Snow Damaged Large Plants - Advice needed

[Amaranthus 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.

 

I see... the ones near the bottom have gone brown and shrivelled up but the ones at the top do still look healthy so that's a relief to hear.

[Twitcher 10]

Are you sure it's not a Cordyline, they are all suffering as I look round the gardens locally, as the snow slides down the leaves and rot the trunk, they are all looking like umbrellas, we can only wait to see if they pick up later but it's doubtful....

[phantom309 10]

I had this some years ago and I cut it down to ground level and then it re grew with five shoots which grew higher than the garden shed so around eight foot tall. I was going to dig it up but after digging down over two feet and no sign of it coming loose I just left it and I was pleased I did

[lexi's-nan 10]

Are you sure it's not a Cordyline, they are all suffering as I look round the gardens locally, as the snow slides down the leaves and rot the trunk, they are all looking like umbrellas, we can only wait to see if they pick up later but it's doubtful....

 

Yeah, I'm gutted my cordyline has died at 8 years old cos of this bloody winter!

[phantom309 10]

The one I had the tree trunk had gone to a very gluey mess and fell over but it did grow back after cutting it back below near to ground level so all is not lost

[AJ sheffield 11]

We have tied the remaining leaves tight upright until the weather smartens up, it looks silly but could just save its life.

[smithy266 21]

we have lost our bay tree, plus a couple of other shrubs

[Badlittlepup 10]

I see... the ones near the bottom have gone brown and shrivelled up but the ones at the top do still look healthy so that's a relief to hear.

 

Yes, that's how they grow. The leaves at the bottom of the spray of leaves die and are replaced by new ones at the top.

 

Give it a few good waters with baby bio or some other plant food as they can do with it at this time.

[sskirrrow 10]

Cordylines and Yuccas are usually ok, once established down to temperatures of -5 due to their really thick cambium(bark). Its only the leaves and the crown that need protecting usually.. These kinds of plants including Phormiums hold lots of water in the crown, this then freezes, expands, splits, thaws then rots the crown. However this year has been an extreme exception. As i mentioned before, these plants bark is quite thick but no match for temperatures of -10 and below. These temperature easily penetrate and due to the natural high water content of these plants, they just freeze and expand and tear the plants vascular system, resulting in death. I have seen them recently with huge splits all the way up the trunk. We have not had these kind of temperatures for lots of years which is why some cordylines are over 20 years old.

If anyone has any large dead ones that need professional removal, please feel free to contact me. They really are quite tough and its really hard work doing with a hand saw.

[not wanted 10]

Mine is just about dead so I have lopped the head off and hopefully it will grow back.

[Aries22 10]

My two Cordylines have lost all there leaves and are very mushy, darn't tell you what they really look like lol.

[Diddles 10]

Our cordyline too has suffered really badly this winter, and as we walk our dogs we have noticed that many round where we live have suffered too. I looked on the internet and one website said to cut the top 6 or 7 inches off the trunk and seal the top with wax to protect it. If the rot has not gone too far down the trunk, then it should start resprouting come the warmer weather. We are going to give this a try and see if it works.