Thursday, March 3, 2016

February...in and out.

First part of February when the snow started melting.
This Opuntia basilaris looked amazingly well.  I was surprised, because of the cold winter we been having. 

This was about the middle of Feb.

And by the end of Feb. this plant is just about dead.  Some plants look fine during winter may fool you later as the weather warms.  And the weather has warmed  to the 40's f. and 50's f. for highs now.  I was never expecting this plant to live through it's first winter so I won't be surprised if it lives or dies.    


Echinocereus triglochidiatus var inermis, looking good as the snow melts.

Middle of Feb.

End of Feb, now you can see where the cold damage has browned the ribs.  
Noticed I have also removed the cover of the Agave.

Yucca rostrata/ thombsoniana, Begining of Feb.

Same plant, end of Feb.

Yucca brevifolia jaegeriana, This plant has not been the hardiest individual.  But it does look like it's going to survive, however both of the smaller suckers had crown rot and pulled. 

Beginning of Feb.

Sucker at the base.


End of Feb.


This is my hybrid agave and the only hardy agave that has survived here without protection.  It is a cross between utahensis and neomexicana.  This winter was hard on it, but I think it's going to live.  Because it is non suckering, I hope for seed one day so I can share with others.

Beginning of Feb.  



End of Feb.


Sclerocactus parviflorus, does well here.

Yucca brevifolia jaegeriana
Beginning of Feb. 

You can see some problems accruing, I would have thought this plant a goner, but as it warmed the plant started to look better, this rarely happens.  

End of Feb.  Looking better.


Yucca torreyi, these are very iffy here and I doubt the main plant lives, but I bet they came back as suckers. 
Beginning of Feb, not looking bad.

End of Feb. Hard to tell from this pic, but this plant is just about toast.

My other Y. torreyi, also just about toast.

Yucca rostrata.  Beginning of Feb.

End of Feb.  This plant has passed this winter's plant test. 

Yucca elata.  Alive, been the garden for years and needs to do something, like grow maybe.


I've had the next 2 Y. brevifolia for a few years and have never shown cold damage, until this year.
Beginning of Feb. 

End of Feb, has seen better days.

Beginning of Feb.

End of Feb.  Not sure if this will make it.

All the Yucca filata look good.  Hybrids in general seem to do better through winter.  






This has been hard to watch.  This Yucca elata look worse and worse as time goes buy.

Yucca rostrata/ thombsoniana.  I little stress but none it can't handle. 


Yucca nana, looks fine.

Yucca faxoniana, first of Feb. 

End of Feb.  Looks bad.

Opuntia fragilis.

Yucca faxoniana, might be Y. austrailis 

By the end of the month, not looking like a survivor. 


Yucca recurvifolia, rabbit food.  I don't blame them, they need to eat.  


Yucca baccata, they all look good.

Echinocereus mojavensis

Echinocereus ledingii.  Look good until the snow melted.  Was buried under snow in winter.

Echinocereus  triglochidiatus "whitesands"

Yucca elata x thombsoniana. covered

Yucca faxoniana, (Santa fe') Covered, some burn.

Yucca elata x gloriosa 

Opuntia basilaris.  Very hardy! and blue.

Opuntia "mini-rita"  Covered, some burn.

 Echinocactus polycephalus, covered (always) in winter.  Looks (always) good.

Echinocactus polycephalus, covered looks good.

Echinocactus polycephalus, major burn, but alive, and covered.

Opuntia engelmannii x basilaris.  covered and looks good.

Echinocereus mojavensis, always hardy if kept dry.

Agave parryi, covered.  Looks good. 




Echinocereus albispinus.  Looks good.

Opuntia phaeacantha 

Agave parryi (flagstaff), covered.  looks good. 





Enchinocereus coccineus, looks fine.






Yucca elata, looks ok.


Coryphantha vivpara , I have 3 large clumps like this one.

Opuntia polyacantha, Idaho native.  I posted this to show that sometime even the native cactus receive cold damage and or winter rot.  




Yucca rostrata/ thombsoniana, looking good. 

Low growing Opuntia engelmannii like cactus.  Looks like it survived again.

Most all of my cholla received some minor burn.   

Opuntia basilaris.  Looks like a champ!


Echinocereus reichenbachii v. caespitosus, I think.  Looking good. 

Yucca gloriosa variegata, normally does fine, but not this year.  This (these) plant is slowly dwindling away.  

Yucca baccata.

This seed grown j-tree did just fine over the winter and is going to my friend Judy.

Yucca elata, I bought 2 like this one.  I planted them in some not so good places and they both look good.

Agave palmeri.  It was covered and grows a little every year. 

Yucca elata, some burn.

Hybrid I think?

This did good in years past.  Hybrid, but not sure with what.

I knew this was going to happen.  Agave havardiana, covered! 

Yucca brevifolia, spear pull, not looking good.

Opuntia spinosibacca, covered.  Not doing all that great.  

Unknown Opuntia.  Covered, but not doing good.

Yucca gloriosa, I think.  Looks good. 

Hybrid with thombsoniana.  Some winter damage.