How Can They Grow Cacti There?
by Emy de la Fuente Jr Reprinted from Cereus Chatter, Newsletter of the South Florida Cactus & Succulent Society How can anyone grow cacti under extremely harsh conditions such as the following? Average annual precipitation 1092 mm (43 inches) Absolute maximum temperature 38.0°C (100°F) Absolute minimum temperature minus 30°C (-22°F) Average annual temperature 9.1°C (48°F) Average monthly temperature January, -4.8°C (23°F) February, -3.2°C (26°F) March, 0.7°C (35°F) April, 8.3°C (47°F) May, 14.0°C (57°F) June, 19.2°C (67°F) July, 22.0°C (72°F) August, 20.8°C (69°F) September, 16.7°C (62°F) October, 11.3°C (52°F) November, 4.9°C (41°F) December, -2.4°C (28°F) USDA Hardiness zone 5a/5b (Think about the fact that South Florida is in zone 10a/10b) Just looking at the Picture 1, it’s hard to imagine that they could grow cacti there. However, the fact of the matter is that students at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts are growing cacti and many tropical plants quite well thanks to
