2004-2005 winter survivors

18 years ago

I've already posted this in the perennials forum, but since I'm growing some things that are marginal in the mid-Atlantic I thought it might be of interest here:

Several somewhat exotic perennials have survived another cold winter in my zone 7a/b garden, usually with minimal protection (usually some fallen leaves heaped over them or an inch of shredded bark mulch):

Agapanthus: "Headbourne Hybrids", grown from seed, have been completely hardy (if deciduous) through 3 winters with no mulch at all. Several seedlings are putting out new foliage. I also have a hardy cultivar ('Bressingham Blue', I think) that I planted last year that is coming up.

Ferns: Adiantum capillus-veneris is coming up late as always; Thelypteris kunthii has survived its third cold winter, but again is a late riser.

Impatiens omeiana: not surprised that it survived the winter so much as that it survived at all. I planted it in a spot that stayed too dry for its liking last year, and then it got shaded out by surrounding plants. I assumed it was too weak to survive the winter but I'm glad I was wrong. Once it puts out a bit more growth I'll move it to a spot where I can keep a closer eye on it and water it more easily.

Ficus pumila: not properly a perennial, but I planted a few in various spots around my garden last year just as an experiment. One of them actually survived the winter (under fallen leaves) with healthy green foliage (all unprotected parts died).

Titanotrichum oldhamii: a very nice hardy gesneriad from Taiwan and southern China, sprouting after surviving its third winter in my garden with only a light mulch. There is no reason for this subtropical plant to be hardy but Plant Delights has been selling it as a zone 7b plant, and at least one grower in Virginia who I shared it with has it coming up as well. Yucca Do is marketing this plant as "golden foxglove" for its brilliant yellow-orange flowers. This is the only gesneriad that I have found to be reliably hardy so far.

Zantedeschia 'Whipped Cream': I'm really impressed with this one. It's hardy, it has attractive foliage, it comes up and leafs out as early as most of my perennials, has good foliage all summer long and looks good well into October or even November. I would only wish for more flowers, but even without them it has a nice elephant-ear look.

Meanwhile on my "want list" are several new Begonia species from China that are supposed to be hardy but I'm not sure I'm ready to pay $20+ for them yet...

Here is a link that might be useful: 2004 plant photos

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Comments (12)

reddbuffalo
18 years ago
i lost 3 iteas this winter! didn't know they were marginal!
babywatson
18 years ago
Johnnie,

I liked your plants. How is your windmill palm doing over the winters? do you protect it and how? I ordered one from Plant Delights and expect it to arrive this week.

BTW, did your fatsia survive our winter?

Mary
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laine713
18 years ago
One of my itea's had some winter damage, but it should rebound. I have two in a protected spot, i.e. they are among other trees and shrubs.
alfie_md6
18 years ago
Johnnie, your post was a lot of fun for me to read. I work in DC, and I'm always entertained by the climatic difference between the gardens on the Mall and my own garden, which is really not all that far away. It always makes me jealous in the spring -- less so in the summer :-).
creatrix
18 years ago
I was surprised to find 5 'Victoria' Salvias coming up! They're supposed to be an annual (I had already started 8 more from seed!)
JohnnieB
Original Author
18 years ago
Yes, my fatsias have now survived 3 winters with minimal protection. One of them even bloomed last year. All of them are putting out a large flush of new foliage--this is their fifth growing season from seed so I expect them to have a much greater impact in the garden this year. I have been surprised at just how hardy they are. I should add that I'm on a north-facing hillside, so although I live in the city my yard doesn't have an especially warm microclimate.

My windmill palms have also done quite well. Trachycarpus wagnerianus seedlings have survived 3 winters with minimal protection and little damage, and T. fortunei "Taylor form" planted a year ago had its spear pull this spring, but is already putting out a new one.
gardenpaws_VA
18 years ago
Much to my surprise, I seem to have little fuzzy nubbins of new growth at the base of (the dead sticks of) Salvia 'Black and Blue'. It is somewhat sheltered, but not next to masonry, and wasn't planted until last October, so I'm really surprised to see it winter here in Herndon. Easy winter, or climate change, or unusually hardy specimen?
babywatson
18 years ago
I'm really surprised fatsia survived. Supposedly it's only hardy to zone 8. I'm not sure if I'm 7A or 7B, thinking it might lean towards B since they're redoing the zone maps this year. At least that's what I've heard. I'm in Prince William County.
bengz6westmd
18 years ago
I'm finding mounting damage on plantings made in spring 2004. Ground was frozen fairly deep this past winter for many weeks -- I'm guessing this was the main reason, along w/the dessicating winds.

All 4 Crape mrytles killed to ground (KTG) -- Natchez is the lone sprouter.
2 of 3 Fringe trees KTG -- both sprouting weakly.
2 of 3 Butterfly bushes KTG -- both sprouting.
1 of 3 Hybrid Amer chestnuts KTG -- sprouting weakly.
2 of 4 Willowleaf cotoneasters KTG -- only one of those 2 sprouting alittle.
Also lost an admittedly experimental Bakers cypress (it's a Calif. native) to dessication.

However, many more plants than this were not damaged appreciably.
bengz6westmd
18 years ago
Add to my damage list 2 Clethra annifolia 'Hummingbird' w/bad branch dieback but both sprouting along lower parts.
cfmuehling
18 years ago
I lost a TON of stuff, which saddened me. Some to dog damage, some to nature.

I lost 6 crape myrtles, 3 buddleia, probably 12 or 13 heuchera or tiarella, and some small trees. Japanese Maples, Sycamores, Kentucky Coffee Trees, and a couple other things.

On the other hand, I did have a fuschia come back, along with a lovely St. John's Wort that would probably have come back on its own last year, if I had know to be patient. I've learned to wait a bit, because not everything pops its head out in March. Go figure!

Christine
cecilia_md7a
18 years ago
Salvia elegans - Pineapple Sage. I had just bought a new plant when I noticed the old one peeking out of the dying daffodil foliage. This is its third season! Maybe I have a really hardy strain that I should market.

I also was able to overwinter my dracaena spikes for a third year - I planted them next to the house on the east side, and mulched them. The old foliage died back, but there are new green leaves coming out of the middle of the rosette.