fouquieria macdougalii cold hardiness

[necturus]

Hello,

Any idea how cold hardy Fouquieria macdougalii is?

I have one that's grown a lot over the last few years and took temps near freezing without flinching. I wasn't willing to risk it through our terrible winter storm and dug it up. I replanted it and it's leafing out and looking good. But it's final disposition will depend on how tough it really is. MSWN says zone 8 (10 F), but I don't know if I trust them (https://mswn.com/plants/fouquieria-macd ... -ocotillo/).

[Minime8484]

Hello,

Any idea how cold hardy Fouquieria macdougalii is?

I have one that's grown a lot over the last few years and took temps near freezing without flinching. I wasn't willing to risk it through our terrible winter storm and dug it up. I replanted it and it's leafing out and looking good. But it's final disposition will depend on how tough it really is. MSWN says zone 8 (10 F), but I don't know if I trust them (https://mswn.com/plants/fouquieria-macd ... -ocotillo/).

Mine has survived lows to 23F, but it lost the distal 6" of outer branches. It regularly takes 28F without damage.

[necturus]

Hello,

Any idea how cold hardy Fouquieria macdougalii is?

I have one that's grown a lot over the last few years and took temps near freezing without flinching. I wasn't willing to risk it through our terrible winter storm and dug it up. I replanted it and it's leafing out and looking good. But it's final disposition will depend on how tough it really is. MSWN says zone 8 (10 F), but I don't know if I trust them (https://mswn.com/plants/fouquieria-macd ... -ocotillo/).

Mine has survived lows to 23F, but it lost the distal 6" of outer branches. It regularly takes 28F without damage.

Definitely doesn't sound zone 8 hardy then. Thanks.

I lost a F. formosa a few years ago in a bad freeze, another Fouquieria with some reports of cold hardiness online.

[Meangreen94z]

They sell them in the Austin area, I’ve read they’ll take mid to high teens. I haven’t tested mine below mid 20’s here.

[necturus]

They sell them in the Austin area, I’ve read they’ll take mid to high teens. I haven’t tested mine below mid 20’s here.

I bought my F. formosa in Austin at The Natural Gardener with a tag that said good to 20 and now it's dead.

My F. macdougalii came from Arid Lands by mail order and has grown very well. I am now leaning towards pot culture, although apparently I could grow it like a plumeria (dig up in the winter and leave in my garage, replant in the spring).

[Gee.S]

Of all my Fouqs, F. formosa reacted most negatively to a relatively mild winter (went completely dormant), and reacts the most favorably toward our extreme heat and sun -- grows like crazy during summer.

[Meangreen94z]

They sell them in the Austin area, I’ve read they’ll take mid to high teens. I haven’t tested mine below mid 20’s here.

I bought my F. formosa in Austin at The Natural Gardener with a tag that said good to 20 and now it's dead.

My F. macdougalii came from Arid Lands by mail order and has grown very well. I am now leaning towards pot culture, although apparently I could grow it like a plumeria (dig up in the winter and leave in my garage, replant in the spring).

That is true. Most xeric plants will lose significant hardiness in wet cold. The days leading up to the February freeze we had a night(Thursday before I believe ) that was predicting mid to low 20’s. I figured I would move or protect the plants that evening that might suffer. That day sleet and freezing rain moved in North of Austin where I’m at. Everything got covered in thick ice. I moved most everything in that night or the next. I had agave rated at 10*F in the desert that completely burned and disfigured from maybe 22-23*F and ice. There is a very narrow range of agave that do well out here when you figure ice and mid teens every 5 years or so. Asperimma, Ovatifolia, lopantha, and some of my PDN hybrids were the only ones that didn’t take significant damage.

[Meangreen94z]

Of all my Fouqs, F. formosa reacted most negatively to a relatively mild winter (went completely dormant), and reacts the most favorably toward our extreme heat and sun -- grows like crazy during summer.

Yes, Fouquieria Splendens is probably the only one that can handle a winter out here, but also seems the most unhappy, or slow growing/reacting during summer. All my other Fouquieria grow like crazy and love the off and on wet/warm weather

[Gee.S]

Of all my Fouqs, F. formosa reacted most negatively to a relatively mild winter (went completely dormant), and reacts the most favorably toward our extreme heat and sun -- grows like crazy during summer.

Yes, Fouquieria Splendens is probably the only one that can handle a winter out here, but also seems the most unhappy, or slow growing/reacting during summer. All my other Fouquieria grow like crazy and love the off and in wet warm weather

So you never see F. columnaris around?

[Meangreen94z]

I had a relatively small one that ended up rotting in Houston. Most of my last yard was shaded half the day and it ended up being too much. It stayed green off and on but was not a fast grower. I plan on getting another but have every other Fouquieria for now.