Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
davidrt28

somewhat notable conifer survivals after the 3F freeze

davidrt28 (zone 7)
10 years ago

I know, not very cold to many of you, but the coldest here since 2006. Previous running low was 7F. Freeze to 3F last Monday night was an intensely chilling and drying advective event with constant howling winds all night.

as I already said in response to a question from hairmetal, Pseudostuga sinensis is just fine. Barely noticeable bronzing on branches that were down near the snow. (thought I'd bought P. wilsoniana from Camforest, it was actually this one)

Cunninghamia lanceolata, plain green: light bronzing of all foliage, but nothing that looks fatal...I presume it will green up in the spring.

Cupressus X ovensii
Fine. In fact somewhat amazingly it looks better than my 'Green Giants', which is slightly bronzed. However, the C. X ovensii is in a site completely protected from morning sun by a huge Picea abies. That probably accounts for the difference. This plant is also: disease free versus some leylands I have in my yard (I know, I know, I shouldn't have, but I moved them from close to my house where they were idiotically planted to screen a deck, to a place out along my property border), and somehow more attractive in my opinion. A lighter, less sombre green.

Podocarpus 'Red Tips' - fine but is tiny and was almost covered in snow. It seems to grow incredibly slowly.

Podocarpus 'chinensis' form of P. macrophyllus ex. Camforest, Woodlanders, et al.. - fine

Sheesh, is that it? Is that all the tender conifers I have? Oh wait...

3 seedling Abies delavayi are 100% fine. Interestingly a few years ago a equally small plant sent to me from a PNW seller on ebay as Abies delavayi died at 7F. However it had been planted in fall so might not have had time to establish.

almost not worth mentioning: but a not very old Cedrus 'Shalimar' that is only 6-7' tall is fine and not even showing a smidgen of needle injury. It was planted about 4 years ago as a 2' mail order plant...likewise my Abies pindrow is fine.

As I already stated on another thread, all of my Sequoia cultivars are fine, with minor needle injury in some cases.

Comments (2)

Sponsored
Peabody Landscape Group
Average rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars8 Reviews
Franklin County's Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting