5
• Opuntia macrorhiza Zone 4
• Opuntia macrocentra Zone 6
• Opuntia engelmannii
• Echinocereus engelmannii Zone 5b
• Echinocereus stramineus    "Strawberry cactus/ Hedgehog cactus" Zone 6 or 7
• Echniocereus triglochidiatus
• Coryphantha sulcata                     Zone 5
• Coryphantha vivipara Zone 4

The pads of opuntia cactuses are also edible, with the young new-growth pads being the best to eat. Cholla cactuses also produce edible fruit and have edible flower buds, not exactly sweet and delicious though, from what I've read.

Spines and glochids

Cactus fruits are well-defended. They can be covered with spines and glochids. You may be able to find varieties that are spineless or have less glochids. The best technique for managing the spines and glochids is to harvest with tongs and burn off the spines and glochids with a lighter. Or cut the fruit in half and eat the inside without touching the outiside peel.

Bringing fruit covered with glochids into your home may result in glochids falling onto the floors and counters where they lie in wait for you. Using gloves for harvest will also result in spreading the glochids. I actually prefer to handle cactuses with my bare hands if precision is needed, because the gloves don't protect much against the spines anyway, and they will somehow manage to spread the glochids everywhere onto every counter and floor.

Tiny and nearly invisible glochids on a cactus pad.

Care and Propagation of Cold Hardy Cactuses

Cactuses are easy to propagate and easy to care for. The most likely mistake is watering them too much. They will not grow and will slowly rot inside if the roots do not dry out between waterings. During the winter they need very little, if any, water especially if they are in a place where the soil could take a long time to dry (indoors or in a humid place). Test the soil with your fingers before watering, or lift the container to see if it is very light from drying out.

Fertilize with half-concentration high nitrogen fertilizer in the spring to promote flowering and fruit. During the rest of the summer fertilize with half-concentration general purpose fertilizer. Decrease watering in the fall; more dry will make it more cold tolerant. Then water very or maybe not at all in the winter. I would say at most once a month.

Nearly all cactuses need to be cross-pollinated to produce fruit, so keep that in mind when deciding which cactuses you want.

Some opuntia cactuses will bow over in the winter. They are not dead or dying (unless you've been overwatering them). In cold conditions cactuses need to have low enough water inside them so that they can have a higher concentration of their natural antifreeze, so they may shrivel and bend but when warmer temperatures come the cactus will rehydrate. The pads will fill out again but fast growing cactuses are unlikely to stand upright again and will have more of a spreading trailing habit instead. Slower growing cactuses may become woody enough to be able to stay upright.

Opuntia humifusa 'Inermis' dry and shriveled for the winter.

Here's the End

Do you know of any other cactuses that grow useful fruit or other edible parts? Please comment them below.