Cold Hardy - General - PalmsNorth.com - Cold Hardy Palm Forum Forum Since 2004

Two Government Agencies. Two Different Climate Maps

dukeofdoom — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 00:47:16 +0000

Great Article with projected hardiness zone map (global warming)

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/two-government-agencies-two-different-climate-maps/

My seasons growth

pitotes — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 15:04:13 +0000

https://s27.postimg.org/688glbuy7/20161015_150923.jpg

BLE zone 5b/6a update in snow

DarkNight — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 11:26:33 +0000

So far this winter in Riga temps were down as low as -23 Celsius (-9.4 F).
For the last 3 weeks Riga hasn't seen a day with temperatures above freezing.
Mostly it stays around -5 up to -10 during the day and drops to -10 or -15C during the night.
A proper winter.

First Eucalyptus gunnii. I planted 4 plants. 2 in my garden, the other two in various places in Riga.
So far one of them without any protection is doing well. The protected one seems fine as well.
Little to no leaf damage.

Elaeagnus x ebbingei
This is the biggest surprise, because I didn't expect it to last one bit.
I couldn't seen any significant leaf damage.

My cacti - I think Opuntia. I gave it a bit of protection from rain and sleet.
Doeasn't look too bad.

Viburnum davidii
This is not from my garden, but it does extremely well. Some Rhodies at the background.

Ligustrum, it seems that it does drop some leaves, but not all of them.

Mahonia in an inner block of a city - doesn't suffer from freezing temps.

Cotoneaster dammeri
Does drop some leaves, but stays green all winter long.

Prunus Laurocerasus Novita.
Some lower leafs are brownish, top leafs are slightly better.

BLE in Zone 5b/6a up to 10 m high - green oasis amidst snow.

DarkNight — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 17:57:03 +0000

This is Latvian University Botanical Garden in Riga - Zone 5b/6a.

It's important to note that Riga is officially listed in Zone 6a.
However over the years I've woken up in the morning to -26 Celsius (=15 Fahrenheit)
too many times.

Also, winters are super long and dark, because Riga is much much further up north than Quebec city in Canada.
Riga is located at a latitude 56°.

So I'm always overwhelmed to see some broad leaf evergreens in Riga.

LU Botanical Garden in Riga has some green islands.
Planted 20-30 or more years back.
Here is the main green oasis in a panorama view. Full size picture here https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5666/23714331571_d21c5ed853_o.jpg

Here is that green oasis from a distance.

There are two extremely important examples of BLE in terms of what can be achieved in zone 5b.
1. Viburnum which has become a small tree

2. Euonymous - has reached the sky

Then there are 2 Pieris's
The oldest one is rally struggling.

The youngster seems fine.

Another great plant is Leucoteya.
It must have been there for a very long time, because it has become so wide.

Then I found Cherry Laurel about 1m-1.2m high.
A really good size for Zone 5.

Then there were 2 shrubs I couldn't recognize.

And the last two will be ground covers.
Really nice ones. Don't ask me what they are - I have no idea, but they are 100% evergreen in Riga.

Photos of 21 broadleaf evergreens for 5a/b garden

DarkNight — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 20:14:36 +0000

Hi, in total I have a little over 20 broadleaf species going into winter totally green.
We had around a week when temps barely stayed above freezing during the day.
Some of the species will have second or third winter.
Some will be having their first year in Riga and Zone 5 winter.
Fingers crossed.

Rough Horsetail

Aucuba japonica and Viburnum, not sure which one

Eucalyptus Gunni

Rhodies

Prunus laurocerasus 'Novita' - cherry laurel and a rhody

Osmanthus x burkwoodii

Several species, the most interesting - Mahonia aquifolium, Hebe and Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'

Cacti - I hope it's a hardy kind of Opuntia (I'm not even sure it's Opuntia)

A row of Yuccas - two kinds.

Ilex

Leucothoe fontanesiana and Pachysandra terminalis and Baltic Ivy

Ilex and Euonymous

Christmas rose and Prunus laurocerasus 'Novita'

Bergenia

Pieris Japonica and Prunus and a Rhody

Buxus

Cotoneaster dammeri "Skogholm"

Musa Basjoo Going to bloom!!

hasty22 — Fri, 14 Aug 2015 23:43:14 +0000

It looks like my Musa Basjoo plant is finally going to bloom. This will be the first time after many years in ground. Not bad for zone 5 in Canada. Will keep updated!!

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/khasty22/media/DSCF1362_zpsa2szdmkm.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b543/khasty22/DSCF1362_zpsa2szdmkm.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSCF1362_zpsa2szdmkm.jpg"/>

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/khasty22/media/DSCF1364_zps6mjzvuon.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b543/khasty22/DSCF1364_zps6mjzvuon.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSCF1364_zps6mjzvuon.jpg"/>

My musas and tropicannas

pitotes — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 14:40:54 +0000

http://s16.postimg.org/t9k999e4x/20150727_192413.jpg

Tetrapanax.... getting bigger

andym — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 19:15:01 +0000

I've had this plant for a good few years now. It was cut to the ground in the perma freeze of Dec'10 and was knocked back in the 2011/12 Winter also. But after that it has grown and grown. In warmer gardens they can become a pest. For sure this plant needs its own space
http://s30.postimg.org/5flpw60d9/IMG_3708.jpg
Anyone else growing this monster?
BTW all you see is from one plant :shock:

Musa Basjoo June 21, 2015

hasty22 — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 21:59:45 +0000

Basjoo doing very well for only being June 21.

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/khasty22/media/DSCF1253_zpswhevlp5r.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b543/khasty22/DSCF1253_zpswhevlp5r.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DSCF1253_zpswhevlp5r.jpg"/>

Another very cold hardy evergreen - please help ID

DarkNight — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 02:29:21 +0000

This about 50cm high and never gets any burns in Riga, even after several days bellow -5F