After I published my December 22nd "it's officially winter now" post our winter weather was cancelled. I was thrilled, as I didn't really feel like spending my Saturday covering plants to protect them.The joke was on me though because I woke up Sunday the 24th to snow. Or rather white flakes that looked like snow but felt, and sounded like ice. Damn.
It's all history now (the ice took it's time melting but a warm 50 degrees on Thursday the 28th got rid of any remaining bits) however a good garden blogger must record these happenings, right? Here's a look around the garden during, and after the event...
One of my Aloe aristata covered with a little ice, some snow, and then a layer of ice.
![]()
And mostly melted. I am hopeful this one will be okay.
![]()
I'm not feeling so hopeful for this larger leaf version.
![]()
It doesn't look happy, poor thing.
![]()
Agave ovatifolia
![]()
It will be just fine.
![]()
I'm not sure about the Agaves that were moved to the stock tanks though.
![]()
These are marginal here and I've never left them out in a freezing rain event like this (plus we did hit a low of 23F). Fingers crossed...
![]()
And these!
![]()
What was I thinking leaving them out? I guess that it was Christmas Eve/Christmas and I had other things on my mind?
![]()
I think the Opuntia will be fine.
![]()
And probably the larger Agaves too (hopefully), but the smaller ones were already getting mushy as they thawed out.
![]()
Snow and ice blanketed the in-ground Agaves. These should all be okay.
![]()
The cup and saucer vine (Cobaea scandens) finally met it's match.
![]()
And just when it was finally going to flower!
![]()
Frozen dish planters...
![]()
This Edgeworthia bud is uncharacteristically facing up, which made for a great ice capture and photo opportunity.
![]()
Oh poor Echium wildpretii...
![]()
We'll see if it pulls out of it.
![]()
Things had started to warm up and melt a bit when I took this photo. You can see we didn't get that much coverage.
![]()
The official totals for the three days were: snow 1.0″ on December 24th and ice (freezing rain) .31″ on December 24/25th and .08″ on December 26/27th. Agave ovatifolia...
![]()
Yucca rostrata
![]()
Agave parryi 'JC Raulston'
![]()
The ice made for extra shiny pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana) leaves.
![]()
As we brushed past the plant closest to the driveway a few ice leaves (and sadly real ones too) fell to the ground.
![]()
Here's the other plant, in a large container by the front door. Both plants lost all their leaves during last winter's craziness.
![]()
In the back garden the Grevillea miqueliana flopped over and then shed it's ice leaves.
![]()
It's upright again now though.
![]()
The Grevillea australis also flops quite easily. It's not as quick to upright itself though. There will be some pruning done to this one in the spring.
![]()
Grevillea x gaudichaudii during...
![]()
And after...
![]()
Mangave 'Inkblot' trio.
![]()
A few of the bottom leaves are already mush but the center seems solid. I will be quite happily surprised if these live on.
![]()
Pachystegia insignis
![]()
Appears fine...
![]()
The stock tank pond...
![]()
Last year the ice was too heavy for the Schefflera brevipedunculata and every leaf petiole (is that the right word?) bent at the base and broke.
![]()
Thankfully they made it through this one without that happening.
![]()
Abutilon 'Nuabyell' never stopped blooming.
![]()
But the Musa Bajoo finally deflated.
![]()
The Bocconia frutescens leaves are toast (even the green bits are now brown), it should re-leaf out in the spring though...hopefully. Then again it's reportedly hardy only to 25/30F and we did get down to 23, and it's in a container. Damn.
![]()
I swear this Bukiniczia cabulica hasn't grown a single leaf since I planted it last spring. At least it's still alive.
![]()
The containerized carnivorous plants should be okay. Although their soil may have froze since they're in a small container and hung on a trellis.
![]()
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 'Zanzibar' with a Cordyline backer. In cold winters the Cordylines die back to the ground. This is all new growth after last winter's cold.
![]()
Salvia apiana looks fine.
![]()
But the Euphorbia atropurpurea leaves are a funny color and the stem is a little limp. Ugh. I really wanted to see this one bloom.
![]()
That Phormium I bragged about having overwintered successfully in the past? Well the weight of the snow and ice did a number on the leaves, bent is not a good look. Hopefully that's the worst of it though.
![]()
There were just a few fruit left hanging on the Poncirus trifoliata pre-winter weather event. They've all fallen to the ground now except this one, which found a nice place to balance in-between the spiky branches.
![]()
I'm ready for spring!
Weather Diary, Jan 1: Hi 46, Low 29/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
It's all history now (the ice took it's time melting but a warm 50 degrees on Thursday the 28th got rid of any remaining bits) however a good garden blogger must record these happenings, right? Here's a look around the garden during, and after the event...
One of my Aloe aristata covered with a little ice, some snow, and then a layer of ice.
And mostly melted. I am hopeful this one will be okay.
I'm not feeling so hopeful for this larger leaf version.
It doesn't look happy, poor thing.
Agave ovatifolia
It will be just fine.
I'm not sure about the Agaves that were moved to the stock tanks though.
These are marginal here and I've never left them out in a freezing rain event like this (plus we did hit a low of 23F). Fingers crossed...
And these!
What was I thinking leaving them out? I guess that it was Christmas Eve/Christmas and I had other things on my mind?
I think the Opuntia will be fine.
And probably the larger Agaves too (hopefully), but the smaller ones were already getting mushy as they thawed out.
Snow and ice blanketed the in-ground Agaves. These should all be okay.
The cup and saucer vine (Cobaea scandens) finally met it's match.
And just when it was finally going to flower!
Frozen dish planters...
This Edgeworthia bud is uncharacteristically facing up, which made for a great ice capture and photo opportunity.
Oh poor Echium wildpretii...
We'll see if it pulls out of it.
Things had started to warm up and melt a bit when I took this photo. You can see we didn't get that much coverage.
The official totals for the three days were: snow 1.0″ on December 24th and ice (freezing rain) .31″ on December 24/25th and .08″ on December 26/27th. Agave ovatifolia...
Yucca rostrata
Agave parryi 'JC Raulston'
The ice made for extra shiny pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana) leaves.
As we brushed past the plant closest to the driveway a few ice leaves (and sadly real ones too) fell to the ground.
Here's the other plant, in a large container by the front door. Both plants lost all their leaves during last winter's craziness.
In the back garden the Grevillea miqueliana flopped over and then shed it's ice leaves.
It's upright again now though.
The Grevillea australis also flops quite easily. It's not as quick to upright itself though. There will be some pruning done to this one in the spring.
Grevillea x gaudichaudii during...
And after...
Mangave 'Inkblot' trio.
A few of the bottom leaves are already mush but the center seems solid. I will be quite happily surprised if these live on.
Pachystegia insignis
Appears fine...
The stock tank pond...
Last year the ice was too heavy for the Schefflera brevipedunculata and every leaf petiole (is that the right word?) bent at the base and broke.
Thankfully they made it through this one without that happening.
Abutilon 'Nuabyell' never stopped blooming.
But the Musa Bajoo finally deflated.
The Bocconia frutescens leaves are toast (even the green bits are now brown), it should re-leaf out in the spring though...hopefully. Then again it's reportedly hardy only to 25/30F and we did get down to 23, and it's in a container. Damn.
I swear this Bukiniczia cabulica hasn't grown a single leaf since I planted it last spring. At least it's still alive.
The containerized carnivorous plants should be okay. Although their soil may have froze since they're in a small container and hung on a trellis.
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus 'Zanzibar' with a Cordyline backer. In cold winters the Cordylines die back to the ground. This is all new growth after last winter's cold.
Salvia apiana looks fine.
But the Euphorbia atropurpurea leaves are a funny color and the stem is a little limp. Ugh. I really wanted to see this one bloom.
That Phormium I bragged about having overwintered successfully in the past? Well the weight of the snow and ice did a number on the leaves, bent is not a good look. Hopefully that's the worst of it though.
There were just a few fruit left hanging on the Poncirus trifoliata pre-winter weather event. They've all fallen to the ground now except this one, which found a nice place to balance in-between the spiky branches.
I'm ready for spring!
Weather Diary, Jan 1: Hi 46, Low 29/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.