Ferocactus hystrix - cold tolerant, yes, but damp?

[Paul S]

Hi everyone - I wonder if anyone has any experience at all with growing Ferocactus hystrix away from a desert type environment? Or have grown it in a way that suggest it might be a tolerant plant?

I have just acquired a large old specimen (around 15" wide and high) for not very much money and am thinking of planting it outside here in my dry (20" rainfall) but nevertheless English garden. I would give it a perfectly drained medium in a raised bed.

By way of comparison I have had a large-ish F. alamosanus planted out and it has been fine so far (3 winters including a nasty one last year), plus many other cacti: trichocereus big and small, sohrensia, gymnocalycium - well, all sorts really plus a broad range of succulents.

Thanks!