Snow Damaged Large Plants - Advice needed

[sTaGeWaLkEr 10]

I've got several well established ones in my garden. Some are almost as tall as my house. Unfortunately they've taken a battering too, as did several other large plants.

 

In relation to the Cordyline, apparently the key is to shake the snow off as it falls. By not letting it sit, it doesn't melt down inside the plant and slowly rot the plant from the inside.

 

While out and about I've seen some that look in fantastic condition compared to mine. Clearly they've prevented the damage by getting rid of the excess snow. At least I'll know for when the snow returns.

 

With other plants, snow sitting on the leaves or branches for long periods of time is bound to have a negative effect - some of my larger trees actually broke just with the weight of the snow alone. The cold is one thing, many plants will survive this, but snow directly on the plant is something else.

 

Like Neeeeeek says I wouldn't give up on it - who knows how it might pan out.

Edited February 5, 2011 by sTaGeWaLkEr

[sskirrrow 10]

Stick you finger down into the crown, if its mushy, i can safely say you have lost them..

[Yog Sothoth 10]

One of mine lost all its leaves last winter - all went soft at the base. It looked dead but sprouted out again about May/June and was doing well but this winter's done the same again. Gonna tie up and wrap up with fleece next year.

[sskirrrow 10]

Has anyone got any large Cordylines or Yuccas that have been killed off in the the recent cold weather. If anyone needs these felling and removing please get in contact. Very reasonable reates..

[Twitcher 10]

My 9 year old 10ft Cordyline is in the same state, I think the idea is that we should wrap with some protection, seems everywhere I look there are Cordylines in much the same state, just feel really sad it had got this high and now it's dead

[craigmason 10]

I think the advice is dispose of the leaves that fall off and keep your fingers crossed that it recovers

[cheshirecat7 10]

I had 3 Cordylines against the conservatory. These have been there for nearly 6 years, but have been in the garden at least 16, so were huge and have survived everything. That was until this year and despite shaking as much snow as possible off them the combination of the snow the extreme prolonged cold temperatures and now the wind they have all lost the will to carry on. The last one has shed its leaves all over the garden today and will be axed tomorrow - if it stops raining - the others had already shed their leaves. When I chopped them down the trunk was just mush. I have lost so many plants this winter - the garden centres will be doing well at some point in the near future!

[Hedgehog50 10]

Anyone else's outdoor yucca tree dying through bad winter we have had. I am gutted we had five and one was real lovely, but the leaves just started dropping off themselves.

[Amaranthus 10]

I have an indoor one that doesn't look too healthy. I'm not sure if it's because it doesn't get enough sunlight or because I over watered it early on or what...

[rubydazzler 11]

Aren't you supposed to wrap them up for the winter months in fleece and polythene sheeting to protect them from the cold?

[annier0_0 10]

Mine is the same. it is about nine feet tall and I was sure it would be ok so didn't give it any protection. When we had the big freeze the leaves hung flat against the trunk. They are now withered and are falling off. Not sure it will come back now. I have had it for some years and it has always been fine until now.

[Badlittlepup 10]

I have an indoor yucca and they naturally shed their leaves every winter. You see round the base all the white rough bits on the brown stem? That's where the leaves from previous years fell off, it's what makes the pattern.

 

The first time that happened with our yucca we thought it was dying but new growth comes through afterwards.