Some Winter Pics...

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:39 am

A few winter pics from yesterday. Low to date at the garden is ~ -13C, no real cold yet so everything looks fine... USDA zone 4b/5a near Kingston ON:

Daphinophyllum macropodum, new planting. I hope when this is established it will be at least half-hardy:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... rLhr"><img src="http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/7170/ ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1785"></a>
Some Rhodies along the woodland border:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... nxzH"><img src="http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/6662/ ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1786"></a>

Ilex opaca, northern (hardy) selection. I planted ~30 small plants of the 'hardiest' selections of this species. I have 2 left, this is the strongest:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... wqNa"><img src="http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/50228 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1787"></a>

Yucca protection, new method (for me). Hopefully this will stop the rabbits from eating the leaves!
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... YsNu"><img src="http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/48982 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1788"></a>

<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... HLUZ"><img src="http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/26651 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1789"></a>
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... fPlL"><img src="http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/48810 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1790"></a>
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... OiRc"><img src="http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/8818/ ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1792"></a>

The only form of Opuntia macrocentra to survive a winter here:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... CoHA"><img src="http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/42579 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1793"></a>

C. echinocarpa:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... meql"><img src="http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/47369 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1794"></a>

E. trig. with snow and praying mantis egg case:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... Uzqr"><img src="http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/8801/ ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1795"></a>

Ilex aquipernyi, new plant. This one is 'supposed' to be under rated and under appreciated in terms of hardiness... We shall see...
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... iRVi"><img src="http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/10231 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1799"></a>

The Ontario native Paw-Paw tree:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... qLAx"><img src="http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/48050 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1800"></a>

Newly planted Illicum:
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... TBbd"><img src="http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/49739 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1801"></a>

Musa basjoo (left) and Sabal palm house (right; S. minor 'Brazoria', S. minor 'Ne Texas', and S. 'Birmingham')
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... EDuR"><img src="http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/48805 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1806"></a>

Acer griseum, Paper-bark maple. Not that uncommon, but it does have excellent exfoliating bark which adds winter interest. You can see that the deer were interested in it last year...
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... QBHJ"><img src="http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/26132 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1807"></a>

Poor man's Big-Leaf Magnolia, M. tripetala. It is much hardier than the true big-leaf and grows leaves up to 2' long... I'm not worried about hardiness with this fella, the burlap is to exclude deer! I had 3 seedlings of M. macrophylla x M. tripetala that were, unfortunately, the victims of rabbit attack!
<a href="http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/pho ... ArHf"><img src="http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/47866 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="DSCN1808"></a>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:57 pm

Nice mild winter for you so far Paul.

Since burlap seems to stop rabbit/deer damage, would the yuccas all benefit from burlap wrap?

Those Rhodos have sure grown over the years; will look so good against the woodland border.

Musa and sabals are well covered for winter.
Missing the bamboo pics.

You've done a lot of work there this year.
Good luck especially with the new plants.

Barb

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:53 pm

Ya, for some reason the bamboo pics did not upload... I'll have to get some more!

Thanks for the comments Barb!

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 6:27 pm

Love that desert garden, looking forward to seeing some pics in the spring.

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 7:27 pm

Paul, where did you find the Daphniphyllum? It has been on my wanted list for a solid two years. I know someone whose died locally, he was in zone 6a. Your plant WILL die if your protection is only burlap... it is rated only down to zone 7a (-17c) .
I like the rabbit protection measures! Good pics.

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 7:32 pm

Has your pawpaw flowered yet? I have three planted and had flowers and fruit on five year old plants.
Adam

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:46 pm

Great pics, Paul! I'm thinking about trying Daphniphyllum and Illicium floridanum next season.

Seedscanada, from what I remember, I thought D. macropodum was a zone 6a/b plant?

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 9:18 pm

Cameron and Paul.
The Daphniphyllum below died the winter of 2009/2010 in a sheltered location. Four times through the winter, the temp went to -17c but no colder.

Some may have better luck.
Cheers!
Adam
[/img]

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:37 am

Nice pics Paul. It would be nice to have a bit more snow eh?

Im starting to realize how bad rhodies can look in the winter, only to bounce back better then ever. We got a good foot of snow yesterday, so my Helillii is completely buried.

Your paw paw looks quite happy. Im tempted to get one. It would really test the range for that tree!

How cold has that magnolia seen?

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:56 am

Looks good Paul-

Hopefully this winter is kind and the plants get a big jump start in spring!

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:06 am

Ok- Some responses...

The Daphinophyllum came from Southcoastgardens, easily the best Ontario source for interesting plants. I've heard mixed things about this species, I know that there have been a few growing in St. Catherines for a while (15+ years) and that they had damage from a zone 5b winter there (interestingly, a friend has told me that last winter his plant had to worst damage it has ever had...). Likely there is great variability in this species, since some consider it solid to zone 6a, and others more conservatively rate it to zone 7. Given its native range, it is likely that there would be some selections with hardiness down into the -25C range. As I said, I hope it will be half-hardy once established. We shall see, and since I haven't personally kille this species yet, I have to withhold judgement! I don't know how mine will do, which is why I wrapped it with frost cloth, then an extra layer of burlap on the outside. FYI- Burlap alone is useless for increasing temperature, I only use it to keep deer/rabbit away!

The paw-paw has flowered a couple of times. No fruit has been produced. Is it an obligate outcrosser?

Cam- Apparently, I parviflorum is tougher than floridanum based on observations here in Ont. I have yet to try them head to head, however. If I can find a floridanum I would love to put it through a test!

Jesse- The tripetala has seen -30C here. It does not bat an eyelash at that temperature. I don't know if has been tested much into the colder reaches of zone 3, but it would be worth a try (and you should try anyway if there is a chance!). My paw-paw did have a little stem die back its first few years, coldest temp it has seen was -32C. When you talk about Rhodies looking bad in winter, you should qualify it by saying 'In cold weather', since it's not generally the snow, frozen ground, etc. that causes the leaves to curl, it's the temperature. IN winter thaws my Rhodies look as good as they ever do in summer, I'd even be tempted to say better since here in the deciduous zone, 90% of the trees are bare and brown!

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:25 am

Nice pics, tragic, but nice! Sigh!!!!! How many more days 'til spring??

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:01 am

Paul,
Yes pawpaws require a second plant to set fruit, preferably a different source or cultivar. I hand pollinate from one to the others using a q-tip. This year I went to a natural pawpaw grove on the east side of St Catharines (zone 6b/7a) for some more exotic pollen. Two years ago we had fruit here but this past year, the flowers never were more than just flowers (only one of three trees bloomed).
Winter damage last year would be worse than average. Grimsby to Niagara-on-the-Lake, along the lake, is zone 6b and has been colder than -17c only ten times in the last ten years. This past winter had the coldest temp here of -20c, the coldest day in seven years and the second coldest in a decade! So yeah, there was some more than average leaf burn on my Edith Bogue as an example : )

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 12:31 pm

Paul Ont wrote:
Jesse- The tripetala has seen -30C here. It does not bat an eyelash at that temperature. I don't know if has been tested much into the colder reaches of zone 3, but it would be worth a try (and you should try anyway if there is a chance!). My paw-paw did have a little stem die back its first few years, coldest temp it has seen was -32C. When you talk about Rhodies looking bad in winter, you should qualify it by saying 'In cold weather', since it's not generally the snow, frozen ground, etc. that causes the leaves to curl, it's the temperature. IN winter thaws my Rhodies look as good as they ever do in summer, I'd even be tempted to say better since here in the deciduous zone, 90% of the trees are bare and brown!

M tripelata looks like a schefflera..... Im going to have to get ahold of one of those...

Good to know about the paw paw as well...

Finally, true what you say about the rhodies, but i was thinking along the lines of winter here = cold either way. Mine looked great last time i seen it a few weeks ago..

Thanks again, i have a few things to ponder about

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:43 pm

Lots of plants Paul! You have been busy protecting. I'm really interested to see how the Illicium does for you. I have 2 different forms. They biggest problem I have is that they will flush out a 2nd time in early September and those leaves will not harden off prior to winter and will brown out. Overall the plant appears hardy and is fast growing.

Here's my Illiciums in November 2004:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 070026.jpg>

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 070017.jpg>

The Illicium's are to the left of the Trachy......over 6 feet tall now.
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... G_0210.jpg>

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:37 pm

So... I ended up ordering some M. Tripetala seeds, as well as some pawpaw. The company i ordered them from send me an email saying that they have begun to germinate at the shop, so I should expect some sprouted, or ready to go when they show up! Pre stratified too....

Tim - That illicium put on some decent growth..... Never heard of them before until Paul, and your posts!

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Some Winter Pics...

Some Winter Pics...

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