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....

A Visit to Cistus Nursery

I made an impromptu stop at Cistus Nursery today after staying with some extended family in Oregon.  The nursery is located just outside of Portland on Sauvie Island.  Being three hours away from my house in Seattle, it's sort of a requirement for me to stop by if I'm ever driving through.

Cistus Nursery is a plant geek's nursery.  You won't find very many fruit trees or frilly flowers here.  Their specialty is in rare evergreen structural plants.  They grow plants like agaves, eucalyptus, palms, bamboo, ferns, cacti, yuccas, and perhaps the Northwest's best selection of hardy broadleaved evergreen trees.  In other words, they happen to grow all my most favorite plants.

Above, a pair of Yucca rostrata growing in a surprisingly high amount of shade. 

Below, I'm not quite sure of the plant on the left, but I know the plant on the right: an eryngium agavifolium.  Both look a bit miserable but they are also growing in a lot of shade and would probably look better in more sun.  At least they're growing in sandy/rocky soil.

Here is a nice Trachycarpus Fortunei (Windmill palm).  The new information on these is to partially bury the trunk when you plant them, since new roots can emerge from the trunk itself and extend its root system.  This palm is really unlike most other palms and thrives in our almost year-round wetness.

Here's an exciting idea: Pinnate or feather-leaved palms that can grow in the Northwest.  After all, when most people think of a palm tree, they're thinking of something that looks like this:

Butia capitata

A look inside the main greenhouse.  It is not an exaggeration to say that rare plants outnumber familiar plants.

I was checking out the palms when this scrappy old cat started stalking me.

Here is an overall view of the nursery looking back toward the entrance.  As you can see, I had the place all to myself.

Psycho cat stalking me again as I was checking out these sedges.

Inside one of the greenhouses.  Their heating system does not seem to be very well advanced but I'm sure it does the trick.

The check-out area.  I have no idea what the plant is on the left.  It has the foliage of an echium but is branched like a tree.



Leaving Cistus Nursery without any plants is like leaving the beach without a suntan.  I quickly realized that a lot of money goes a little ways here.  But when you consider the time, effort, and resources it takes to obtain and propagate these incredible plants, it's actually a really good deal.

From left to right: 

Osmanthus armatus 'Jim Porter' - Very stiff, light green leaves with gold spikes

Podocarpus matudae - A large-leaved podocarpus

Chamaecyparis lawsonia 'Blue Surprise' - A Japanese conifer with blue foliage
Sophora microphylla 'Sun King' - An evergreen tree in the pea family

Cussonia paniculata - Just an odd-looking plant that will eventually form a trunk (not really hardy)

Magnolia laevifolia 'Velvet & Cream' - An incredibly handsome little tree

Agave parryi var. huachucensis - A blue agave with a good amount of cold and wet tolerance

Lonicera nitida 'Twiggy' - A little shrub with red and green foliage

Carex platyphylla 'Blue Satin' - A sedge with 1-2" wide, paper-thin foliage

Schefflera delavayi - One of the hardiest scheffleras

Pyrrosia lingua - A creeping evergreen fern with simple (i.e. non-ferny) leaves