Here's a few pics I took this morning of the damage done by an unusually cold and long winter. The biggest surprise (and disappointment) is Abies concolor, which came through the previous winter in pristine condition. What are the odds these will come back?
And here are three pines with extensive damage. This is my 2nd try with P. bungeana, and I'm thinking this pine is just not z4 hardy. It was very healthy going into winter and mostly snow covered throughout. It looks like I'll have to enjoy this pine in arboreta.
Don't give up on any of them yet, wait 3-4 months to see if they produce new growth. While the needles may well be killed, the buds and shoots might be OK.
Resin
Resin,
I'll keep them around until I'm dead-certain they're dead. Would you happen to know the general rate of recovery for some of these? I know Dwarf Alberta Spruce can take years to recover, with the first few years looking a bit hideous. Do some genera (?) heal quicker than others? I'm hoping the Abies comes back early.
BMP
Genera which coppice well (Yew, Coast Redwood, etc.) recover better. Abies is better than Picea, and both better than (most) Pinus. But a lot depends on the extent of the damage - if it is just leaves damaged and the buds are OK, then even Pinus will recover quickly in spring.
I'll keep them around until I'm dead
Haha...that's how I read that at first too! That's some incredible damage Pseudo, sorry about that :(
This will be one of the more interesting springs in terms of potential plant loss. I've planted many marginally hardy trees over the past few years, knowing they'd eventually face a winter that would test them. A few that are likely to perish include Acer palmatum 'Viridis', A. griseum, Cornus kousa, Liriodendron tulipifera, Nyssa sylvatica, and Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Ogon'. Those that make it should be here for the long haul. Well, until drought takes them out...
Geez, some of those are nice specimens. I guess you'll find out, you know in a few months ;P
Plants don't die though, they provide opportunities for upgrades! You probably know more now than you did when you planted them so the selections you make could be even better!
looks like they took it hard - I had a rainbows end that had a tough winter a couple years back and it came back fine - hope yours do the same.
