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I planted 3 seed grown Eucalyputus debeuzevillei plants this year. Germed the year prior. It's been a very warm winter but have hit 7F (-13.9C) twice this season. So far the unprotected plants look good. One plant may have some minor damage to the most juvenile leaves. This is a great winter to get these Eucalyptus growing to larger specimens.

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A few shots of my palm protection too:

Washingtonia filifera protection:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 0062-3.jpg>

Trachycarpus nanital, Sabal birmingham, Fig tree and Wollemi Pine greenhouse:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 0074-2.jpg>

I distinctly remember this time last year the big hut being crushed by snow....

Its been odd here. The last, and only other time it was liek this, was 2 seasons ago, when spring started in february (2 or 3 months ahead of time) and march was a toasty 20C! So far it has not gone lower then -21C, which I believe is a zone 6! (not bad for a zone 3 -4 area!)

I must have that eucalyptus. It is one that is rumored to survive in zone 5 as a die back perennial. IT looks really good. Lets all hope that there isnt a sudden surge of super cold air for a long time.... A winter like this (more precip.) is what i need and want!

distinctly remember this time last year the big hut being crushed by snow.

Me too!

Look at that unprotected and undamaged auracaria tree...a beauty!

Beautiful euc Tim.
It'll be good to see how these fare by spring since still growing so late into "winter".

Barb

Barb - Ive seen Money Puzzle trees rated for zone 5. I always figured zone 6. *shrug. It looks impressive!

Great shots, Tim!! Everything looks really healthy.

Did you ever germinate any of the seeds that I sent you?

MOnkey puzzle is good to around 0F when it burns badly. Any long term exposure to below -20C and it will perish! Probably best rated to zone 7, but can survive fairly long term in a 6b.

Hi All,

yes, it's been a very mild winter here.....total snow fall only 2" (5cm). The monkey puzzle needs protection on the coldest nights of the year. I didn't protect it much in the past and it typically burns out and is mostly brown come spring time. If you look close, you'll see a 1/2" diameter steel conduit driven into the ground next to the monkey puzzle tree. That's the support for placing a cover over it on the cold nights. The string lights will keep it a 1/2 zone warmer which should make a difference.

Yes, Cameron I have some seedlings from you. Some of the notables include 2 Aloes are at my work's window sill and 2 Proteas still alive in my garage. I hope the Proteas will gain some size next season since they are only about 1.5 inches tall (4cm). Are you testing any seedlings outdoors this winter?

TimMAz6 wrote:Hi All,

yes, it's been a very mild winter here.....total snow fall only 2" (5cm). The monkey puzzle needs protection on the coldest nights of the year. I didn't protect it much in the past and it typically burns out and is mostly brown come spring time. If you look close, you'll see a 1/2" diameter steel conduit driven into the ground next to the monkey puzzle tree. That's the support for placing a cover over it on the cold nights. The string lights will keep it a 1/2 zone warmer which should make a difference.

Yes, Cameron I have some seedlings from you. Some of the notables include 2 Aloes are at my work's window sill and 2 Proteas still alive in my garage. I hope the Proteas will gain some size next season since they are only about 1.5 inches tall (4cm). Are you testing any seedlings outdoors this winter?

Thats the Aloe Ecklonis right? Awesome plants! Same with the protea. Mine are barley an inch tall though....

Tim,

Forgot to ask, do you think that you'll be able to find a Eucalyptus that is hardy in zone 6b? Personally, I have my doubts about long term survivability, but I do hope you prove me wrong!

I've not played around with them myself (really not my cup-of-tea, and certainly not hardy), but it would be interesting to have Eucalyptus in an area that gets a true winter!

my Aloes are still tiny. I hope they put some growth on this year.

I don't think Eucalyptus will be hardy here......I tried many species back in 2000-2003 and all died. Here's some of the best performers.

E. neglecta actually survived a winter but died the following winter. It's fast growing and grew into a 5 foot tall tree. The first photo show 2 seed grown plants which are planted next to each other....one is dead and one is fine. This shows you why we must plant many and select the best.
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... ta-4-1.jpg>

This photo shows the E. neglecta which survived the first winter but died the second winter. The trunk has ruptured.
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... _jan4r.jpg>

Here's the longest living Eucalyptus..........debeuzevillei.
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... pt27_r.jpg>

Update. We hit 5F (-15C) the other day. One Eucalyptus has fried leaves. The other two look OK so far. Funny how some Euc's are less hardy than others.

Fried leaves:
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These two seem OK so far.
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<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... a37000.jpg>

Doesn't look too bad so far! Wonder how they'll do when you get a long hard freeze?

You know that if you have success, there are going to be a bunch of us in zone 5/6 trying them, right?

Found this on eucs while reading their palm data:

"Hardy Eucalyptus
The hardy eucalyptus is another “surprise” in Virginia. Generally hardy to Zone 6b or so, the species of Eucalyptus perriniana, E. neglecta, and a few others have proven to be hardy in Virginia with correct siting and starting out with small, well rooted plants. Once established, they can reach heights of over 20 feet with beautiful multicolored peeling bark. Six to eight feet of growth is not uncommon in one season. There is a specimen of E. neglecta in Sterling, Va., that has been in the ground since 1994 and is now multi-trunked and over 20 feet tall. They thrive in clay soils in full sun with some winter wind protection (like a house or high fence). If given sun and low to moderate watering, hardy Eucalyptus will thrive for years with little fertilizer or care."

From here, about halfway down page: http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/3005/3005-1446/3005-1446.html

Barb

I've seen E. neglecta at the National Zoo in DC. That area seems to be the northern most area where Eucs are somewhat reliable.

I don't know of anyone growing Eucalyptus around here (OK).

Update from today.

A shot showing all three next to each other. The one on the left has the fried leaves.
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_1254.jpg>


This is the Euc on the left with fried leaves:
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Middle Euc:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_1256.jpg>

Euc on right:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_1257.jpg>

video of Eucs.....a little shaky.....phone doesn't have stabilizer? or I'm getting too old!

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/F9CIVJXVMGI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The "fried" one doesn't even look fried.
Good spot against that fence.

Good luck with them Tim.

Hi Barb,

it's more difficult to see the 'fri-ness' on photos but the leaves are dead. I remember seeing this in the past when I grew them. In few more weeks the dead leaves will be more pronounced.

Thanks for making the video. I know it is more work than a snapshot.

I've never grown Eucalyptus. Do you think it will come back as if deciduous?

I've never has Euc's come back from the roots in my area.....not sure why. Perhaps certain species are better regrowing from roots and I havn't tried the 'right' species yet. I hope these three will survive winter as low temps aren't a problem this winter and winter is ALMOST over. (here comes a cold blast now that I said it). I'd give them a try in your area.....although your -30F last winter would surely kill them all!

I'll save them for my parent's Oregon coast property. Their neighbors have super Eucalyptus trees....

Nice work, Tim! I think some of the high altitude snow gum collections would be worth a try too, especially a high altitude E. p. ssp. debeuzevillei!

I'd love to try the 'hardiest' forms of Eucalyptus.....I would hope one species could survive our zone 6b climate.

I grabbed a small Eucalyptus cinerea at a nursery last June and put it in a pot. Of course, it grew and became very gangly. Rather than bring it in, I stuck it in the ground fully expecting its demise.

It is still alive. Indeed, it does not have so much as a blemish on it.

Probably the so-far mild Winter. Thing is, its between two huge Hemlocks which make the neighbors worry during storms. I don't know if I want to have three giants there.

Were it to live, can you prune them and keep them at shrub size?

Hi Jack,

not sure about pruning larger Euc's since mine never get large! One of my E. debe's main leaders broke off this past summer and quickly regrew. Give trimming it a try......and keep us posted on your Euc.....hopefully it will take off for you next summer.

another updated photo. This is the fried Euc. The damage is getting more pronounced. Stem still looks OK.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_1412.jpg>

Doesn't look like a goner to me...

Hi Barb,

I hope all 3 survive and grow another season prior to death.

TimMAz6 wrote:Hi Barb,

I hope all 3 survive and grow another season prior to death.

Tim, you sound just like me! Maybe this is the necessary attitude when one has been losing plants for years and years!

You plant things that "shouldnt be there", your gonna loose some. I had a really good track record of not killing plants, untill i started pushing the boundries of what I can grow.... I think a cautious optimistic attitude is the best one to have.

The Euc's are planted in my warmest microclimate situated away from the house. I do expect all the Eucs to die next winter......this winter is a freak 1 in 20 winter probably......too warm! Only time will tell.

Tim,

Around here this is a 1 in 10 winter... Only problem is that in the most recent decade there have been 5 winters which would be, historically, considered 1 in 10 winters! I don't know what the new 'normal' might be, but I'd say it's colder than this year...

I had posted warmest average January's in Toronto (top 10), I'll see if I can find that.

another update...........not much change. I finally found out how to get the date to work on my phone camera!

Dead leaf one:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_1611.jpg>

OK leaves:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_1612.jpg>

OK leaves:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_1613.jpg>

Looks like buds are ready to open.

Hi Barb,

those Eucs are funny that the 'new' buds were like that in fall. It seems weird that a plant would have such small buds going into winter.

such small buds going into winter

They just don't look "solid", like they haven't hardened off for winter.

Or maybe Euc buds always look like that.

Looks like the Eucalyptus which received fried leaves was only the leaves on top........perhaps the leaves weren't hardened off for winter??

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 4f523e.jpg>

I would bet your right.

the only other thing I can think of is that snow covered the bottom leaves? We'll find out next winter!