winters winners and losers

The chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata) seems to show no damage.

This winter's -11F temperatures damaged many of my plants, some to the point of no return, others with varying degree of damage, mild to severe.  The dry winter and spring with hardly any moisture seemed to make the damage worse, and the recent snowfall was cold enough to do even more damage.

cold damage to Penstemon heterophyllus

damage to Dianthus hispanicus

This Osmanthus heterophyllus had most of the top growth destroyed, and was starting to regrow from dormant buds in older wood. The late snow destroyed most of that as well.

Even native plants had tip damage from the late snow, the new shoots of datura and new growth on the oaks have turned black or damaged.

This native Quercus turbinella completely defoliated this winter, new growth damaged by the late snow.

damaged new growth on Chilopsis linearis (Desert willow)

 Some things are starting to regrow, such as this Trachy.

Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill Palm) starting to regrow.

Cistus x aguilarii may survive, but is it worth keeping?

Those plants that retreat underground for the winter seem to be mostly fine, even this Zantedeschia (calla lily), although it is irrigated.

Some plants are just tough. It is time for the Penstemon linarioides, although strangely, those that were gravel mulched are barely putting out any flowers, but this one that is mulched with pecan shells, is blooming abundantly. I suspect that it is because the one that is pecan-mulched is in a more irrigated part of the garden, so that although the cold did not affect the plants, the plants limit blooming when dry.

Scutellaria resinosa seems no worse for the wear, but irrigated.

Eriogonum umbellatum looks just fine, even with no irrigation.

Penstemon pseudospectabilis lost a few tips, but is now blooming just fine, without irrigation.

Echinocereus reichenbachii var. baileyii blooming like nothing happened, even without irrigation.