The Zone 9 and Z 8b is a huge change when it comes to succulents and Aloes. Tread here carefully. With the fact that you will be a long distant gardener that wont be able to wrap or cover over in the winter, I would rethink your list. I am a 8b gardener mabe a 8a. You are right when you say 8b is broad, especially when it comes to succulents. Every degree makes a difference.

If it is truly 8b, your aloes here are marginal at best. Maybe the dryness will help but that 5 degree difference between 9 and 8b is really needed to grow alloes and aeoniums (25-30) and K. luciae (dead at 26). I have had burn back and death on my aloes in 8b left uncovered and in the ground . Aloe macrocarpa, aloe striatula, aloe aristata are good to around 19 degrees, but that was with burning of the leaves and perfect dryness. My A. macrocarpa is in the ground and is the most bullet proof. Aloe zebra, aloe greatheadii, A... grandidentada are in the ground but the rest are in pots. Many died to the ground when it reached 14F. and took 2 years to come back. I use frost cloth over the ones in the ground. and move the pots inside on the big cold fronts. It is just TOO hot for spiral aloe. I would not suggest aloes for a non tended winter garden unless your place is more 9 than 8b.
Aloe Barbarae is hardy to 25- 30 with very short bounces to 22. This makes it more of a z9b plant than a 8b. If one has a southern exposure that has lots of thermal mass with protection from the wing . Maybe just maybe you could get away with it with wrapping in the winter. Your money, your wallet.

I used to be in Austin and now I am out west of town and the 3-5 degree difference is very noticeable in the health of my aloes. It is very important to notice what side of 8b you are on. I think the 8b/8a border goes through my kitchen.

Allaudia procera ( 25- 20, Z9 plant) why not a regular octillo and sleep easier.

Your choices , I do not feel are good for a garden that will be untended during the winter. Have you looked around the neighbors and asked them. I am 8b outside of Austin, so we get Ice storms with our cold sometimes, and sometimes very dry cold fronts. What shrubs are you planning. It sounds like you are close to Tuscon weather conditions. I think that have been now changed from 8b to 9a. The nurseries there (Starr Nursery) would be a good source of information. Gregg star has a good book on plants for the dry garden. They would know better. Arid lands is another Tuscon based nursery that does Aloes. They might have a better tree aloe to recommend for you.

All your agaves will work well there. I would add more cactus in this mix, Opuntias,, cylindropuntias, Echinocactus , Echinocerius, Sempervirums need some shade and regular summer water in the texas sun and heat. Ruffled Echiverias are winter tender at 8b. Echiveria runyonii, E agavoides, E, lalacina, are more hardy than the large ruffled ones.

Here is a link that might be useful: Brian Kembles Aloe hardiness list

This post was edited by wantonamara on Sun, Jun 30, 13 at 12:56

God , I must really not want to work today. I am googling weatherunderground weather station for Del Rio and it did get to 18 degrees in 2010 but is usually at 23 or 25. still something that will give aloes a hard time without some thermal mass and a thrown over frost cloth. Your 8b is definitely warmer than my 8b.. It sounds more like San antonio 8b.

Thank you for both posts wantonamara! I know what you mean...I am actually having a good time learning about these plants and have been working on landscaping sketches all day.
It sounds like I need to invest in frost cloths to be on the safe side with some of these plants. I tried the local nurseries and driving around to see other xeriscape gardens, but people here just haven't hopped on the bandwagon for natives or exotics. What you have shared is a huge help in narrowing down my final selections...thanks!

I have been able to do a bit of additional research since my post though that you might be interested in hearing. I stopped by one of my favorite nurseries in San Antonio, and they referred me to Desert to Tropics Nursery in Austin because they specialize in these plants. This is Desert to Tropics had to say about my area:

"Thank you for your inquiry. Most of the plants will work. It will help them to get established if watered once a week for a while. Following are the ones that will make it. Dashes by those that might be iffy. (I have typed their comments in all caps)
Argentine Saguaro
Golden Saguaro - Neobuxbaumia Polyopha
Aloe Ferox
Senecio Mandraliscae - Chalk Stick
---Aloe Barberae - Giant Aloe Tree
Agave Victoriae Reginae - Queen Victoria Agave
Alluaudia Procera - Madagascar Ocotillo NOT WINTER HARDY
Aeonium Zwartkop - Black Tree Aeonium --- HEAT IS DEADLY
Aloe Cameronii - Red Aloe MAYBE
Kalanchoe Luciae - Pancake Plant NOT WINTER HARDY
Agave Americana Marginata - Maguey
Aloe Striata or Aloe Humillis
Agave Parryi Truncata - Artichoke Agave
Sedum Nussbaumerianum
Sempervivium
Ruffled Echeveria
Spiral Aloe

It sounds like I at least have a shot at some of them, but I really only plan to use a handful...I just wanted to know for sure which would work before I spent hours sketching them into my plan. I have a few key areas where I would like to have some showier plants, but for the most part I will be doing beds with native plants like ocotillo, ceniza, century plant, and prickly pear. I'll add pictures of the plans I am using in case you are interested in seeing them.

I would love to have someone to chat with about this as I move along...my husband has threatened to ban the word "plant" in our house! Thank you again, and if anyone else has experiences with these plants please share.

My info has Echeveria ruffles rated as 9b cold hardy to 25 so it would have died without protection .

Aloe Barbarae will bite the dust unless protected and it gets LARGE,

Spiral aloe MIGHT make it in shade by a fountain OR in your ACed house. This plant likes COOL summers. I have had a few friends fall for them and they are good growers (in Wimberly Texas) and they killed them.

I grow Aloe Cameroni in a pot. It is gorgious. San Marcus growers has it listed at 25 - 30, Daves gardens has it listed at 20. Brian Kemble has it listed as upper 20's. So there is a disagreement here. I keep it in a pot because I do not want to loose it. If you are chancing it in the winter and you see a big bad front come in , Cut some of it off and bring it inside and save it to root, or dig the whole plant up and shove it in the garage. If you leave it in the ground and it melts, chances are it might come back from the roots. I have had plants reappear 2 years later. Aloe macrocentra comes back very well. But it takes awhile. I have 5 aloe striatas of different variations. I am slowly taking my extra ones and putting them in the ground and will be seeing if I can get the duplicates through a few winters under a frost cloth. They will be a good choice for you. Check out A. striata var karasbergensis. It is a beauty!!!!

A brand new baby one because its parentage was so good.

You also might want to check out aloe capitata var capitata it is hardy to the low 20's. Now one must watch out if it will get leaf burn before that. It will still need protecting. It stays on a southern stone pato by a cement pillar most of the winter.

Aloe variegata would be a good one for you also.

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This Gaster aloe has been a good grower and has promising hardiness becouse of the aeistata parentage.

With your interest in Succulents, you might want to check out the C & S forum..

Desert to tropics grows these plants In a green house and are interested in selling them. If they told you that Spiral aloe will grow in inland dessert texas , They are full of it. Sorry to be so blunt. I have been told a lot of things by nurseries.

What natives are you thinking of. I bet some Opuntia leucotricha would be killer in your needs. It becomes an oborial opuntia with age. I can set you up with a derth of opuntia pads. Are you looking into any of the shrubs that Sally Wasowski " Native Texas Plants; landscaping Region by Region"

Here is a link that might be useful: My aloe set of photos

Oh these plants are lovely.....any nurseries you recommend to buy from? I recently moved to Texas.Love succulents! Would love to trade -buy -share!
Rae Ann
New Braunfels tx.

Welcome to the area Rae ann, I got these succulents in In order of appearance at The Great Outdoors Nursery(Austin),The International CSSA convention (Austin), Bi Annual Cactus and succulent sale at Zilker park ( austin), The Natural Gardener (Austin Or Beecaves), HEB in Dripping Springs. I don't trade much except at plant trades. One in SAn Antonio in Fall and Spring. One that Castro_gardener likes is coming up in July in San Antonio.

Good nurseries in Austin are what I mentioned above and Barton springs Nursery, East Austin succulents, Tillery Street Nursery.

I have herd good things about Hill Country Nursery in New Braunfels. They took over a long time classic nursery. Medina nursery in Medina,

You might start a query in its own subject asking for suggestions or read back in the old entries. I thnk it has been covered but Awhile back. there is a search function on the forum.

This post was edited by wantonamara on Mon, Jul 1, 13 at 9:37

Your aloe capitata is STUNNING! And please...no offense taken regarding the nursery. I want to collect the best info possible, and I appreciate you being straightforward.

I also looked up your Opuntia leucotricha and it is a very cool plant...and it looks like it will grow tall enough to be out of harm's way for my little girl. I am not so concerned about further out from the house, but closer to the patio area, etc. I am avoiding euphorbia and cacti as much as possible because I have a two year old. She is bright enough to understand that a lot of plants in Texas "bite", but if I can make at least a few safe areas for her to play when we visit it will be better. That is actually why I have focused on the succulents. I do realize that agaves have serious spikes, but I plan to trim them off if I plant them in that area.

I had missed the cacti and succulent forum when I initially scanned through the site...thank you. I will check it out too and see what people have had to stay.

I had hoped Wasowski's book would be available digitally, but I think I will have to order a physical copy of the book so it may take a few days to get a chance to look through it. What do you think of Greg Grant's "Texas Home Landscaping"? So far, I had really only considered Copper Canyon Daisy, Ceniza, and Lavance Purple Lavender. What else would you recommend based on your experiences?

I have attached one distant shot of the house to give an idea of the surrounding area. It is fuzzy, but if you look you can see outlines of lots of sotol, prickly pear, etc. Sorry, it is the only pic I have handy at the moment :-)

Thank you again for being so thorough in your responses...it is much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Jenn

For lavander, I recommend spanish lavendar..It puts up with heat.Some don't. Rosemary, Mexican oregano for long lasting summer pinkness.!!!!!!!!There really are no trees on your place.. Talking trees, I recommend Mexican Olive, dessert Willow,Tenaza trees, Mexican orchid trees. Anacacho orchid tree, Texas ebony, Texas Persimmon, Shrubs, Chisos rosewood, Chamiso, Rabbit brush, damianita, Opuntia cacanapa var ellisiana ( no needles or glochids), Opuntia leucotricha has long but softer needles ( more scratchy than pokey. Mexican wire grass, Mulenbergia capilarris, Muhlenbergia dumosa ( Bamboo Muhly) All the hesperalos, nolinas, dasylirions.

All these are very xeric. I water to establish and that is about all.

If you are not aware of this , here is a research tool that is great, the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center . I use this all the time.

Here is a link that might be useful: LBJ wildflower Center plant Database

Thank you so much for all of this. I had looked at the LBJ site for invasives since I have been so interested in exotics, but after reading your post I went through again and saw more to add to my list.

You also made my day...Mexican Orchid ( i knew it as Jacaranda) was the only tree I truly wanted after I built my house. I saw them in bloom in Mexico City and fell in love, but someone had told me they wouldn't grow here. Excited is an understatement.

There are several beauties listed here. You have really given me some great options - thank you for your help.you have given a lot of your time to answering my questions, and I appreciate it. You are also clearly held in high regard around here Thanks!

The Orchid tree that I was thinking of was Bauhinia purpuria, it is a 9a or 20F, not Jacaranda.Bauhinia mexicana and Bauhinia macrantha ( hardy to 0!) and called a chihuahua Orchid tree.

I

Here is a link that might be useful: Grevilea family

Thank you so much...I will check them out. Are you going to the SA plant exchange next weekend?

No. Got too much going on. I might go to the Fall one. That is when I like to do my planting.

Mara is the person for info on those aloes and agaves for sure! She knows her stuff.

Come to the fall swap! We missed you in the spring. Jim and I are driving up again.
Tally HO!