February Frost

[5150cycad]

I am glad that I decided to cover some of my more tender plants and add a heater to my greenhouse last night because it was literally freezing. The thermometer in my back yard recorded a low of 32 degrees. When I left for work this morning my car thermometer read 36 degrees. As I was pulling out of my driveway I was startled by a sound similar to that of glass shattering. Turns out it was a couple leaves from my jubaea that froze to my car. I hope we warm up soon. I think last night was supposed to be the coldest. 

[BS Man about Palms]

bbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Palm Tree Jim]

Cold indeed.....cycads are tough!

[Monòver]

4 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Cold indeed.....cycads are tough!

But not Plumerias!

[Josh-O]

On 2/20/2018, 1:22:37, Monòver said:

But not Plumerias!

[Josh-O]

clocked 33F at the nursery in Vista and 41F at my carlsbad garden

 

no damage to any palms buy saw some spotting on some of the 5 gallon tropical ficus species. Which was to be expected

[5150cycad]

On 2/20/2018, 1:22:37, Monòver said:

But not Plumerias!

Unfortunately I know that all too well. Out of all the plants in my garden (mostly palms and cycads) my wifes favorite plants are the Plumeria’s. Go figure. I bought the heater for the greenhouse to guarantee the safety of her plants and in return it keeps me out of the dog house. 

[Tracy]

On 2/20/2018, 8:55:23, 5150cycad said:

While I had some frost on my car which was left out, and on the NW facing roof, I didn't have anything like that!  Wow, that looks like a white out... well a Southern California white out.  I see a 20% chance of rain overnight, which is a good thing.  Clear nights are the coldest.  Quite the elaborate box you created for that one Encephalartos ... is that a fridericic-guilieme?

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

@TracyThats not a freddy. Looks like an Australian blue cycas to me. Cairsniana most likely.   

[JubaeaMan138]

Definetly cycas cairsniana !!! Beautiful plant 

[5150cycad]

12 hours ago, Tracy said:

While I had some frost on my car which was left out, and on the NW facing roof, I didn't have anything like that!  Wow, that looks like a white out... well a Southern California white out.  I see a 20% chance of rain overnight, which is a good thing.  Clear nights are the coldest.  Quite the elaborate box you created for that one Encephalartos ... is that a fridericic-guilieme?

As the others mentioned it is a cycas cairsniana. I do see how they can be easily confused though. My Freddy g’s don’t get the same love as the cairsniana. They do fine in the cold. I have heard that this cycas species doesn’t like the cold very much. The box was pretty quick and easy and a fun project to do with my daughter. It seems to have done the job. It was 45 degrees out this am which seems very warm compared to the other morning. Can’t wait for spring. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Ferox will have leaf burn before a cairnsianna, but its not as leaf hardy as horridus or lehmanii. The caudex is equally as hardy as horridus or lehmanii though. Natalensis, arenarius do not have very hardy caudices and I lost a few more this year.  Freddy G is quite leaf hardy; easily more so than any other encephalartos other than lehmanii which is second most leaf hardy for me.

[JubaeaMan138]

I covered my kisambo that was flushing the first night it was cold. horridus that was flushing stayed uncovered and the flush seems to be ok slow because of the weather but it hasn't aborted . All the rest look good even my small

laurentianus are taking this cold weather exceptionally 

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, JubaeaMan138 said:

horridus that was flushing stayed uncovered and the flush seems to be ok slow because of the weather but it hasn't aborted . All the rest look good even my small

laurentianus are taking this cold weather exceptionally 

Sounds like good news.  Now the big difference from the prior weeks is that we aren't breaking winter daytime high records, and are actually experiencing daytime highs more typical of January than late February.

 

5 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

As the others mentioned it is a cycas cairsniana. I do see how they can be easily confused though. My Freddy g’s don’t get the same love as the cairsniana. They do fine in the cold. I have heard that this cycas species doesn’t like the cold very much.

If I had seen the caudex, I probably wouldn't have made that mistake, but great color on your Cycas cairnsiana.  I'm looking forward to the color on the smaller of one of my two Cycas thouarsii x cupida crosses which is pushing a flush right now.  None of the leaflets are opening yet, so nothing exciting to see.  I guess its better that its still early in the process, as the leaves are still an emerging tangle, so the wind rain and cold didn't have an opportunity to beat up soft leaflets.