Beautiful spring weather is here, and we are really starting to see the true extent of freeze damage from the Winter Storm in February.
In the first weeks following the freeze, the main message was to wait and see how plants responded this spring. I have been pleasantly surprised by how well most plants are doing! Roses are just gorgeous this year and seem to be making up for the cold weather. Texas Mountain Laurel gave us all a scare because of the ice damage, but they are really leafing out great this spring.
Now, let’s talk about the few plants that are still questionable or might need some help. There are some exceptions to this list, but these are my observations around Williamson County.
Pittosporum has not survived the freeze. Unfortunately, pittosporum does not regrow from the roots, so I’m afraid this shrub will need to be removed.
Loropetalum is starting to slowly come back. I might have crawled underneath a large one in a neighbor’s yard to snap a photo of new leaves coming out at the base. You can trim out dead branches and let it grow naturally. It does not respond well to being shaped into round or square hedges.
Figs can be hurt by cold weather, but they generally regrow from the ground. The figs in our demonstration garden are already sending up healthy shoots, and we will just prune out the dead limbs. It might take two years before they fruit, but they will be fine.
Live oak trees are still making a comeback, but some may not survive. There are two varieties of oak trees that grow in Williamson County. The Quercus fusiformis, often called Texas live oak, plateau oak, or escarpment live oak, is a smaller tree that tends to be found in drier sites. Its native range is southern Oklahoma through Texas and into Mexico. This variety can withstand colder winters. The Quercus virginiana is known as the southern live oak and is found along the coastal areas of the southeastern United States. This is the variety that produces the massive live oak trees that we all love so much. Williamson County is on the western edge of the native region for the southern live oak. The Quercus virginiana is not as cold tolerant as the Quercus fusiformis, and it might not recover as well from the freeze.
Ash trees do not seem to be doing well. My own Arizona ash tree has four leaves at the base of the trunk, and I do not hold out much hope. Some other ash trees are putting on a few more leaves, so it could be worth waiting a while longer to see what happens.
For more information about lawn and garden topics, contact Horticulture Extension Agent Kate Whitney at the Williamson County AgriLife Extension Office at 512-943-3300.
