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Dead or alive? #740951

Asked March 26, 2021, 4:07 PM EDT

Most of my plants look dead after the freeze. Which do you think might make it back, and what should I do for them now: dwarf meyers lemon tree about 5 years old, dwarf gardenia, Prince of Barabados, firebush, shrimp plant, and a butterfly plant. All are in pots except the lemon tree is in the ground. I had the pots in a wooden storage shed with a heater, but I forgot the heater was digital, so when the power went out, it didn't come back on with the power. That did them in. I also have a Japanese yew that is 7' tall. Many of the leaves were frozen, but there are still many leaves on different branches that are OK. How should I prune the limbs with the dead leaves? Thanks.

Travis County Texas

Expert Response

Hi Mark:

Thanks for your inquiry.  We are seeing so many plants with damage such as yours suffered--it was a tough situation for so many gardeners.  This level of low temperatures is new to me, so I did some research to see what trained experts had to say.

Two extension agents answered questions about the freeze in this article, including a little info about gardenias: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/gardening/article/Garden-experts-answer-readers-post-freeze-15979443.php 

Extension Agent Matt Garrett has an article about dealing with freeze damage for a whole range of plants here:  https://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/opinion/matt-garrett-dealing-with-freeze-damage-on-plants/article_185239a2-7bb0-11eb-bc80-fb82d25bb943.html

With regards to perennials, Garrett suggests the following: "Cut away the dead mush and wait till mid spring to see what comes up. Many perennials are cold hardy but many we grow in the South are more tender and tropical (confederate rose, Mexican heather, Mexican petunia, and lots more) and may not make it when the ground freezes."

My guesses about your plants, but not having examined them:
Meyer Lemon: My guess is that it may not survive, unless it happened to have been in a protected, sunny location.  Citrus trees are very vulnerable to freezing.
Gardenias: If in a pot, probably not likely to have survived. Gardenias are not cold hardy and temperatures below 20 degrees can kill part, or even all, of the plant that is above ground. The scratch test is a good indicator of live wood and gives us hope that all is not lost, but some damage may be yet to come. It is best to wait it out and see where new growth emerges, then prune from there. If it survives, don’t expect blooms this year.
Pride of Barbados: Likely not to have survived super low temperatures, especially in a pot. Cut to the ground now and wait to see if it grows once the ground is warm.
Firebush:  Although this is Zone 8b, it rarely comes through a cold winter here, especially in a pot. Location is key. Leave it until at least late March.
Shrimp plant: Another tender plant, unlikely to have survived in a pot.
Butterfly plant: This is a woody perennial, so I am not as sure.  In a pot, I'd be inclined to think it would not have survived in the cold we experienced. Try bending branches to see if they snap or bend. If they bend,  a scratch test may reveal if anything is alive. 

For your yew, Garrett's advice for similar shrubs is "wait until they start to resprout from the existing stems or the ground, then cut away dead and leave what is alive and growing. Split stems will be dead...and all old foliage will most likely fall off."

I hope this helps!

Best wishes,
Gregory Thomas

Travis County Master Gardeners


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From: Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021 9:06 AM
To: Travis County Master Gardener <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Question assigned to you (#0010882)
 

Hi Travis County,

Question #0010882 has been assigned to you by Sheryl W.

Dead or alive?

Most of my plants look dead after the freeze. Which do you think might make it back, and what should I do for them now: dwarf meyers lemon tree about 5 years old, dwarf gardenia, Prince of Barabados, firebush, shrimp plant, and a butterfly plant. All are in pots except the lemon tree is in the ground. I had the pots in a wooden storage shed with a heater, but I forgot the heater was digital, so when the power went out, it didn't come back on with the power. That did them in. I also have a Japanese yew that is 7' tall. Many of the leaves were frozen, but there are still many leaves on different branches that are OK. How should I prune the limbs with the dead leaves? Thanks.

From: MARK BERGER
Submitted: 03/26/2021 4:07 PM


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Travis County Master Gardeners Replied March 30, 2021, 4:24 PM EDT
Thanks, Gregory.  This is the information I needed, if not wanted.  
We'll see what happens as you suggested.  I don't know for sure how cold it got in the wooden storage building.  It's my wife's studio, and I've insulated some of it.  We brought all her paints in to be safe, and if I had remembered that the heater was digital, the plants would have had a better chance.  I also thought the heavy weight freeze blanket would protect the tree.  Oh well, next time I'll use Styrofoam panels!  With air vents. 
If nothing else, maybe I ought to buy stock in local nurseries.  I'm sure they'll be doing a brisk business!

Mark

On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 03:24:06 PM CDT, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:


The Question Asker Replied March 30, 2021, 8:47 PM EDT

Hi again Mark:

I am learning about freeze damage as I answer more questions and wanted to comment again about your yew.

Our extension agent Daphne Richards posted on a blog about dealing with a similar plant. Her advice was this: 

It Looks Terrible, But Leave Alone

Resist the urge to trim away damaged tips or leaves.

New growth and the tips of stems are the most sensitive to frost damage. It’s tempting to just remove it as a way to tidy up for freeze recovery, but leave this tissue alone. Once the plant begins to grow out of this damage you’ll be better able to gauge where to prune. With deciduous plants, still dormant and leafless, you don’t have any good way of knowing how much the plant was damaged. Wait until the new buds begin to swell up and emerge from under the surface of the stem. Once the new buds or growth appears, prune off any obviously dead tissue.

Being slow to prune seems to a good process, I learned, and I wanted to send this to you as soon as I saw it.

Regards,
Gregory Thomas
Travis County Master Gardeners
Travis County Master Gardeners Replied March 31, 2021, 1:35 PM EDT
Thanks Gregory. I'll hide the pruning shears from my wife. When she sees things like the yew, she's ready to cut it off. 
I guess this is a learning experience for all of us. I've lived in San Antonio then Austin since 1977 for a total of 72 years, and I don't remember it ever getting cold like this. I do remember the 7 year drought of the 50s, but in some ways this tops that.

Mark 


On Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 12:35 PM, Ask Extension
The Question Asker Replied March 31, 2021, 6:36 PM EDT

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