Succulents in the snow
We spent a few days at my mother-in-law’s in Mount Shasta in far Northern California. The town is located at the base of Mount Shasta, a volcano which rises to 14,179 ft. to the east. (Although Mount Shasta hasn’t erupted since around 1250, it’s considered active.) At an elevation of 3,600 ft., the town gets over 100 inches of snow per year.
The second day of our stay started out drizzly, but in the late afternoon the rain turned to snow. Not a lot, but enough for a postcard-worthy dusting:
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| Western redcedars (Thuja plicata) |
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| Stella having a blast in my mother-in-law’s backyard |
Five years ago, I planted two agaves (Agave parryi and Agave ovatifolia) and two yuccas (Yucca gloriosa and Yucca ‘Blue Sentinel’) on the hill in front of the house. The Agave ovatifolia only lasted a couple of winters, but the Agave parryi is still alive. It’s not the prettiest, but the new growth looks great, and I fully expect it to live for many more years.
The two yuccas are still around as well. They’ve grown slowly because the soil is very porous, and water drains away quickly.
A few years ago, my mother-in-law planted a couple of pads of eastern prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa) in what used to be a fire bowl. They have multiplied at record speed and now fill the entire bowl. In the summer, they’re covered with yellow flowers. In the winter, they shrivel up and lose their bright green color. That’s perfectly normal, it’s just their way of surviving cold temperatures. Found in the eastern and central US all the way north to Ontario, Canada, Opuntia humifusa is considered hardy to zone 4 (-30°F)!
The succulents that do the best in Mount Shasta are sempervivums. I planted some a few years ago and plan to add more this spring.
The sedum on the left in the photo below has been growing there for decades!
Although the snowfall was light, the bamboos in the backyard were bent over all the way to the ground:
As pretty as the snow was during the day, it was truly magical at night:
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Stella stands out in her nice blue jacket! The house and surrounding trees are indeed magical in the night hours. The fact the Sempervivums embrace that climate says a lot about why they struggle in mine.
ReplyDeleteStella doesn't like to be cold, but there are so many exciting smells in Mt Shasta (as well as squirrels and rabbits to chase) that she doesn't seem to mind it there.
DeleteSempervivums: My experience exactly. I've killed so many (they become mealybug magnets in the summer when they're dormant) that I've given up. I don't think I have a single one left in my garden.
They last photo is magical! Seems that your MIL is kind of isolated. Is she actually alone?
ReplyDeleteMy MIL lives by herself, but she's surrounded by houses on all sides. All properties in this part of Mt Shasta are multi-acre.
DeleteWow. Glad there are houses nearby, just in case!
DeleteShe has great neighbors looking after her.
DeleteThe snow is beautiful. The bamboo with the golden stalks is gorgeous, will it bounce back ok?
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, bamboo is super flexible. In fact, it's meant to bend under load so it doesn't snap.
DeleteFor those of us in cold climates semps are the perfect plant. They tolerate heat, cold and drought, hold their colour through the winter, so some interest when there is little snow, and are incredibly useful to tuck into cracks along edges to hold soil in place. So many gorgeous foliage colours and foliage finishes too. Love echeverias but can only grow as houseplants. Maybe the reverse, growing semps as a houseplant, will work for you.
ReplyDeleteIt might be too warm inside the house in the winter for semps to thrive as houseplants, but I'll do some research. There have to be species/varieties that do better in hot summers than others...
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