Gunnera Manicata - Has it had it?

[Daniel Wood]

Hello,

So I have a young Gunnera Manicata out in the garden which I have had covered through out the winter.

Since the weather is warming up I thought I would let it get some fresh air during the day. Unfortunately I was forgetful and one evening a left it uncovered overnight. Typically there was a reasonably hard frost the following morning.

This has had a fairly detrimental effect on the plant as you can see from the photos.

My question is though: is it a lost cause or is it like to recover? There are green sections visible under the frost damage.






Top down:

[grub]

Looks to me like it'll be fine Daniel, welcome aboard

[Nick]

Mine have never had any protection at all over any winter and it's always come back no probs, the only Gunnera that I lost was where I dug it up and made it into new plants for someone and had them in damp grit sand with drainage holes in plastic buckets, they did not survive last winter sadly, but my new baby one planted last summer has had none what so ever so I would not worry about yours just yet, if there is no movement by mid summer then I would thing about replacing it with a new one, but there is a green shoot on yours on it's side, where mine in it's 250ltr header tank full of peat and a drain hole 4 inches below the surface shows no sign of life just yet, but even last years leafs have not rotted away yet, and they normally rot and disappear within weeks of winter, how strange is that

[Daniel Wood]

Thanks guys. That's good news. Wasn't sure as it's my first one and it's quite young.

[Nick]

Danial your more than welcome, mine did not grow much last year, so mine is still young it's self.

[CleoBC]

You have alot of mulch around it so I suspect the crown might still be ok. Just wait on it, it still looks alive to me. I don't know where you are but if the weather has gotten warmer give it a hit of fertilizer. Mine lookes the same but it's pushing leaves around the crown.

[Daniel Wood]

It has indeed survived. Leaves are popping out all around the crown so it'll live to fight another day. Good idea about the fertilizer though. I'll give it some today.

[Nick]

Mine looked just like yours, I thought it had died but it now has small baby leafs growing out now, I don't think it will make much growth this year sadly

[no limit palms]

this ones doing well this year,this pic was taken 3 weeks ago its grown alot since

[Nick]

Mine still has very small leafs, I don't know if it will make bigger leafs this year or not, I'll have to wait and see