Pitcarin
- Thread starter Jeff Searle
- Start date
Phil Stager
Esteemed Member
Crazy for Crotons
Well-Known Member
One is a sport from what I recall Lee saying.
Crazy for Crotons
Well-Known Member
Here's another cultivar that "scoffed" at 26F.
Moose
Esteemed Member
Jeff Searle
Well-Known Member
All the more reason why we need these varieties growing "out of" the Northern Tundra Zone. Lol. Lets face it, 26F will kill most any croton!
Crazy for Crotons
Well-Known Member
You'd be surprised Jeff. I did lose many plants but just as many in close proximity survived and some without defoliating much. Of course, this is due the superior care these plants receive here.
Plants in central Florida are hardened off to cold more than the wimpy ones down south. A 26F here has a similar effect to 33F down south.Crotonologist
Active Member
26 degrees here will kill most tropicals - have you actually measured 26 with a thermometer near your plants?
Jeff Searle
Well-Known Member
Ray,
Throw that one Home Depot thermometer away and get a couple of good quality,accurate ones. Lol....I also would find that many of these plants will survive at a 26F hit.
Edit......I meant to write, that these plants WOULD NOT survive 26F.
Moose
Esteemed Member
I believe that Ray's statement about 26 F to be accurate. His weather tracking vigilance is proof enough for me. For an hour or two at 26 F then heating up to 40's, I can see it. 24 hours of 26 F, I would have some doubts. They start seeing 50's up yonder about 30-45 days before South Florida does. These plants do have a strong desire to survive and upper West Coast plants have to be more acclimated than the Southeast Coast ones. At 26 F, I am sure that the "cold hardier" cultivars are hating life when it happens but do survive.
Just an old Moose's opinion.
Still would love Ray to post a photo of his Pitcarin that took the 26 F hit.
Crazy for Crotons
Well-Known Member
I've got a $36 Accuweather weather monitor. It's pretty accurate although I can't say there isn't a degree or two error in its calibration. Folks, if 26F killed crotons reliably, I wouldn't see any old cultivars around my area. Remember that I did lose 60+ cultivars so 26F is definitely lethal. That said, come by my garden and whatever is there survived 26F. If we doubt the accuracy of the thermometer, let's say 25-27F. Keith had plenty of survivors at his place and it was about the same temp there.
26F on December 12th is very different from the same temp on February 12th. The plants harden off with each successive cool/cold front. In December, it may have been in the 90's as recently as three weeks before and get completely shocked by 26F. By February, 26F doesn't pack the same punch. As Ron mentioned, it's 26F for only an hour or less but the time below freezing was probably 8-10 hours. The other thing is this was the first time I'd had temps below 30F in over 10 years. These plants aren't getting stressed by extreme cold year after year so they're more likely to recover than plants in an area that sees regular freezes.
26F on December 12th is very different from the same temp on February 12th. The plants harden off with each successive cool/cold front. In December, it may have been in the 90's as recently as three weeks before and get completely shocked by 26F. By February, 26F doesn't pack the same punch. As Ron mentioned, it's 26F for only an hour or less but the time below freezing was probably 8-10 hours. The other thing is this was the first time I'd had temps below 30F in over 10 years. These plants aren't getting stressed by extreme cold year after year so they're more likely to recover than plants in an area that sees regular freezes.
Crazy for Crotons
Well-Known Member
Ron,
I have a veined Pitcairn air layer (like Phil's) if you're interested.
I have a veined Pitcairn air layer (like Phil's) if you're interested.
Moose
Esteemed Member
Crazy for Crotons
Well-Known Member
It's yours.
