Spring update #1

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:20 am

A little play by play on some of the out of zone or rare plants that I am growing in my USDA zone 4b/5a garden near Kingston, ON:

Magnolia BBB- Complete defoliation and certain stem die back. I want to try a hardier cultivar, but I fear this is a losing battle without some major protection.
Daphinophyllum- Mostly defoliated, but does not seem to have much, if any, stem die back. It will recover.
Ilex x. aquipernyi- 100% fine. This one might be a long term option! Very impressed with early performance.
Ilex pendunculosa- Some stem die back on the male (which flowered in late fall). otherwise fine. Very impressed.
Yucca 'Southcaost'- Unscathed, I expect big things from this one!
Sabal 'Birmingham'- DEAD
Sabal minor 'Brazoria'- some leaf damage, but will (likely) recover.

Others:
Sabal minor 'NE texas'- Small plant in same enclosure as the Birm and the Braz. Untouched.
Rhapidophyllum and 'regular' minor- Not a blemish.
Phyllostachys:
aureosulcata- some (~25%) leaf damage.
aureosulcata 'alata'- 2 culms top killed, otherwise 10% leaf damage
aureosulcata 'spectibilis'- Very little damage, maybe 10% leaf mortality.
atrovaginata- little damage. Most leaves eaten by rabbits, should size up this year.
rubromarginata- Can't see any damage... Was covered with snow.
vivax- First time with no top kill, ~70% leaf mortality
angusta- Little damage. Tiny plant has suffered vole damage in the past, barely holding on.
bissetti- 2 leaves. heavily rabbit damaged, still alive but no vigorous.

Fargesia:
Nitida- fine. naturally drops a lot of leaves in fall. Will be 100% soon.
sp.- a 10 dollar plant from No Frills. No damage this year. Maybe sp. rufa?
nitida 'NS' seedlings- Came through fine. No damage. Had 'tarp' type protection.

Yucca:
Y. harrimaniae- 2 types, both top-killed.
Y. elata seed grown- no damage
Y. elata from beavercreek- little to no damage
Y. recurv. x filata- 2 plants, little to no damage
Y. recurv. x (reverchonii x thompsoniana)- some leaf damage, will recover
Y. gloriosa 'Tennessee' seedlings- Some rabbit browsing, otherwise fine.
Y. pallida- Some damage as usual, will recover.
Too many to list...

Cacti-
Dead:
O. humifusa ammophila (well, 2 sections of 2 pads are alive, will they recover? 10% chance)
O. basilaris 'Coombe's winter glow'
O. macrocentra- 100% killed (2nd winter)
O. echinocarpa 'gold spined form' dead (silver spined form is fine)

There are others, but too many to list... How is your place looking this early spring?

Paul

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 1:36 pm

What no pics?

That mag still didnt make it even after a mild winter eh? Good thing you bought M, Tripitala seeds (im assuming that one made it fine).

Nice to hear about your bamboo too. You should get a wicked size up on all of em.

My small but ever growing list:

Bamboo:

Fine. THe Rufa seems to do way better up here then my Phyllostachys alata. They both have some crispy edges, but seem fine, with no kill. Last chance for the alata.

Zone 5 plants:

Wegelia - 5th or 6th year, perfect again
Belcalmus lily - inch tall seedling planted last fall, is perfect
Almond - Grown from a random nut from Superstore (loblaws atlantic superstore etc) The top growth is green, and the buds are swelling.
Seedling Pear - Survived, and the graft (Flemish Beauty (thanks barb)) seems to have taken
Hibiscus Moeschetos - Roots are perfect, 3rd year

Wierd stuff/random:

Bearded Iris - Almost all of them survived the entire winter without dieing back.
Rhodo "helikkii" - Perfect, flower buds are swelling.
Azalea "exubury" - All flower buds are intact
Yucca Filamentosa var.? - Good, needs more sun, 2nd or 3rd year

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:03 pm

Nice update guys. I'm really interested in the Daph. I gotta try one! Keep the updates coming.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:52 am

When does the movie come out?

I want to go see it.

Just finished our typical April visit with frost-looking forward to warmer weather
and some(hopefully)decent rainfall for a change!

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 6:33 pm

Yep I wanna see the D macropodum. My Bets were against that one. And I need one here. Most wanted list 3years.straight.
Adam

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:52 am

1/2 of the pics are now online. Hope to get the rest up soon.

Some of the cactus bed, the Yuccas are glauca, recurv x filata, and (in the back) and alofolia hybrid:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... abWO"><img src="http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/19039 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="331"></a>

Opposite angle of the same location:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... yJEE"><img src="http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/44119 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="333"></a>

Yucca elata (seed grown) and some of the cactus bed:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... OSNF"><img src="http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/31070 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="334"></a>

Rhodo. bvt and maximum. Yiou can see the I. pendunculosa in the background if you squint!
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... UaeF"><img src="http://inlinethumb41.webshots.com/50920 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="350"></a>

This I. opaca has been in the ground for 4 years now... This is the best it has ever looked:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... EiXY"><img src="http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/5690/ ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="351"></a>

More to come!

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:56 am

Adam- Methinks you would have no trouble with D. macropodum. I think that Jim (St, Catherines) has been growing one for a number of years without problem... AND it is really nice looking.

Is your paw-paw loaded with blooms this spring? Mine looks like it will have about a billion flowers, in previous years it has had 1 or 2... I really need to get another one to try to get fruit!

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 6:01 am

Paul - IF more of my paw paw seeds sprout ( so far one of 10), I can send you one or more. I have NO need for more then 2.

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 8:03 am

Good looking yuccas, Paul! Congrats!

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 2:14 pm

Great pics as usual, Paul! I like the look of the leaves on that aloifolia hybrid.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Apr 13, 2012 4:28 pm

Love the elatas!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:52 am

Your plants look good. Perhaps the holly is more established and is hardier...........or more likely the lack of damage is from the mild winter. The Y. Aloifolia x looks nice......can you post a close up photo?

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:28 am

Tim- I'll get a close up of the leaves next time I am back at the garden!

Thanks guys. More pics to follow...