Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

23F Observations


ahosey01

Recommended Posts

Hey everyone -

In this recent run of cold mornings, we have seen 25F, 26F, 25F and last night, 23F here in Wickenburg.  Daytime highs have consistently been in the mid-60s and low-70s.  I have a Davis VantagePro 2 that is measuring this directly in the middle of my garden.  Some interesting observations (some palms, some not - didn't want to make two threads):

  • Only two plants have sustained heavy damage.  One was Beccariophoenix alfredii, which is not dead but which just looks horrible and so I'll probably not be keeping.  The other was not a palm, but was Mimosa dysocarpa, which shocks me because it is native to 6000ft+ elevation here in Arizona.  I can't quite figure that one out.
     
  • No damage on any cycads.  I have Cycas taitungensisCycas revolutaCycas guizhouensisCycas debaoensis, Ceratozamia hildae and Macrozamia communis.  None are under much canopy.  Debaoensis looks like crap right now but I think it's because it's getting too much low sun at this stage in winter.
     
  • Bismarckia nobilis appears completely untouched.  I can verify this was a 23F exposure because it is planted directly next to the weather station.
     
  • Ceiba speciosa is, apparently, a cold deciduous tree.  It dropped all of its leaves in our first freeze back in November, but there is no wood damage on the tree despite the cold temps.
     
  • Guaiacum coulteri is commonly thought of as sensitive to the cold, but was unphased by 23F.
     
  • Vachellia rigidula takes on a beautiful red coloration in the leaves when exposed to cold.
     
  • Grevillea robusta does the same.  Supposedly these are frost tender, but my tiny, young plant has no damage to any leaves.  They're just a beautiful reddish purple color.
     
  • Eucalyptus pleurocarpa has some cosmetic damage to young leaves but is otherwise unphased.
     
  • No Sabals, Washingtonia, Phoenix or Mules have any damage at all.  This is actually somewhat of a surprise given that I have some unknown Phoenix hybrid that I was thinking might be reclinata x rupicola.  Clearly there's something else in there though.

Thought I would share!

  • Like 2
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i dont know for others but bismarckia usually show its damage when juices come back again in leaves and when start growing again...some of mine where good until may when they suddenly drop all leaves, with just spear left...

www.mediterraneannature.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, akaranus said:

i dont know for others but bismarckia usually show its damage when juices come back again in leaves and when start growing again...some of mine where good until may when they suddenly drop all leaves, with just spear left...

Have heard this too, but when we got zapped by a late frost last year (growing started, then 32F with heavy frost) - I could see subtle signs of damage on the newest leaves as early as the next day, albeit only slight areas of discoloration and only on the spear.  Those areas later turned brown and then the leaf collapsed at that point.  So far I see no such signs.  We will see, though.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, jwitt said:

Aren't those about zonal lows for you?  

It's been cold out west.

 

There is some debate about this because weather records in Wickenburg are just all over the place, but in theory yes.  Last four winters, lowest I hit was 27F - this is the lowest reading I've seen since I've been in the house.  I would expect most winters to fall between 21F and 27F.  The difference here over other years was four straight nights of it.  I planted somet things that are questionable if you read the information online, but which I thought might work in the area based on some of my own observations (Ceiba speciosa, Grevillea robusta, Macrozamia communis, Eucalyptus pleurocarpa, Araucaria bidwilii, etc.).  None of them had been tested even marginally until now.  I feel pretty good about it.  No twig damage on any trees or shrubs gets me excited.

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...