Monday, December 16, 2013

Foliage Follow-up; after the freeze…

Last Tuesday, when the thermometer finally crept above freezing, I unwrapped the plants I’d covered and looked for signs of damage. Having been through this before I know not to let myself get to excited when things look fine, it can take days/weeks for damage to become apparent. For this month's Foliage Follow-up I'll take a walk around the garden and share the good, the bad, and the undecided. This post is rather lengthy, I find being able to look back at past storms an valuable tool, so these pictures are as much for me as anyone else.

First I thought I would point out we had snow on the ground for an entire week! (I can hear you laughing) Seriously though the snow I shoveled from the drive and sidewalk did take an entire week to melt!

Feijoa sellowiana (Pineapple Guava), planted last summer and wrapped for protection. Looks great...

Astelia nivicola 'Red Gem', protected and it looks to be fine. I lost several Astelia in our 2009 freeze and was told this one had great cold tolerance. Looks like it's a keeper!

Unlike this Astelia banksii...which was covered but appears to be toast.

Grevillea rivularis, covered and looking good. Not so for the melting Aloe saponaria in front of it, which was uncovered (because I just couldn't protect everything).

This is the most promising of the Echium wildpretii, it was covered.

Some of the Fatsia japonia foliage is burnt, the plant appears to be just fine though. This one is tough! (unprotected)

As some of you may remember the Edgeworthia flower buds were sporting socks for the freeze, I am cautiously optimistic they're going to be okay.

This just might be a huge heartbreaker...the Grevillea juniperina ‘Lava Cascade’ foliage is turning black and the same is happening on G. juniperina ‘Molonglo’...(they were unprotected,  mainly because they were just too big). Combined I've got 6 plants which cover a good part of the front garden (they are low growing ground covers). I can't stand to think of loosing these!

The second Feijoa sellowiana, which is in a container. Protected and it too appears to be okay.

Here we have a real head-scratcher. These Cordyline australis are regrowth from the 2009 freeze, after that storm they died to the ground and have slowly grown back from the roots. I didn't bother to protect them because I fully expected them to die and frankly I'm not that obsessed with them any longer. But they look fine! I'll be watching them for signs of melting. Oh and speaking of melting look at the Manfreda ‘Macho Mocha’ at bottom center, looks to be toast, it's gonna be a soggy mess! (unprotected, too big, too fleshy, ran out of anything to cover with).

Echium wildpretii (protected), Dianella prunina Rainbow Twist (unprotected) and trailing rosemary (unprotected)...

The Puya coerulea is not looking so good. I tried to protect it with frost cloth but wasn't terribly successful. The Agave americana on the right was protected (and appears, at least, to be fine - time will tell) the small Agave ovatifolia on the lower left wasn't protected and appears okay for now. The green mass running around all these plants is Grevillea juniperina ‘Molonglo’ which, as I mentioned above, I am concerned about.

The puya...

Opuntia linguiformis (not protected) and Agave NOID (protected). Both appear to be fine...

Eryngium proteiflorum (unprotected, didn't occur to me), I just planted two of these late in the fall and will be upset if I loose them, they're both this shade of brown.

Agave parryi 'JC Raulston' (one of four that were all protected, plus several pups that were not), these all look great...

Although the center full of ice I discovered one afternoon has me worried...

Always perky (well, almost...more on that in the back garden) Agave bracteosa...(sort of protected, a towel at the last minute).

I have a vague memory of someone telling me Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby' (the light brown squiggles in front of the manzanita) was borderline hardy here, both of mine seem fine (unprotected).

A sad Echium wildpretii (protected)...

Here's my largest Agave americana, sporting it's ice collar (protected - before the ice showed up, unprotected then).

The leaves were frozen pretty solid when I uncovered this one. You can see the ice receding on the leaf...

Kinda pretty, although I still prefer to see the sun shining on it...

Puya chilensis on the left, this one shouldn't be as hardy as P. coerulea and it's only been in the ground for about 9 mos yet it looks better than the P. coerulea, I'll be watching. Agave americana var. protoamericana behind the Opuntia ellisiana and  Callistemon viridiflorus 'Xera Compact' in front all unprotected and all look fine.

Okay these next two I'm really hesitant to talk about. Could it be? Could this phormium actually live? I don't know. It's not showing any signs of melting. I did protect it (one of only two phormiums I tried to save) and I'm already seeing others in my garden, and around town, that are collapsing. Perhaps being against the house helped? I am very hesitantly happy.

And Mr. Monster Acacia pravissima, what is your story? This red/yellow business is the only damage I can find so far, and I'm not sure it wasn't there before the freeze. Could it be that it's going to make it? There are two A. cultriformis nearby which are already crispy (none of them protected). Dunno...

The Fatsia polycarpa ‘Needhams’s Lace’ was looking very sad and deflated when I uncovered it but it's been perking up ever since. The new foliage at the top is black but the plant looks like it's going to make it.

Schefflera delavayi was wrapped up and it looks to be just fine...

The same for S. taiwaniana...

I covered both of my Pyrrosia sheareri, I'm not sure if the brown is cold damage or something else?

Of course I didn't even think of covering this Helleborus, no need (not sure which one it is), and look...buds!

Here's the other phormium I wrapped, P. 'Tom Thumb'...it looks good...

The sun wanted to highlight the spikes! I covered this entire area with frost cloth and burlap, the sticks you can see still in the ground were to support the covers. The last thing I want to do is damage a plant while trying to protect it...

That's Lila in the lower left, not afraid of the spikes. There are a few mushy arms in this area, mainly the variegated ones. Time will show if others are unhappy.

But wait! There was a big surprise in the mix. Look at the Phylica pubescens (below)...it's not keeled over dead! This is a zone 9 plant, it's foliage should look horrible about now (we got down to 12.7F with multiple days and nights below freezing). This darn thing is going to make me work even harder to protect it for the rest of the winter! (the green tape looking business at the top is actually part of another stick I used under the protection cloth)

Magnolia laevifolia, covered and looking fine. A lot of what I protected was based on the cold temperature combined with a prediction of drying burning winds. For the most part those winds were a non issue but I was worried about the havoc they could have played with the evergreens.

Banksia marginata (right), the jury is still out on this one. I just can't tell! It was wrapped and that's why it looks a little mangled.

Callistemon ‘Clemson’ has some pretty significant foliar damage, but it has every year when the temperatures dip. I didn't protect it so we'll see what shapes up long term. The limp blue foliage in the background is Melianthus major 'Antonow's Blue', while the foliage is a disaster it should come back from the roots in the spring.

Are you still with me? Yikes, I uploaded a lot of photos! Here's another Astelia nivicola 'Red Gem' in front of a Trachycarpus fortunei - both protected (the trunk on the palm) and both appear in good shape. The big leaved plant on the right is my Charlie Brown Rhododendron sinogrande, it was wrapped and appears to be fine.

Toasty foliage on that Abutilon hybrid 'Fairy Coral Red' which was not protected.

Astelia chathamica, wrapped and maybe okay?

Now this is an unhappy phormium...(not protected)...

Ditto for this formerly purple cordyline...

Callistemon ‘Woodlander's Hardy Red’, Embothrium coccineum and Eriobotrya japonica all look good (unprotected)...

Dead oh so dead Echium candicans 'Star of Madeira' which I didn't bother to protect.

Pouting (unprotected) Sasa palmata f. nebulosa and a couple of Tetrapanax leaves hanging on by a thread. I wrapped most of my Tetrapanax trunks with pipe insulation, hoping that would allow me to keep the height and they'd leaf out from the top next spring. I did get a comment from a reader who'd used the insulation in the past and said it was a disaster "outer bark and cambium slimed instead of dried up hard" - I am happy to report that wasn't an issue for me.

I am beginning to think the Euphorbia stygiana might make it after all (unprotected and I'd written this one off). Some of the lower foliage is turning brown but the new growth areas look fine.

Looks like the Stachyurus salicifolius and buds (unprotected) are fine.

This is the Agave bracteosa I referred to earlier. It's unhappy and not due to the weather but the neighbor's cat who decided to lay on top of it. As you can imagine I think bad thoughts about that cat.

Aloe striatula which I only halfheartedly tried to cover while covering the nearby agaves, I figured it was a goner. So far, well, maybe not...

I'll end this post-freeze Foliage Follow-up with another agave shot, A. gentryi ‘Jaws’ with ice. Of all the non-variegated agaves he's looking the worst. His arms aren't as solid as they should be. Of course I tried to save him with covers, one more time I'll say "time will tell"...

Thank you for joining me for this extended garden tour. If you want more Foliage Follow-up visit Pam and her blog Digging, she's the hostess for this monthly meme.

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

41 comments:

  1. Ah, Euphorbia stygiana, how do I love thee...? Mine looks great after our freeze, all perky and green.
    Around 2006, 2007 we had a monster snowstorm (monster by PDX standards). At the time I had two huge Euphorbia mellifera that were covered in a blanket of ice/snow for weeks. They bounced back with perfect foliage, never losing a single leaf. They are amazing!
    Thanks for a great post, Loree.
    Bridget

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    1. Glad to hear yours look good!

      Could it have been 2008/09? That was the monster Christmas snow year and the year I lost the only other Euphorbia stygiana (or E. mellifera I can't remember which) I've ever tried to grow. Granted it was much smaller but it basically just curled up and died.

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  2. So when the next cold snap comes through, what will you do differently?

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    1. I wish I had a good answer for you Alan. Since every storm is different (how much notice we get, the temperature forecast, moisture (that's a big one), time I have available to prepare) it's hard to predict what I'll do. If you asked me what I wish I would have done differently I definitely wish I would have protected the base of all the Grevillea juniperina, forgetting the long long long branches but concentrating on the core.

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  3. Not bad at all, I reckon most of what you have featured will be fine. Some will be flawed but will bounce back again and look good in the spring. I think the variegated Phormium will be fine. Some plants with brown tinge are just cold scorched but mostly just cosmetic damage, same with the shrubs with browned buds like the Fatsia, that'll look perfect again in the summer.

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    1. I'm wondering if the damaged foliage at the tip of the Fatsia polycarpa will encourage it to branch. So far it's been growing just a single trunk and I'd like it to stay that way for another foot or so...

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  4. Looks like overall your protection measures were a success. Considering how cold you got and how long the snow/ice lasted, I'd say you are doing pretty good. I hate the effect of those kinds of freak storms on my own garden, as we push our zone in Austin too. Can't believe a cat chose to lie on your squid agave, btw -- how can that even be comfortable??

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    1. It was comfortable-ish because I'd put frost cloth and burlap over that corner to protect. I'd put a bamboo stake there in an attempt to make it less inviting but the darn thing probably just wrapped it's furry mass around it. The same rodent has taken to spraying my stock tanks with urine, as you might imagine that causes discoloration which can't be removed.

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  5. Wow, that is a lot of pictures. Way to keep G. rivularis going; I was wondering. I am especially impressed with Puya chilensis. And it sounds like I need that Astelia nivicola 'Red Gem'. The UW Arboretum has well established specimens of A. chathamica (and Sophora prostrata) that have weathered all the cold winters with no apparent harm since at least 1990. (Although I think they recently moved the Astelia)

    On the negative side, Cordylines take forever to show damage, so they could be dead. Well, they're not especially rare or anything...

    I'll be surprised if that Banksia isn't just fine. Overall it seems you did great - nothing your garden shouldn't bounce back from!

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    1. You didn't say anything about the Grevillea juniperina damage, not good eh? Sean was my source for the Astelia nivicola 'Red Gem' and yes, I remember the slow decline of the cordy's last time. I also have tugged on the centers and they are solid, which they weren't before, however I'm not going to be surprised if one day they just fall over!

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  6. Heartbreak and hope. Overall, though, you fared better than I thought, considering how cold it got. Some nice surprises there! And even plants that may look like they're toast could come back from the roots so give them time.

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    1. "Heartbreak and hope"...you summed it up so well!

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  7. I am also heartbroken about my two Astelia chathamica and one red Astelia. They look awful and are probably dead. The previous two mild winters lulled me into a false sense of security and now I am paying the price. I also, foolishly, left my Agave Blue Glow outside under the eaves and now it is squishy. Looking forward to the spring plant sale to replace my losses.

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    1. Oh no! A squishy 'blue glow' is a sad thing...

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    2. i just saw on an agave forum that Blue Glow can take down to 18F. Its way more hardy than i thought, although it still wouldnt have made it through your storm without protection. I'm planning on putting mine in the ground next year.

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  8. It appears that wrapping really helped your garden pull through that nasty cold front. I'm curious to see how your tetrapanax does next spring. I'm thinking nasty thoughts about that cat too.

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    1. Maybe if we all think nasty thoughts at the same time...

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  9. I'm sorry for your losses and share your hope for those that emerged from this winter battle with fight still left in them. I can't imagine how much effort is involved in covering and uncovering, then covering again (unless the weather gods choose to take pity, which I'll cross my fingers they will).

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    1. I hadn't covered anything for a couple of winters now so I think I had some energy reserves to pull from, plus the forecast was a lot scarier than the reality turned out to be. If similarly challenged again we'll see just how much I can manage.

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  10. Surprising what made it through and what didn't. Sorry for the goners but just think of the plant shopping opportunities they provide! Now, enough cold weather already!

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    1. I have enough shopping opportunities without loosing established plants...

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  11. fifi lafontaineDecember 16, 2013

    Oooh thanks for this post! My acacia pravissima looks (dare I say it?) Good. How weird! I didn't cover any of my agaves and am a bit worried as the biggest one, Agave jr, did have a collar of ice like some of yours. After having driven by the big Sacramento street agave and seeing that the owners left it uncovered, I felt a little relief... but I spotted a slight wrinkled texture on some of Agave jr.'s leaves. Is that bad? Anyway, I hope all of yours pull through. I hope we've seen the end of the frigid cold too!

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    1. It's not uncommon for my agaves to lose some lower leaves over the winter (well they don't lose them, I cut them off because they are ugly) but they rebound in the summer. Don't be too worried if Jr has some issues like that. The important thing is that the center core stays solid.

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  12. Thank you for sharing your process with us! Your wrapping looked so much tidier than my haphazard efforts! Thankfully it appears that my only casualties were my echiums star of madiera and wildpretti. I was out of town during the lowest of the low temps and was quite worried I'd lose much more. I did bring a few potted plants in to the house in the week or so before the arctic air arrived, when temps were still in the mid 50's. They don't appear to be experiencing any shock, but now I don't know if or when I should put them back out! It proves to be a very educational winter for me and my infant garden! It is so helpful to see the results of your efforts. Cheers- Kiersten

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    1. I always worry about bringing plants in and out of the house. A couple that came in have stayed in but I waited until the nighttime lows were above freezing and took the rest outside. Sorry about your echiums, will you replace them or are you done with them?

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  13. Thank you so much, Loree, for this post! This is great benchmark data for making future choices here in Portland.

    I want to share that two Ozamanthus "Silver Sussex", planted in spring from Xera, look just fine in my yard with no protection. I remember you writing that they might be on your list.
    Hope at least one of your echiums pulls through. I was hoping hoping my E. Candicans would survive the winter, but it looks just like yours. Already planning an April trip to Cistus to buy more, and possibly an E. Wildpretti. After readying your post I am super psyched to get an Agave bracteosa!

    Jim

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    1. Thank you for sharing your Osmanthus "Silver Sussex" experience, that's good to know as I would like to add at least one to the garden in the spring. I have been impressed time and time again with how well Agave bracteosa does in our climate, you'll be happy you made the purchase (but why stop at just one?)...

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  14. Weird about the Cordyline, as I have exactly the same situation here in Seattle - regrowth from the 2009 freeze that I left uncovered and thought would be toast looks fine. Someone did comment upthread that they can take a long time to show the damage, so perhaps that is the answer for both of ours. But perhaps once they've survived one freeze....

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    1. I spotted a couple more around town yesterday that have foliage falling downward, not a good sign. Please keep me updated on how yours are doing!

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  15. I wouldn't have worried about Fatsia japonica. As a child at my parents home on the Washington coast in the early 1960's the thermometer read -6° F, leaving the F. japonica they had a bare stick. That spring new leaves came from that stick, by the end of summer it completely recovered. Since getting into exotic gardening, none of the bad winters, '83, '89, '90, '98, '08/09, '10/11 killed them outright. They just kept on sailing through without much damage.My experience with Schefflera delavayi started just before the '08/09 storm with temperatures similiar to this year, 12°F. It made it through that and the '10/11 storm with only the very small leaves on the naked buds dropping off. In the spring it continued growth from the apical meristems. So Cistus' statement in its catalog that it is as tough as F. japonica, I believe.

    Thanks for the information about your experience.
    John(Aberdeen)

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    1. I wasn't really worried about the Fatsia japonica, just wanted to share the ugly foliage shot. Good to know you've seen them come back from such depths! Thank you for the Schefflera delavayi confirmation. I suspected it would be okay but I would have been very upset if I'd lost it since it was a gift from Sean. Overall how did your plants do? Maybe it's time to check out the Palms and Subtropicals board again and see what everyone is saying!

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  16. I'm surprised to see the damage on your Fatsia japonica, which has taken high single digits in my own (Washington, DC) garden unprotected and with no damage. It looks more like sun scorch to me; I find that this species doesn't like full sun, especially in winter (as can happen when leaves fall off overhead trees). Here's my own recent post on this species:

    http://dctropics.blogspot.com/2013/11/fabulous-fatsia.html

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    1. I look forward to reading you post later tonight, looks like lots of good info! Re: the damage nope, it's from the cold. It's happened before, this plant is very exposed to the cold winds we get and when the leaves flop it's a given that some of them will turn this color. The worst damage is on the north too, where as sun damage would be on the south side...not that we've seen much lately.

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  17. Your Manfreda ‘Macho Mocha’ will probably come back from the roots

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    1. Good to know, I wondered if that would be a possibility. I plant to leave the ugly mess for now thinking it will protect the roots, at least a little.

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  18. I am so sorry to see all of the damage honey! But you would have to take out stock in the frost cloth company to protect all of your plants. This has been a bad year for sure. I have peaked under a few blankets and I definitely have damage or lost some things all together. Arg! And winter is just starting!!!!

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    1. Thank you Candice, I have to admit I was jealous seeing your big swaths of frost cloth! I am sorry to learn of the damage to your plants, you did such a good job of protecting things too!

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  19. Oooh, fingers crossed for that acacia. I'll be interested to see what comes back from the dead, and even though you've lost a lot, a lot survived too! Good to see :)

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    1. Just this morning I ran my fingers along the tallest branch I could reach, still soft and not crunchy...

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  20. Good mega-post on your post-freeze reconnaissance mission!

    It came out even better than I thought, even if a few more plants wait until warmth (April-May?) to meet their bitter end. The Feijoa (Acca, now?) sellowiana - wow. Quite impressive on the majority that look fine! Must find a Sophora prostrata...

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    1. Feijoa/Acca...why can't I keep them straight! If you can't find a Sophora prostrata in your neck of the woods you'll be able to up here next July during the Fling!

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