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Central Texas Damage report


iamjv

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Well finally got down to Oblate Theological School to see Father Leo's sub-tropical garden.... sadly the news isn't all that good as most plants took a hard hit despite being in this wonderful micro climate. I suspect the temperature only got down to 25 or 26F within this micro-climate area. The airport a few miles away registered 24F that morning compared to our 21.9 outside the city.

Check out the pics below as you can see the fishtail, majesty, king and royal palms took hard hits but they may come back if the winter doesn't get worse. A pleasant surprise, the bismarkia palm not having any damage at all. The acrocomia mexicana & queen sago next to it only had minor tip burn. Additionally, a large copernicia alba faired well within the micro climate as did a ring of 10 BxS outside of the micro climate. Jv

Keep us posted on these later this spring. I'm inspired to try Bismarckia again here after losing potted specimens last winter. I'm considering sowing the seeds directly into the ground. And I thought it was cold here in December.

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Sutter Bob, one thing to keep in mind regarding this particular bismarkia is that its in a true micro-climate and planted next to a 4 story building that blocks the north wind. It'll be interesting to see how it fairs after this winter... we'll keep you posted. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Matt and Tony up in Big D, let us know how things are fairing with the deep freeze your experiencing (Dallas presently at 17F).... temps are a tad warmer here than predicted, as we sit at 25F vice the 23F predicted. Still calling for 19F tomorrow morning though. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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JV - just an update from Brownsville - we dodged the bullet so far, with the lowest temp in my yard at around 36. They are still predicting 29 for tomorrow morning though.

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Similar story here south of Houston. I bottomed out at 26.5, 1-2 degrees warmer than predicted. NWS says 22 tonight and 25 Saturday night. The high today, Friday, is only 37. Hopefully we're a few degrees warmer than predicted again tonight.

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It was 18°F last night in my yard. Warmer than expected. At nearby Love field it reached 32° for a high temp for one hour.

A few years ago we had 2 days below freezing but the absolute low during this freeze was in the mid 20°F. Things are quite a bit colder this time.

More cold tonight. What can I say..... Just observing and we will see what survives next spring!

:)

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It was 18°F last night in my yard. Warmer than expected.

Tony, do you have something that tells you what the actual low was in your yard the night before? I'm looking for something like that but all I can find just pulls the forecast and tells what the temp is right now. I'd like to have a digital weather panel inside wirelessly linked to an outdoor sensor that will save the actual low from the night before.

Scott

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Nice updated from around the state, thanks to all!

Weather bulletin came out this afternoon for lows in the 12F - 17F throughout the San Antonio area. If they are correct, this will be the coldest temps since the historic freeze of 1989! We'll keep you posted! Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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It was 18°F last night in my yard. Warmer than expected.

Tony, do you have something that tells you what the actual low was in your yard the night before? I'm looking for something like that but all I can find just pulls the forecast and tells what the temp is right now. I'd like to have a digital weather panel inside wirelessly linked to an outdoor sensor that will save the actual low from the night before.

Scott

Scott, look at the Davis Vantage Pro 2 wireless weather center. It is a bit pricey but Ambient sells them for a good price, that's where I got mine. With this and software such as Virtual Weather Station, you can record and examine all the data you want, hook up to the web, get your station officially registered on wunderground and with the Citizens Weather Service (NOAA). Quality and precision are top-notch. It is money well spent!

Michael Norell

Rancho Mirage, California | 33°44' N 116°25' W | 287 ft | z10a | avg Jan 43/70F | Jul 78/108F avg | Weather Station KCARANCH310

previously Big Pine Key, Florida | 24°40' N 81°21' W | 4.5 ft. | z12a | Calcareous substrate | avg annual min. approx 52F | avg Jan 65/75F | Jul 83/90 | extreme min approx 41F

previously Natchez, Mississippi | 31°33' N 91°24' W | 220 ft.| z9a | Downtown/river-adjacent | Loess substrate | avg annual min. 23F | Jan 43/61F | Jul 73/93F | extreme min 2.5F (1899); previously Los Angeles, California (multiple locations)

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Scott I got my wireless thermometer at Radio shack. One outside and the base in the house.

Today's high was 30°F and I'm just making observations.

No major apparent damage at this time among my cold hardy palms but I know it will take time for damage to show.

THe weather service is predicting 16°F for tonight in the city.. We will see.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/?mystation=KADS

Here is apparent damage to Bambusa oldhamii

Sabal birmingham and T. fortunei. undamaged

bambusaoldhamidallas.jpg

Chamaedora microspadix

CmicrospadixDallas.jpg

Miho Satsuma cold hardy citrus

satsumaMihoDallas.jpg

The plus side is that we had had several nights in the 20°F and there was no active growth when the Arctic air hit. Hopefully senescence will make a difference.

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Well a fridged-morning it is here in central Texas.... temps generally dropped to forecasted levels. The temp in my yard this morning is sitting at 16F, making it the coldest temps I've seen since moving here in 1992. Now it's a matter of waiting things out and seeing what the damage will be. Jv

post-362-1263042595_thumb.jpg

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Looks pretty bleak John. Although the airport here in Brownsville dropped to 28, some of us are a little luckier I believe. I think being surrounded by the resacas has definitely helped. The lowest temp that I recorded was 30.5, but I did do a walk around and most areas of my yard stayed above 31. I looked at the thermometer at 4:30 and the temp was still 34 degrees. The sun is out and things are starting to warm - I suspect we will be above 32 before 8:30 and thus I believe I had sub freezing temps for less than 4 hours. Romeo and I spent the last 3 days wrapping and getting pots inside, but some of my "super tropicals" as he calls them will be questionable. My trunking Carpoxylon ,for instance, will amaze me (and I am sure a lot of people on this board) if it survives since most feel that is a zone 11 species. I also have an Areca vestiaria and a Lemurophoenix in the ground. (they were covered of course, but not heated.) Good luck - OA

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Thanks for the update Oliver... hopefully your garden will come out of this ok with those temps. Obviously it's all relative for gardens like yours, Romeos and many others down there are much more laden with true tropicals and sub tropicals. Wishing you all the best. Keep us updated on any damage you note over the next week or two. Stay warm! Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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We bottomed out at 15.3°F last night in Central City Dallas.

The damage here won't be from the extreme low but from the prolonged sub freezing cold.

I hope this was the worst of winter!

:)

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We hit 22 last night here in So. Louisiana, with 2 more nights to come at the same lows. Pretty safe to say all of my 9b stuff is gone. Right now I am worried about some of my 9a stuff and very afraid for my numerous Citrus trees.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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The clouds moved out and the winds went completely still overnight allowing the temperature at my house (south of Houston) to drop all the way to 19.8F. The sun is out and the temp is supposed to get "all the way up" to 44 today, but it's still 27.1F right now at 9am. We still have 23 tonight and 31 tomorrow before we get a break from freezing nights, although 31 hardly feels like a freeze anymore.

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Official airport low here was 17F, which means my yard probably got down to 15 or 16. We'll see shortly if my protection method of wrapping the queen palm with Christmas lights and wrapping the trunk was succesfull. If it supplied about 4-5 degrees of warmth, then it will probably live.

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A quick look around the yard shows more damage to those initially reported in this thread... additionally some added damage to wash robustas. It'll be interesting to see what damage shows up in a few weeks. Thus far the hybrids (BxJ, BxS, BxP) all look good and seem to deal with the 16F reading as well as the extended period of below freezing temps. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Palm update: Livistona's (australis, chinensis, saribus, and nitida) are all now showing signs of stress. Most appear as though the majority of the fronds will brown up with time. L. Decora appears to be fine thus far. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Jim, the small amount of damage to my CIDP after the last freeze, showed up a few days after the actual freeze. I have a feeling my canary is going to show more damage in a few days after last nights freeze. A little disappointing in it's hardiness factor but my CIDP x Dacty shows no damage at all, nor do any of the dacty's I have. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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It reached 38°F and I could already see damage.

The extreme minmum cold temp in my yard was 15°F

Extreme Low for this event was 15°F

All W. robustas defoliated. Time will tell if they are dead.

W. filiferas completely untouched as of today...

Filibusta, older leaves fried, newer leaves green.

T. latisectus defoliated.

L. chinensis defoliated

L. saribus defoliated.

Undamaged:

S. minor

R.hystix

C. humilis

B. armata

B. moorei

T. fortunei

T. princeps

B. capitata

B. Jubea hybrid

J. chilensis

S. uresana

Things will change over the next few weeks but this stuff was very obvious even today. I'll continue to post as further damage shows itself.

:0

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Thanks for your update Tony.... I believe we'll have similar damage in the end. Guess this winter is going to show us the hardier palms of the bunch. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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I know from 2007 that damage takes time to show up in palms. With temps that low, I don't know but I hope not.

Coastal San Diego, California

Z10b

Dry summer subtropical/Mediterranean

warm summer/mild winter

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Wow, Texas got hit bad! Thanks for all the damage reports......but I hope you all will post damage/ or no damage to Freeze Damage section of Palmtalk so that it can be studied by everyone for years to come. I'm afraid these threads in the main areas of the website will become "lost" over time and this data is really important to most of us who are pushing the limits. Thanks........alot of these hybrids are showing real promise.

David Simms zone 9a on Highway 30a

200 steps from the Gulf in NW Florida

30 ft. elevation and sandy soil

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David, I can only speak for myself but I have plans on doing just that. I am trying to include details to the stated damage as well as take extensive photos. No doubt it will take some time to see all the damage, so I won't add to the database till I am fairly certain that I've seen all the damage there is to see. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Here is a shot of L. Saribus after yesterday's 16F freeze.... a lot more damage then originally done by 21F. Jv

post-362-1263134473_thumb.jpg

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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JV my CIDP showed a little brown last week after the freeze a few weeks ago. Now after the last 2 nights it looks like the leaflets are thinner, like they are closing up

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Scott, I think we'll see varying degrees of damage to the CIDPs around town... it'll probably take a week or two to see the full effect on them. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this will be the last hard freeze for the winter. Cheers, J

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Text book zone 8 winter

Once we get back into the 70°Fs we should be able to post some great examples of cold hardy stuff for zone 8.

W. filiferas look stunning, completely un burnt. Even filifera seedlings came through intact.

W. robustas already look fried.

No doubt about which variety to grow. Filibustas have most of their lower leaves fried. Newer growth still alive.

Fig leaf ivy (which had taken over my house in the past several zone 9 winters) has defoliated.

Cold hardy oleanders intact and beautiful. The cold made their seed pods pop open!! Non-cold hardy varieties are fried.

All cold hardy agaves look fantastic. "Madison" Confederate Jasmine looks superb.

I am very happy to see how beautiful the satsumas and other cold hardy citrus came through they look perfect. I guess the preceding cold weather helped them adjust for the arctic blast. With warmer weather I expect more damage to show up but all should live regardless.

Anyone in zone 8 should plant: (if you want long term plants plants that thrive and not struggle)

W. filifera

cold hardy oleanders

"Madison" confederate jasmine.

Cold hardy citrus, many varieites

These choices make a HUGE difference on how well they come through a cold winter.

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I got an ugly surprise this morning in Houston. TWC forecast said 29 and NWS made a late downward adjustment to 24. I woke up to 23.3 with heavy frost. We're not supposed to freeze tonight, finally. Here are my temps from this cold front:

Thu 1/7: dropped to 32 @ 8pm, no frost, windy

Fri. 1/8: 26.2 in am, 35.2 high, no frost, windy

Sat. 1/9: 19.8 in am, 45.5 high, no frost, calm

Sun. 1/10: 25.8 in am, 48.0 high, no frost calm

Mon. 1/11: 23.3 in am, ??? , heavy frost, calm

I'll do a preliminary damage assessment this afternoon when I get home.

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JV my CIDP showed a little brown last week after the freeze a few weeks ago. Now after the last 2 nights it looks like the leaflets are thinner, like they are closing up

Mine is starting to do the same thing. It doesn't look too bad, but you can definitely tell the fronds look thinner, and tips are a little brown. maybe 10-20% damage. The untrained eye would probably not notice any damage.

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Livistona's are the palms displaying the most damage at present... australis (1) 100% fried, saribus (1) 100% fried, nitida (1) 50% fried, chinesis (many) 75% fried, chinXsaribus (1) 75% fried; decora is the only livistona not showing any damage at this time.

Sago's continue to show more and more damage, have some (more exposed) that will probably reach 100% burn.

Phx CIDP starting to reflect additional damage, estimate upwards of 50% burn rate.

Washingtonias anywhere from 30% - 70% depending on how much robusta and size it has.

Sabal unknown (minor look alike) is now nearly 80% fried.

Sabal uresana showing 20% burn.

Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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JV, I'm really sad to hear about all the damage that you and everyone else are experiencing from this viscious cold spell. Did you take any of your babies inside or try to protect any palms outside? Also, will you use any fungicides afterwards to prevent center rot ? I sure hope everything survives and that the rest of this winter turns mild for you. Perry

Perry Glenn

SLO Palms

(805) 550-2708

http://www.slopalms.com

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