Introduction
There are a variety of cacti from South and Central Texas. They are worth growing because they are easy and tolerant of backyard and flowerpot conditions, even in humid climates. I think this is because they occasionally get torrential rains and are thus prepared to deal with too much water. On the flip side, they are in areas that can go years without much rain.
They are great plants and most should be able to take low USDA zone 8 temperatures.
The Cacti
There are several opuntiads
- O. lindheimeri
- O. bentonii
- O. anahuacensis
- Opuntia pyrocarpa
- Opuntia macrorhiza (like?)
- Opuntia leptocarpa
- Cylindropuntia leptocaulis
There are a variety of ball and barrel type cacti (none too large), that grew successfully in Houston, TX and which originated in central our south Texas.
- Echinocereus pentalophus
- E. enneacanthus
- Mammillaria heyderi
- Mammillaria sphaerica (indestructable)
- Hamatocactus hamatacanthus/sinuatus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus?)
Even Echinocereus (Wilcoxia) poselgeri from Zapata area did fine in Houston, but it preferred to sit under eaves or in another location where it didn’t get all the rain. I’ve seen Escobaria missouriensis, Escobaria vivipara, and Echinocactus texensis growing just east of La Grange, TX–definitely not what you’d think of as cactus country.
You can even find two great agaves.
- A. americana
- A. lechugilla
Finally, there are Lophophora and Ariocarpus, but I’ve never grown these two.
If you know of more cacti that can go on this list, write to me and let me know.
