1/14/2024 0 Comments Wax myrtle cold hardinessHowever, they won’t flower for a couple of years.Īzaleas: Most are winter-hardy across Texas. They probably will freeze back dramatically, perhaps even to the ground, but they do come back from their roots. If they faced weather below 20 F where you and they are, they’re probably going to be browned. Oleanders: Oh, my, these have always been planted way too far north. If they freeze completely to the ground, they usually do not come back. Dwarf gardenias are even less winter-hardy. Gardenias: Regular gardenias that were exposed to temperatures of 20 F or below are likely to have freeze damage. If the bark starts to slide off their stems a week or so after the thaw, they’re goners. I personally lost my own pittosporums in Farmers Branch (near Dallas) in the 1970s, and I learned how risky they are. Pittosporums: I’ve seen a lot of these planted way north of where they’re adapted. We’ve allowed ourselves to become convinced that USDA Hardiness Zones have shifted northward, and that plants we once thought we shouldn’t attempt had suddenly become blessed. Second observation: Texas gardeners were lulled by years of warm winters in the late 1990s and beyond into thinking that it was never going to get cold again. ![]() You’ll be better able to tell by early to mid-March, and certainly by April. Even if leaves are browned, don’t assume immediately that the plant will not produce new leaves from the old stem tissues. In many cases, you won’t know the extent of winter freeze injury until plants try to leaf out in the spring. Please don’t spend a lot of time worrying about it.įirst general comment: Don’t rush to judgment. You may have had different outcomes, and that’s great. These are only offered as one gardener’s experiences. If you have experienced freeze damage, a lot of it will depend on where you are and the condition of your plants prior to the cold. All we ask is that my website be credited. You are welcome to share them with friends, HOAs, etc. ![]() I can’t cover everything, but hopefully I can address most of your concerns here at one time. However, I grew up in College Station, and I’ve worked in all parts of the state, so I’ll try my best to be inclusive. I live and garden in a rural part of DFW, so my comments may be gently shaded that way. I’ve been through below-zero temperatures in McKinney TX of December 23, 1989.Īnd then the cold spells of early 20, with freezing temperatures over the entire state, clear to the coast and the coastal islands. Previous record in that area had been something less than 200. 292 consecutive hours below freezing in DFW. I’ve been through the prolonged cold spell of December 1983 into January 1984. I’ve been through the ice storm of January 1, 1979. In working with Texas gardeners for more than 45 years, I’ve seen a lot of bad winters do a lot of bad things to our plants. ![]() Helping Plants Recover from Freeze Damage
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