Succulents for the North

In early summer the prickly pear, a member of a large family of cold-hardy cacti, produces beautiful flowers that are followed by dark red fruit. There are lots of vertical forms of this type of cactus, and flowers range from yellow to orange to deep plum. Succulents have juicy leaves that can store water for months at a time. Here, hens and chicks, hardy to Zone 5.

• Prickly pear cactus, Zones 5-10, has tall clumps of pad-like sections. Like other cacti, it grows best in full sun.
• Depending on variety, sedums are hardy in a number of northern zones. Shorter sedums are used mainly in rock gardens or as a ground cover. They require soil with excellent drainage as they tend to rot if they sit in water too long.
• Showy stonecrop is a variety of sedum that is hardy in Zones 3-10. The plant blooms with dense clusters of small flowers that attract butterflies.
• Stonecrop is a smaller variety of sedum that is perfect for planting between rocks. Yellow, star-shaped flowers cover the plant in midsummer.
• Hens and chicks have flat leaves in a symmetrical rosette. They are perfect for rock gardens, in containers and for edging in front of perennial gardens.
• Although not a succulent or cacti, yucca is a good companion plant. The yucca has sword-shaped leaves and tall spikes of white, fragrant flowers, adding strong architectural interest to the landscape. Adam's needle (Yucca filamentosa) is hardy in Zones 5 to10.

Although all cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti. Cacti have spines; succulents don't. What they have in common is they retain lots of water. Both have a thick epidermis; the outer cuticle is often waxy, which helps retain moisture and reflect sun. Some have white hairs, which also reflect sun. For people who want to grow these plants in colder climates, here's some great advice:

• For the most part, cacti and succulents don't like shade. The more sun they have, the more they flower.
• Top-dressing them with a layer of coarse sand or baked clay over the soil keeps down the local humidity and keeps them warmer.
• The combination of wet and cold kills succulents and cacti. Be sure the plants are dry when it's cold outside.
• During the winter, some cacti and succulents become limp and shriveled. That's not a sign that they're dying; it's a protective mechanism to ensure the water inside them doesn't freeze. They will plump up again in the spring.