Zone 4 winter is over!

[Paul Ont]

Used to say I was on the border of zone 4b and 5a. I think I can't claim that anymore after another winter with a low in the -30C range. Located near Kingston, Ontario. Winters are long with sustained cold. More than a dozen nights will be below -21C, and sustained sub-freezing cold can last a month or more without going above freezing.

Here's what things look like now that the snow is gone. Was 25C the day I took these pictures (last weekend):

Yucca thompsoniana x filata, damaged but still alive. Interested to see if these will be hardy when they grow up:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17150399597" title="DSCF1011 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7747/171 ... 9726_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1011"></a>

Very little damage to the cacti. Here are some Echinocereus (rechenbachii mostly):
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17357827715" title="DSCF1010 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8808/173 ... fb35_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1010"></a>

Cylindropuntia whipplei 'Snow leopard':
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17150440027" title="DSCF1008 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7785/171 ... 7971_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1008"></a>

Finally found a few forms of O. phaeacantha that seem to be solid in zone 4 winters. Many of my older phaeacanthas show a lot of rot, not this one!
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17357915225" title="DSCF1007 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7657/173 ... 494f_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1007"></a>

O. polyacantha 'Dark Knight':
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17357979385" title="DSCF1004 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8713/173 ... c776_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1004"></a>

Cactus garden looking back toward the house:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17357647101" title="DSCF1003 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7734/173 ... da38_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1003"></a>

Pediocactus simpsonii tends not to do too well in the humid east. I guess my night time summer temps are low enough! Will bloom this week:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17357959765" title="DSCF1005 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8726/173 ... 1710_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1005"></a>

Seed grown Yucca "elata" (company must have mislabeled these, my guess is they are a form of Yucca glauca stricta). A little over a foot of clear trunk now, the one on the right sent up an aborted stalk 2 years ago and it now 3 headed:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17150584627" title="DSCF1001 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8687/171 ... fef9_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="DSCF1001"></a>

Sabal minor, protected with minilights in a poorly insulted "palm house":
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/16725049163" title="Sminormay2015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7724/167 ... 5a7f_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Sminormay2015"></a>

R. hystrix, was in the same house. Lots of damage, I imagine most of the stems are done:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17157941570" title="Needlepalmfrommay2015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8831/171 ... b8e7_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Needlepalmfrommay2015"></a>

Too cold here for most BLEs, but I keep trying anyway.
Ilex pendunculosa wants to be a ground cover here
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17138272147" title="Ipendunculosamay2015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8745/171 ... f575_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Ipendunculosamay2015"></a>

My only remaining Ilex opaca. Green is mostly below the snow line, the leaves above are burnt about 70%
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17158168770" title="Ilexopacamay12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7744/171 ... d8fe_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Ilexopacamay12015"></a>

Kalmia latifolia is harider than most BLEs. Deer seem to leave them alone too:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17319713726" title="Kalmialatifoliamay2015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7789/173 ... ebdd_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Kalmialatifoliamay2015"></a>

Another S. minor with bamboo in the back that was 100% top-killed. Great.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/16722826144" title="Sidesminormay2015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7668/167 ... 0c41_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Sidesminormay2015"></a>

Indocalamus tesselatus will bounce back, came through with a couple of green leaves:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17158154250" title="Indocalaumsmay2015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7711/171 ... d3cd_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Indocalaumsmay2015"></a>

S. ruscifolia. Dead.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17157813460" title="Sacraccofolia by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8835/171 ... 371c_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Sacraccofolia"></a>

Rhododendron macrophyllum (a west coast native). Dead.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17345053291" title="rmacrophyllummay12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8885/173 ... 3248_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="rmacrophyllummay12015"></a>

prunus laurocerasus, brown but should come back:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17157667038" title="Prunuslaureomay12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8706/171 ... b9c4_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Prunuslaureomay12015"></a>

Now for a bunch of winners, all Rhododendrons. Absolutely the best BLEs for cold zones, you need to seek out proper plants since the ones you can get commercially are poor performers.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17343644882" title="Mistmaidenmay2015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8705/173 ... f8a7_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Mistmaidenmay2015"></a>

Max x calophytum (should have leaves over 1' long)
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17138192907" title="Maxxcalophytummay12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8718/171 ... 2076_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Maxxcalophytummay12015"></a>

Anoter big leaf hybrid "Holdens Spring herald"
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17319822516" title="Holdensspringheraldmay12015 (2) by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8826/173 ... 3dbb_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Holdensspringheraldmay12015 (2)"></a>

Others:
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17345893585" title="degxroxmay12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7720/173 ... 8350_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="degxroxmay12015"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17343937692" title="Hintonhybrid2may12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7795/173 ... b292_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Hintonhybrid2may12015"></a

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17344073152" title="BVTmay12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8760/173 ... 23eb_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="BVTmay12015"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/16723514874" title="brueckxiv34may12015c by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7713/167 ... 1d8c_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="brueckxiv34may12015c"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/16723604544" title="BruecknerXI24may12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8720/167 ... a8b8_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="BruecknerXI24may12015"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/16725918853" title="BruecknerI39may12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7712/167 ... 593c_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="BruecknerI39may12015"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/16722879434" title="Sandrahintonmay12015 by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7674/167 ... 86d7_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Sandrahintonmay12015"></a>

Last one, this is BVT x (smirnowii x yak), the foliage looks like it just finished growing. I'm in awe of the hardiness and freshness of this plant. There are others that are close, but this one is really special. The only thing I will say is that I haven't seen it in flower yet, so maybe that's why it's not more widely cultivated? Anyway, if I was going to try Rhodo's in zone 3 this would be the plant to try.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/93526030@N02/17343952122" title="HintonBVThybrid by p_ont5a, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7741/173 ... 4bda_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="HintonBVThybrid"></a>

Paul

[igor.glukhovtsev]

Extremely useful update, Paul! Thanks for sharing! Would you please show more yucca plants?

[canadianplant]

Really nice paul..... Up here the winter was more "average", but still a bit harsh. My hellikki rhodi had a bit of damage but thats normal. What really surprised me was that every single PJM got hit. Last winter was way colder and way longer and it did ok. Other parts exposed did fine. This just isnt mine, it was all of the ones I have seen.

Left my bamboo unprotected and my alata survived. Topkilled to about 4 inches but alive. Have some hope for yours.

[Paul Ont]

Igor- I will take some more of the Yucca later, for some reason only a few of the desert type plant pictures uploaded... And I'm back in Toronto now. Sorry!

Jesse- Man, that bamboo... All of it top killed, except the Fargesia nitida. Still some green branches on a few things, but the big culms all died. The Ph. aureoculcata has begun to shoot, and it doesn't appear to have downsized at all. Probably will be in the 15' range again this year. The Ph. aureosulcata alata topkilled completely for the first time (as did the spectibilis). NO shoots yet, but I suspect no upsize. The spectibilis should be in the 15' range, and the alata maybe 8'. I was hoping for a big upsize for that alata this year. Oh well.

PJM is pretty tough, but I recall that they tend to die above the snow line, even in North Bay (which should be even colder than you). Hellikki is a decent plant, I wish I had a way to get you some of the Hinton hybrids to try up there, but they're so damned rare. If I ever get one to root you'll be top of the list. I bet they would sail through even your toughest winters.

Cheers.

[canadianplant]

Glad to hear some of the bamboo survived. IF i protected my alata i bet I would have 8 foot proper looking culms. Im tempted to dig it out, but really wanna see if it still will put up some decent sized culms.

My grandma has a PJM thats about 4.5 feet tall and it has been there for a while (10-15 years). Even my small one has been above the snowline in worse winters and hasnt shown damage until now. Thanks!

[hardyjim]

Paul

Were your cactus protected at all?

I have the Dark night Opuntia also,lots of problems getting
rooted in but growing this year.

Everything looks pretty good...ready to grow.

[Paul Ont]

Jim- I stopped protecting my cacti about 5 years ago. Too much of a hassle, and it's not necessary here (at least for the plants that I grow). The only thing I really wish I could get through a winter is a nice Agave, they just won't take the moisture here. Not shown are about 10 Opuntia engelmanii x ? seedlings. I'm hoping for a mostly hardy large growing plant out of those. We shall see.

[chadec]

Very nice rock garden, especially for your winter temps. I too find agaves more xeric than cacti and you would have to protect it. Which agaves have you tried?

[dukeofdoom]

Wow, the cactus handled the cold well for you.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I'm in Windsor, it was a little warmer, with a winter low of -26, and a few -22.

Losses:

a) 3 windmill palms (despite protection)
b) 1 needle palm
c) gardenia
d) 2 Camellias
e) 1 buddhist pine (seedling)


Severely damaged, but survivors

a) two chocolate Mimosa trees
b) 1 needle palm
c) Two Fatsia Japonica (seedlings)
d) 2 Camellias
e) 1 buddhist pine (seedlings)
f) Two Rhododendrons
g) magnolia wilsonii

BLE Survivors

1) Rhododendrons (about 10 different kinds) and 3 kinds of Azaleas
2) Large leafed English Ivy (zone 7 plant)
3) Native Cactus
4) ilex aquifolium (damaged)
5) Figs
6) Pieris japonica
7) Adam's needle Yucca


Going forward, I'm rethinking my garden. I still very much want an exotic and tropical look, but it's hard to do that in Ontario with palms that keep dying back.
I replaced one Windmill Palm so I can try again with an in ground palm. But for the most part, I will be keeping dwarf date palms in pots.
These form a nice trunk, and seem to tolerate living half the year indoors.

Outdoors, I'm adding dwarf fruit trees, that I plan to underplant with rhododendrons, and tropical bulbs. So far I bought peaches, nectarines, pears, and an apricot.
These have nice leaves for a canopy and the fruit can look exotic. I will be underplanting with a variety of rhododendrons. The tropical colors will come from Canna's, Caladiums, Elephant Ears. Easier to overwinter bulbs. A few Rose of Sharon shrubs, which I hope to train into trees for tropical flowers. Everything else will be a zone 6/7 evergreen or will live in a pot.

[teebee]

The only thing I really wish I could get through a winter is a nice Agave, they just won't take the moisture here.

I have several Agave Parryi in my yard I toss a rose cone over them to keep them dry and about 5 c9 bulbs it keeps them warmish but mostly to keep them dry I've had them in the ground 3 or 4 years so far very slow growing so buy the size you want.

I love your cacti bed knowing what yours goes through weather wise inspires me to put more hardy cacti into my bed and not covering them just let them take care of themselves.

[Paul Ont]

Which agaves have you tried?

I have tried just about all the hardy Agave that exist. From A. utahensis (all vars, multiple collections), A. montana, A. americana, A. parryi (about 10 million selections, some of these will survive for a few years), A. havardiana, A. chrysantha, A. desertii, A. lechuguilla, A. mckelveyana, A. palmeri, A. touymeana, and A. x gracilipes. Might be missing some. I even collected a bunch of seeds on a trip back in 2008, none of these were hardy. Some people may still have some plants from those collections. I did lie though, I did have 3 seedling Agave parryi survive the winter this year... Don't recall what collection they're from.

[TerdalFarm]

Thanks for the report, Paul.
Those Rhodies look great!

I'm glad Sabal minor made it.

[cuja1]

Wow, the cactus handled the cold well for you.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I'm in Windsor, it was a little warmer, with a winter low of -26, and a few -22.

Losses:

a) 3 windmill palms (despite protection)
b) 1 needle palm
c) gardenia
d) 2 Camellias
e) 1 buddhist pine (seedling)


Severely damaged, but survivors

a) two chocolate Mimosa trees
b) 1 needle palm
c) Two Fatsia Japonica (seedlings)
d) 2 Camellias
e) 1 buddhist pine (seedlings)
f) Two Rhododendrons
g) magnolia wilsonii

BLE Survivors

1) Rhododendrons (about 10 different kinds) and 3 kinds of Azaleas
2) Large leafed English Ivy (zone 7 plant)
3) Native Cactus
4) ilex aquifolium (damaged)
5) Figs
6) Pieris japonica
7) Adam's needle Yucca


Going forward, I'm rethinking my garden. I still very much want an exotic and tropical look, but it's hard to do that in Ontario with palms that keep dying back.
I replaced one Windmill Palm so I can try again with an in ground palm. But for the most part, I will be keeping dwarf date palms in pots.
These form a nice trunk, and seem to tolerate living half the year indoors.

Outdoors, I'm adding dwarf fruit trees, that I plan to underplant with rhododendrons, and tropical bulbs. So far I bought peaches, nectarines, pears, and an apricot.
These have nice leaves for a canopy and the fruit can look exotic. I will be underplanting with a variety of rhododendrons. The tropical colors will come from Canna's, Caladiums, Elephant Ears. Easier to overwinter bulbs. A few Rose of Sharon shrubs, which I hope to train into trees for tropical flowers. Everything else will be a zone 6/7 evergreen or will live in a pot.

You might be interested in Pink China Elephant Ears. I kept mine outside this winter and they came back with off shoots growing all over the place.

[marceli]

Paul, we used to have similar Winters here in Poland, especially in Eastern parts of the country
I see that S. minor is a very tough SOB! Looks way better than R. hystrix.

[chadec]

Paul, I am suprised you got parryi through winter if you failed with havardiana. I have around 10 havardiana in the ground because it and ovatifolia are the 2 agaves that do not require protection here.

[TimMAz6]

Hi Paul

great update! That last BVT Rhodo is a beauty!

[DarkNight]

What's going on in your garden now? Can you post some pics?