Friday, December 13, 2013

Frozen, Part 2

Expecting the worst, I moved several hundred plants into the garage during the week leading up to last week's arctic outbreak.  Some of the more recent plantings, such as the Mexican blue palm (Brahea armata) in the lower right of the photo, were temporarily dug up.  Others are long-term pot residents that just needed the extra protection.


Of course, the plants in the garage aren't even a drop in the bucket compared to the plants that were stuck outside and exposed to the full force of arctic agony.  Once again, here are more observations of some borderline and/or new plants along with how dead or alive they are:

1 = Dead
2 = Severely damaged and may never fully recover
3 = Severely damaged but will probably fully recover eventually
4 = Severely damaged but will probably fully recover in less than a year
5 = Moderate cosmetic (e.g. leaf) damage but no known structural damage
6 = Minor leaf/flower damage
7 = No damage

Unprotected Lomatia myricoides = 7 (No apparent damage)
Unprotected Eriobotrya japonica = 7 (I have two of these - neither show any signs of damage)
Unprotected Daphne odora = 6 (Although the bronzed foliar "damage" makes it look more attractive)
Unprotected Metapanax delavayi = 7
Unprotected Magnolia laevifolia = 7
Unprotected Podocarpus matudae = 7
Protected Billbergia nutans = ?? (Covered with a blanket - it looks ok now, but bromeliads can definitely play alive when they are in fact dead)
Unprotected Sophora microphylla = 7 (Even the un-hardened-off new growth was virtually unscathed)

 I'll continue with a final installment tomorrow with plants featuring a little more frost damage....

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