Casualties: Winter of 2010

Since some of my plants tend to push the climatic zone limits, I will always have a few winter casualties.  In terms of lengthy cold spells, the winter of 2010 was one of the more extreme I've experienced in central Texas.  With over 60 hours of continuous temperatures in the teens, many plants got hammered back to the ground and several were not able to make it back in the spring.

Bronze Dyckia

Serious damage:

• Dyckias: Dyckia brevifolia 'Moon Glow' & Red-leafed Dyckia (Dyckia 'Red Devil') certainly received some cold burns (of all the Dyckias, the Dyckia 'Cherry Coke' came out the best - receiving only minor damage)
• Manfreda 'Macho Mocha' (Manfreda x Mangave 'Macho Mocha'): all four plants got severely set back; plants that were over two foot across are now recovering from sprouts
• Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata): All but one of my large specimens got reduced to sprouts; and the one remaining large plant lost almost all its larger lower leaves.
• One Pale Pavonia (Pavonia hastata) got knocked back to roots and is recovering very slowly; another planted just fifteen foot away came through with almost no damage - go figure.

Marilyn's Choice Abutilon

Deceased:

• Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum): though primarily sold as a winter annual in these parts (disappearing with the heat), they couldn't handle our unusually low temperatures this winter and didn't even make it through winter
• Dyckias: Pineapple Dyckia (Dyckia brevifolia), Dyckia platyphylla, two of three Bronze Dyckia (Dyckia fosteriana 'Bronze')

Dyckia platyphylla

• The largest of my three Marilyn's Choice Abutilon
• Salvia van houttei: I will miss its magenta blossoms.
• One of seven Mexican Petunias (Ruellia tweediana 'Colobe Pink'): usually recovers from the roots but the cold got one of them
• Transplanted Variegated Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon jaburan 'Vitattus'); but three that had been in the ground longer survived
• Palm Grass (Setaria palmifolia): my one potted specimen never returned
• Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata): not surprising; a considerable gamble to leave two in the ground (still have my potted one)

Salvia van houttei

 Planted in the Ground:

• Bella Red Abutilon (Abutilon x hybridum 'Bella Red') & pink Bella Mix Abutilon: Two of the Mix & four of the Red; my single Bella Red survived the harsh winter with only a towel thrown in its direction - so hoping these others do as well.

Unprotected Results

I previously reported on the protected plants and the results of our prolonged freeze here in central Texas.  Now its time to examine the plants that received no protection which showed damage or which looked bad but appear to be recovering.

The Gold Dust Plants (Aucuba japonica 'Variegata') originally looked quite sad, but after a couple days of warmth, they have completely recovered.

The potted Bear's Breech (Acanthus 'Summer Beauty') initially looked sad, and now...well...sad doesn't even begin to describe its condition.  Will have to see if it recovers from the roots (presently, I am hopeful).

The Formosa Red Azalea (Azalea indica 'Formosa Red') has also bounced back looking no worse for the exposure.  I had though it should be able to handle the conditions, but its droopy look a couple of days ago had me worried.

No surprise here.  I had not anticipated the Palm Grass (Setaria palmifolia) foliage to make it through even our regular winter lows.  The plan was for it to return from roots - now I'll just have to wait and see.

The Coral Bells 'Caramel' (Heuchera villosa 'Caramel') looked a little tired, but is another that bounced back strong once the temperatures warmed up.  I had suspected that this plant should be able to handle the lows, but since it is new to my garden, there is always doubt.

Another new plant to the garden is the Butterfly Iris (Iris 'nada').  It has handled all previous freezes without showing any damage (even putting on some new growth during the warmer spells).  But it also was one that looked rather sad - but it has bounced back with only some minor damage.

The forgotten Gasteraloe 'Midnight' (meant to cover it - though I'm thinking it would not have made a difference) might look healthy in the picture, but every piece of green is soft and mushy.  I'm afraid it may be a complete loss.

I have never protected my Manfreda 'Macho Mocha' (Manfreda x Mangave 'Macho Mocha') (even during last year's 18 degree lows), but they certainly got hurt by the extreme length of this winter's cold exposure.  Much of the plant  is soft and mushy - can't yet tell if the center is still firm.  Time will tell.

The Variegated Flax Lilies (Dianella tasmanica 'Variegata'), another plant that can handle our typical Central Texas lows, has certainly been knocked back to its roots (much like last year).   But it should return.

Blooming just days prior to the serious freeze, the Variegated Abutilons (Abutilon pictum 'Thompsonii') & Marilyn's Choice Abutilon all have freeze-dried leaves (and blossoms).  As  this is my first winter with the Abutilons, I will have to wait and see if they return from the above-ground stems, the roots or even at all.

With day after day of below freezing temperatures, the Texas Gold Columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha var. hinckleyana) had finally laid flat on the ground.  But with warmer temperatures, it has begin to look much healthier.

Two of the garden's three Friendship Plants (Billbergia nutans) were left to fend for themselves without protection in the cold temperatures.  It is really difficult to tell the condition of the plant.  It isn't soft or mushy, nor has its color faded or darkened.  Will have to give it time to see the effects.

Of the two Foxtail Ferns (Asparagus densiflorus 'Meyersii'), one is potted and one is in the ground.  The protected potted one received minor damage whereas the unprotected soil-based one certainly has more of its stems showing the tell-tale brownish tint that likely will lead to that portion being lost.  But the plant should pull through.

Last year's 18 degree low hammered the Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus africanus) almost completely back to its roots.  So this years lengthy freeze (and 17 degree low) will certainly cause a repeat of last year's results.

Also a repeat low temperature victim is the Pink Rain Lilies (Zephyranthes rosea).  Their foliage typically withstand lows in the mid-20s, but temperatures in the teens lead it to lose everything above ground.  But spring should see it sprouting once again.

A couple of others that appeared a little upset with the cold, but have survived with only minimal damage include Joe Pye Shrub & Cast Iron Plants (Aspidistra elatior).

Of course, there are several other plants that did as expected.  Evergreens continued on in their foliar ways.  Deciduous plants had lost their leaves long ago.  The usual perennial culprits disappeared back into the ground, but will return with the spring.  Likely, some that presently appear undamaged will begin to show signs as the months progress, and others that looked to have received mortal blows will bounce back.

For now, its a waiting game.

Pots In The Garden

No silly, it says "Pots"; that's plural.  Hopefully you weren't looking for some other type of gardening adventure.

Until this past year, the concept of placing pots out in the garden was quite foreign to me.  Why would I want a pot on the soil - that's a spot where a plant could go!  Of course, I've always had potted plants, but they tended to be grouped onto my deck and certainly not amongst the garden plants.

Thanks for the Coleus, Robin (Getting Grounded) - I think its done rather well.

But as I visited other gardens in person and viewed garden blogs online, I began to see the value in pots going out into the garden.  If nothing else, in a shady garden, it certainly gives one the chance to add some needed color amongst the dominant green foliage (ummm...or bare dirt).  Not to mention the structural aspect it lends to certain areas, plus the way it catches and directs the eye.

I'm still trying to get comfortable with the whole idea.  But I have started dabbling with it.  Looking not only at plants when I visit nurseries, but also watching for pots that catch my fancy.  Trying to determine which plants might do better in a pot than in the ground.  Wrapping my mind around the thought that larger pots make more visual impact, but they're freaking heavy once filled - so better consider either annuals or winter-hardy plants (cuz lugging around pots to dodge freezes ain't my kind of fun - though I seem to be doing plenty of that anyway).
 

Most of my garden-bound potted plants still tend to find their way onto rocks or paths, but I'm beginning to feel adventurous enough to move a few out onto the dirt or amongst the soil-bound plants.  And I'm thinking I kinda like them out there.

Planted in the Ground:

• Southern Wood Fern (Dryopteris normalis): I'd been considering adding these to my garden and, when I found it on the discount rack, I grabbed five.  Though somewhat battered, as long as the roots are good, I figured it really didn't matter since our winter freezes would be removing the foliage before long anyway.

Planted in Pots:

• Tricolor Ginger (Stromanthe sanguinea 'Triostar'): Another discount rack discovery; has been on my Gotta Get list as a potted plant (along with 'Tricolor' - but I'm beginning to think its the same plant).
• Palm Grass (Setaria palmifolia): Have admired the plant's strap-like leaves for a while, but have always held back.  Will be interested to see how it does through the winter as I plan to leave it out.