the joys growing plumeria during the winter

the lows in the yard have been less than 40 degrees since 12/12, except for 42 on friday. this morning it was 27! plumeria leaves and stems under the patio measured about 31 degrees. those at the edge of the patio were 28 degrees. the plumeria in the yard were at 27-28 degrees.

there's a huge surprise in all this! the plumeria next to the brick is only 5" tall. it's what has come back from the ground after the big chill earlier this year. yeah, that's all the growth this year! this plumie has no overhead protection at night. i'm sure the masonry has something to do with it. however, it measured 27 degrees and the retaining wall measured 28-31 degrees. the plumeria w/ the info (see next pic) is under olive tree branches and look at it. go figure!

i don't understand!

dete

was so looking forward to these blooms next spring. oh well...

looks like we might have another hardy one or is it just because it closer to the wall.

Hi Dete, yeah, these trees are just not meant to endure temps at 32 and below. You might get lucky by increasing the temperature slightly with overhead branches and nearby bricks and things, but the trees will suffer in the long run at those temps. That new growth looks okay now, but if it is subjected to more temps like that over the course of the winter, it could very well show damage later and probably will. I had quite a bit of delayed damage from last winter's surprise freeze that didn't show up right away.

I am sorry about your inflo, buddy. I don't get to see inflo's bloom here in Zone 10 outside in the winter either. I have to put them in the greenhouse if I want them to continue to bloom or even just hold on to the inflo. Right now, I have a couple seedlings that are too big to put in the greenhouse, and I just put them in the warmest spot in the yard and hope that the inflo hangs on into spring and doesn't dry up and abort.

I don't think there is such a thing as a hardy plumeria unfortunately. If a plumie manages to survive temps below freezing for a very short time, then it is probably due to the added elements. Those few rare big ones that are surviving in Zone 9b in Arizona are being protected and aided by some fairly large structures, I think.

How close to a house can they be?
I'm reading through as many posts as I can since I have the "bug" and am planning on getting some when the time is right.

I moved to Texas from Illinois this last year so new gardening ways and different climate so I can try my hand at some new things ...and what better to do then get some of the things I have always loved but couldn't' grow in Illinois due to the weather and not room in the house there.

Hi Mibus, you will want to grow these wonderful trees in containers since you live in an area which freezes in the winter so that you can bring them inside your house or garage or greenhouse. They won't survive a winter in the ground in 7b even if planted close to the house, but they are easily manageable in containers:-)

Im in a zn 10 in Lk Havasu AZ..we haven't froze here yet but all my large plummies are dormant and all the seedlings too, except 2 of my seedlings from this spring- they keep putting out more leaves even though I stuck them in the garage! The rest of my spring seedlings from this year all went dormant though-wierd..
I also bought a few new rooted plants that I think have been in a greenhouse and they aren't dormant yet but I can see that they are working on it. I put them all in our unheated garage when it freezes.

There is some people who live down the street and they have some huge 8-9 footer plummies in very large pots on thier front patio. They never protect them..not even last winter when it got into the 20's..they must not have had too much damage because they were blooming away this spring. If those were mine they prob would have been toast!

thanks Clare I figured from reading through some of your stickys that is the best plan now I just want growing time to get here so I can get started with them. *S*

have to run came home to get my hard candy making stuff since we are dead at the restruant today we are gonna make hard candy for something to do LOL

see ya laters tonight

Angel,
How often does it freeze in Havasu? I didnt know that it froze there.
Davie

I think Lake Havasu City is Zone 9, Angel. Here's a link: http://www.reply42.com/garden/zone.php You can put in your Zip Code at that link and find out your hardiness zone. And then click below to get the map of the hardiness zones in Arizona: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sw1.html If it gets down to the 20's, then your zone can't be 10 but is probably 9.

Dete,
Those leaves in your pics are freeze burned for sure. I think the trees at the perimeter of your beds are more suceptible to the cold versus the ones behind them (and closer to the bricks). For example, pink pansy (mine) is on the perimeter of the tree group I have yet due to the high avocado tree branches near it, no damage. The H. Flag with no overhead branches but at the outside perimeter froze, yet the trees behind it in the crowded group are in better shape. This was for last year -07 frost week in so cal. Your trees actually look good for your zone and the level of cold you get. Let me know how that Samoan Fluff is doing outside, I am really curious as to how much cold it can take. KM -big sis..