Succulent Hardiness Experiment: Update

[ChrisG]

As most of you know, we are running a little succulent hardiness experiment over this winter. The main reason being to see what people grow, but also to help inform people of what others have grown in their area / temps.

We have had a few people submit information on what succulents they have outside, others have said they are waiting until they have got more organised. If you have not yet let me know what you are growing, even if you only have a couple of plants PLEASE let me know. I will be sending very polite requests to people who posts photos of they dry beds and have not submitted information

Anyway here is the most up to date list. As you can see a fair amount of variety, and not all of it in the locations you would expect in the country. I have been surprised at how many people have said they are testing plants, with spares planted in different parts of the garden. I have also been surprised at how few people have listed the ones that i think stand most chance.

Finally if you are starting to get casualties fell free to let me know the rough temps so I can start filling out my outcomes boxes. I know a few people have lost plants already in the two cold spells we have had.

Thanks to all those that have taken part so far, keep it up

hardiness-experiment.pdf

[Andy Martin]

Hi Chris... Just to let you know that I have Beschorneria Yuccoides "Quicksilver" and Dasylirion Serratifolium growing outside unprotected. Both ok at the moment. My Agaves will not be planted out until next year. I have a max/min Thermometer so if either of them bite the dust I'll let you know. Here's a few pics

The area behind the Beschy is being prepared for the Agaves and some Proteacea plants . Here's my Dasy which is in a slightly raised border..

[SteveW]

We have had a few people submit information on what succulents they have outside, others have said they are waiting until they have got more organised. If you have not yet let me know what you are growing, even if you only have a couple of plants PLEASE let me know. I will be sending very polite requests to people who posts photos of they dry beds and have not submitted information

I'd better get round to making that list then Chris

[ChrisG]

Thanks guys

Forgot to put the information needed in the first post: i just need the plant name, if it is planted or in a pot, the soil type (very simple normal or free draining) and if it is unprotected, has a rain cover or overhead cover from trees. If you have the time you can also include something on size to try and get at small, medium large plants.

Just stick it in a PM to me, that way if you don't want people knowing about your prize plant they wont.

[Cathy]

Just stick it in a PM to me, that way if you don't want people knowing about your prize plant they wont.

we could all be round nicking your prize plants once the Cat was out of the bag - sorry, mentioned the 'c' word

I have a small soiless gravel bed with Agaves / Aloes etc. planted, now with rain shelter. Trouble is I am not sure of the names of wot I have
I DO have a Bechnorea Yuccoides (how on earth do you spell that!) which has been outside, unprotected as I thought it was hardy, for two years in a pot (not happy) and now on its 2nd year planted.
I do NOT have a high / low thermometer, my bestest 'ordinary' thermo' blew down and smashed ...must start xmas list.
Cathy.

[Ian Mc1]

I like the large red flowering Aloes but although they grow like smoke in seaside suburbs I have had no success a few miles inland.
Just wonder if anyone had success growing under frost cloth or some other winter protection.
Thanks: Ian Mc

[Cathy]

Hi Ian, the Aloes I have just added to my gravel bed are only small stripey ones (sorry forget name) which have tiny spidery flowers on long stalks, of no particular colour. They usually survive in pots on dry windowsill outdoors but thought to try them in the ground this winter, as the last few winters have been quite mild

Someone else may have experience of the large red flowering Aloes, which sound lovely.
Cathy.
ps. I guess frost cloth = fleece

[ChrisG]

Cathy, post a picture or two of your dry bed and we will see if we can Id anything for you I think from your last picture a couple should be easy.

Ian, Very few aloes cope bellow -3 without any protection. Keeping them dry helps some but no others. The best protection you can give them is where you can keep all the soil dry using some sort of rain shelter. Then on coldest nights you can throw fleece over this to give them that little bit extra protection. By the red flowering aloe do you mean Aloe striatula, this would be frequently seen by the sea and is one of the hardier ones and would be one that with a rain shelter you may add a couple of degrees of hardiness to.

[Dave Brown]

I have an Agave attenuata that I am trying outside. but when I menetioned it at Wisley, was met with sharp inrush of breath, followed by "only good to -2C then a gonna".

I am trying to provide an environment suitable for the plant to survive, not just to see at what temperature it dies. My A. attenuata is in the warmest microclimate I have. Nestled up against a south facing wall and window under the canopy of Trunky Trachycarpus. It is planted in it's teracotta pot, as the ground was not well drained enough to plant out. I will be working on that next spring once the ground dries out

The cat sits on the windowledge until the sun goes off in the afternoon, so it must be the warmest place . It has been out so far completely unprotected. We have has a couple of air frosts, the worst being -1.9C with a northerly gale. I have had Pelargoniums planted here for a few years and they normally flower right the way through the winter

Sorry it looks a bit of a mess most things are still just there in pots

[ChrisG]

I remember when you mentioned to me you were trying it outside. You are a lucky man if you can keep part of your garden above -2 or -3. the advantages of living where you do and being able to great a positive micro climate. One good thing about attenuata is that it likes water so wont care so much if it's feet get a little wet.

[Dave Brown]

Chris, Both of them have been in my unheated covered bit overwinter since I got them from Lanzarote in November 2001. The parent plant was about 6 feet tall on an upright trunk with pups on the top of the trunk. I took two pups by ripping them off the side of the trunk. They had no roots. Thay have experienced at least -2C in there, and has gone down to -6C outside. I intend to throw a fleece over on severe cold nights, say below -3C

[Industrial]

BESCHORNERIA YUCCOIDES
YUCCA GLORIOSA VARIEGATA
YUCCA FILAMENTOSA
YUCCA BRIGHT EDGE (variegated filamentosa I think - variegated leaf margins)
YUCCA GOLDEN SWORD (variegated filamentosa I think - variegated central leaf stripe)
YUCCA ELATA (now in a pot - but spent first two years in the ground)

All these are unprotected in normal soil. Have been there 5-7 years or there abouts and have suffered no damage. Have survived temps as low as -9 (probably more) many times and very wet winters.

[Cathy]

My little experiments,

Crassula other 'thing'

Aloe Vera, Opuntia (nibbled) & Agave?

Aloe? & Aloe Vera

sorry for crappe picture (I was shivering with the cold)

Cathy.

[MarkD]

I've seen more damage on the ones I'm over protecting than the ones I'm not

Problem is I tend to worry and chicken out in autumn and tend to over protect ones that I'm very fond of, harming them even more

I'll learn my lesson one day

[Cathy]

I know what you mean Mark, We have an Aeonium Arboreum (purply one) bought last April, which is in Brians shed which is FREEZING!
I am going to move it outside under the tarp' shelter tomorrow, as sometimes it is colder IN the shed than out!
Cathy.