I've already posted about my 25' Loquat tree that I thought dead after our freeze, but is putting out shoots now, finally and very slowly. Well, the bed it lives in in my front yard took the hardest hit of my yard. Five clumps of Cast Iron plants were totally brown and had to be sheared off to 5" with hedge trimmers. All the Giant Liriope did likewise and were also sheared off to 5". My 4 ligustrum rear right this photo we were patient with, but leafing was only occuring at the dirt line and 1-1½' up the branches, so they were finally chopped down 2 days ago to create new 1½' bushes. Five of 6 Nandina 'Firepower' bushes in 21" pots all died. The one that survived is now planted into the ground out back. Just thought I'd post a pic I tookk today of the hardest hit bed that houses the Loquat tree far left (out of site this photo). Everything is slowly coming back. I'm especially pleased with the Cast Iron plants around the trees. New shoots are opening out into full leaves now.


When the rain lets up (we've had it daily for 2 weeks now) I plan to get into this bed and whack down the weeds between plants. I admit, It sorely needs it. You can barely see the 7 Ligustrum 'Sunshine' in the center back of the bed out on the intersection face for all the weeds in there. There is ground ivy there, but it's mostly weeds right now. When the rain lets up, I won't have any more excuses.

Nice! It is rewarding to see plants coming back to life. Perhaps the temps will remain cool when the rain ends. Then working outdoors will be pleasant.

I know it is recommended to trim the cast iron plants back annually but I rarely do so. The new foliage looks so pretty. Just last weekend, I cut mine back and fertilized.

One plant that I was patient with (and heart broken) was my Arbequina olive tree. It is now putting on new growth at the base. I am waiting to prune it just in case more new growth is willing. The branches are still flexible.

Kristi, sounds like your olive tree is where my loquat tree is: new shoots down near the dirt line; scattered shoots now showing up higher up and farther out the long branches, but random and not too many (yet). We must be patient with the trees. I've heart they can take 6 months to revive after a devastating freeze. I'm going to remain hopeful on that front, since at least SOME higher up shoots are appearing. I'm giving up on 1 of my 2 Mountain Laurels. It went into the freeze puny; was twice as long to leaf out than the other, and some NEW leaves have died off SINCE they emerged, which I think is a sure sign the tree is dying a slow death. Not hopeful the tree will turn around now, but giving it another month to show any further sign of "life".