Let it snow!

[KyushuCalanthe]

Bad winter day for us here in "warm, subtropical" Kyushu. It never got warm today remaining below 28 F all day, in fact it is 25 F right now at 4 pm. Not a nice day in the neighborhood. Lots of blowing snow with near white-out conditions at times - a very unusual event for these parts. Luckily, temperatures are supposed to recover to near freezing overnight, so there is hope. Some pics:

A view of my town from a nearby hill. Not exactly the vision of a subtropical paradise!

The back 40 this morning:

Asplenium antiquum looks really unhappy, but have no fear, it will recover:

Philodendron bipinnatifidum looking very bad, may not make it, or at least take a big hit:

Platycerium bifurcatum has endured lots of cold in the past and made it through OK, so I'm not too worried:

Dendrobium moniliforme is a native of relatively high mountains (over 1000 meters) where winter temperatures commonly fall below zero for days at a time, so again, no worries:

 

[Linus_Cello]

Dendrobium moniliforme is a native of relatively high mountains (over 1000 meters) where winter temperatures commonly fall below zero for days at a time, so again, no worries:

I may want to try this outdoors in a protected area (or at least bring in to the garage for the really cold days. Do you grow yours full sun? Anything else about your growing area in the backyard?

 

[PaphMadMan]

The day you describe would be considered a rather warm normal day in January where I live, so some sympathy for the Philodendron but not much for you I'm afraid. Quite jealous of your subtropical garden even covered in snow.

What's up with the bracing on the trees in the lower left of the first picture?

 

[Rick]

Wild!

Hopefully this doesn't turn into an excuse for a succession experiment following a catastrophe.

 

[John M]

OMG, tropicals and epiphytes in the snow! Scary!

 

[Jaljala]

I hope your Neofinetia are okay as well !!! I guess if there is enough snow it would protect them from freezing...

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Thankfully, it wasn't a big snow event. That said, I can't remember sustained freezing temperatures below 28 F that lasted that long before. I've seen down to 24 F here a few times, but this time temperatures were below 28 F for the last 30 hours straight. They bottomed out around 24 F several times yesterday and overnight. As I type this it is yet 28 F at 6:45 am and there's light snow falling. Not good for tender plants!

I may want to try this outdoors in a protected area (or at least bring in to the garage for the really cold days. Do you grow yours full sun? Anything else about your growing area in the backyard?

D. moniliforme should be cold hardy to around 20 F at least, though I don't know how long it can sustain such temperatures. In Kyushu you can see it up to 3000 feet elevation or more, and temperatures up there regularly dip well below freezing for days sometimes. Mine are growing in half shade for the most part, some with morning sun. The backyard has mostly azaleas and such, part of the original garden. I have snuck in all kinds of plants though - ferns, a few hardy orchids and so on.

The day you describe would be considered a rather warm normal day in January where I live, so some sympathy for the Philodendron but not much for you I'm afraid. Quite jealous of your subtropical garden even covered in snow.

What's up with the bracing on the trees in the lower left of the first picture?

That bracing is for newly planted trees. What is funny is they never take it down in many cases. Why? No idea. As for warm climates, southern Japan is odd in that it is technically subtropical but at the same time "cold" in winter. Think Atlanta on average for winter cold, but you can grow stuff that couldn't survive north of Tampa. It is funny to see dutch tulips growing under a Norfolk Island pine for instance.

I grew up in New York state, so am familiar with cold, but you have to remember an event like this is quite unusual for these parts in recent years. Of course you can always move to Florida - pretty much warm year round there. I spent more than half my adult life there and loved it.

Wild!

Hopefully this doesn't turn into an excuse for a succession experiment following a catastrophe.

I don't think so Rick. Some plants will suffer though. I'm fascinated to see how the natives fair, especially the broadleaf evergreen trees. To date I've never seen winter damaged leaves on them.

OMG, tropicals and epiphytes in the snow! Scary!

Yes, the snow does look impressive, but it is the sustained cold that worries me.

I hope your Neofinetia are okay as well !!! I guess if there is enough snow it would protect them from freezing...

N. falcata should be able to endure to 25 F with little damage all things being equal, but I have to say I'll be happy when things finally warm up!

 

[Ozpaph]

Wow, but how is it 'sub-tropical' if it snows!!!

 

[SlipperFan]

Interesting and different climate than what I am used to!

 

[abax]

I don't want to hear another word about snow this winter!
I'm still snowed in and getting more than a little crazy. The
damn stuff just won't go away no matter what methods
we use...aaaaccccckkkkkkk!

 

[Marco]

Tom - I'm sure the plants will recover. The photo for the dend. looks wonderful.

I'm with Angela. There was a decent amount of snow that came down here. Enough to last me the entire winter.

Thanks!

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Wow, but how is it 'sub-tropical' if it snows!!!

Good question. Quoting Wikipedia:

"According to the Köppen climate classification, part of its subtypes, climate Cfa (humid temperate with hot summer) and Cwa (humid temperate with dry winters) – including between 20° and 35/40° latitude – were defined humid subtropical climates. In this case the coldest month's mean temperature to be between −3*°C (26.6*°F) and 18*°C (64.4*°F), and the warmest month to be above 22*°C (71.6*°F). Some climatologists prefer to use 0*°C (32*°F) as the lower demarcation for the coldest month's mean temperature. It is either accompanied with a dry winter (Köppen: w[1]) — or has no distinct dry season (Köppen: f[2]).[3] Under the Trewartha climate classification, a modified version of the Köppen climate classification, climates are termed humid subtropical when they have mean temperatures of 10*°C (50*°F) for eight or more months a year. In most locations classed within this system, the mean temperature of the coldest month is between 3*°C (35*°F) and 18*°C (65*°F). Some climatologists[who?] consider the Trewartha grouping of subtropical climates to be more real-world and fitting on a global scale."

All of lowland Kyushu and much of Honshu and Shikoku fall within the Cfa subtype. Fukuoka sits at 34 degrees latitude, January's mean temperature is around 6.5 C and August's is around 28 C - meaning that this climate is a good fit for these climate classifications. Annual precipitation is 1.6 meters in the lowlands and probably over 2 meters in the mountains, meaning that this place also qualifys as a rainforest. Interesting, huh?

Personally, I look at the vegetation. Kyushu at elevations below 1000 meters have forests that have a species composition that is dominated by warm climate (subtropical to tropical origin) plants - trees, ferns and herbs. The forest here is largely broadleaf evergreens typical of southern Asia including Indochina. Temperate species are relatively poorly represented at low elevations, becoming more dominant above a 1000 meters. So I'd say that the lowland areas are subtropical and blend into warm temperate climates above 1000 meters or so.

 

[paph_deb]

Wow, that's more like a "sub-freezing tropical" landscape. Hope your outside jungle comes through unscathed. Nice little slice of paradise you have there.

 

[Linus_Cello]

D. moniliforme should be cold hardy to around 20 F at least, though I don't know how long it can sustain such temperatures. In Kyushu you can see it up to 3000 feet elevation or more, and temperatures up there regularly dip well below freezing for days sometimes. Mine are growing in half shade for the most part, some with morning sun. The backyard has mostly azaleas and such, part of the original garden. I have snuck in all kinds of plants though - ferns, a few hardy orchids and so on.

I might try it and bring it inside to the garage for hard frosts. Is mounted best? Anyone seen this grown well in s/h?

 

[naoki]

Is it Spanish moss hanging in the 2nd photo? They make the garden quite different from typical Japanese garden!

I wonder if they don't remove the tree tripod because they think that it might help against typhoon? I haven't thought about it, but it is indeed weird that they don't remove it for a long time.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Is it Spanish moss hanging in the 2nd photo? They make the garden quite different from typical Japanese garden!

I wonder if they don't remove the tree tripod because they think that it might help against typhoon? I haven't thought about it, but it is indeed weird that they don't remove it for a long time.

Naoki, yes, that is indeed Spanish moss. It is threatening to take over the entire garden. I've had many people look into my yard and comment, "it looks like a jungle in there"

Those tree tripods are a bit ridiculous. Yes, they work great at first, but come on, after 5 years do they really need to be there? Japan is an odd place in some ways, but then again, so is any country/culture.