Frostbite--garden status update--

Frostbite--Garden status update.
US Gulf State.

The Turks' Head hibiscus, the datura, the red shrub with the red flowers and berries (do not know its name) are all frost-burned.  The veins and tissues in the leaves have all frozen and they have all turned a limp dead brown green.  I can even smell the green decay from the frostbite.

BTW-be careful as a human being, esp. if you live in the Nn latitudes.  You can die from exposure of as short as 20 minutes duration. 

The roses amazingly are OK, even the small buds, because they came from N. China originally. 

The remaining lemon grass is OK, but only a few blades remain after the dry rot (??) or mold that hit 2 large clumps.  I noticed it in the summer, but did not have time to research or treat it.

The fig is OK.

The sanseveria, asparaus fern, tecoma stans and blue plumbago are all OK as they are on the warmer S side of the house.  

The plants in pots I was able to lug indoors are of course OK.

My 2 small camellias bought at $9 each (I thought I would make them into outdoor bonsai) are OK, under the red shrub, which is dead above them but still provides protective cover.

The canna leaves are all frost-burned.
But I think they will return from the tubers.

In any case, I have no more material to cover anything with, and tonight will still be 19 degrees.

The shrubs with the frost-bitten tops will come back from the stems, probably, which are usually still alive.  Most years they return.

I am still alive and I am still writing, for which I am thankful.

KM Kaung  www.kmkaung.com
1-6-2014