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| Hello! I planted a mixed row of shrubs about a month ago. I probably should have waited a little longer, but we're in a pretty major drought right now and I wanted to give them a good chance to get established before the summer heat arrives.
Anyway, a few weeks after they were planted we had one night that hit 26 degrees. It didn't seem to bother the forsythias, rose of sharon, or viburnum at all, but it hit the southern wax myrtles and chaste trees pretty hard. They're both slowly recovering it seems, but the wax myrtles have dropped all of their lower leaves. The only foliage left on them now is new growth at the top that has grown since the freeze. They look pretty naked and sad at this point, so I'm wondering if or when the lower foliage will grow back? My only experience with evergreens like this is the two red-tip photinias we have, and they don't defoliate from cold like this. Thank you! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by butterfly4u 8 (My Page) on Sat, Apr 2, 11 at 15:23
| Miraje, The leaves will grow back when it starts to get warmer. What would concern me is if it is cold hardy where you live. Personally, I think nurseries push the zones for their own advantage to sell more, but if it defoilated at 26 degrees, what is it going to do next winter? It will be fine for you as soon as the heat kicks in for this summer. GOod luck with it! I am in zone 8, and my Chaste tree did just fine, but I don't think that they will ever obtain their true beauty in zone 7a. You will be cutting down alot of the tree every spring. (Chaste tree is one of my absolute favorites)
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| Thank you for your reply! I'm hoping that the wax myrtles will tolerate the cold better once they're established and that they only had trouble with this last freeze because they were newly transplanted. I'll definitely have to watch them this winter and see how they handle it. Why will I need to cut the chaste trees back more in the spring? |
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- Posted by butterfly4u 8 (My Page) on Tue, Apr 5, 11 at 1:10
| Miraje, When it is too cold in the winter time the Chaste tree may have some branches die over the wonter, unless you planted it in a sheltered spot. In the spring you will see the branches that have died. Just cut the branches down to the "good" part, you will see it. The older it gets, the less cold damage it should get. I can't wait til the end of May for mine to bloom. Mine is quite young, but it is the most beautiful tree around when it blooms. |
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- Posted by dave_in_nova VA zone 7a (My Page) on Fri, Apr 8, 11 at 9:30
| Southern Wax Myrtle, once established, should be good down to around 0 degrees F. It may take several seasons for it to get established. You likely purchased ones that were further along (maybe grown further south of you) -- with new tender growth, which was not hardened off yet. These plants grow natively near water all the way up into coastal New Jersey. You will want to keep it well watered, but as long as the twigs are green, it's alive. Heat should cause it to leaf out anew this summer. |
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