Pyracantha Overwinter Care

[fore]

I've got a air layer going on a Pyracantha at a friends place, and am wondering about the upcoming winter. Do these require a prolonged cold spell, 35-40F? Or can I put it in my unfinished basement where it's about 55-60F? I have a hoop house I setup, but the 1500watt heater can't keep it above 32 when it drops to low 20's and wind.

Thanks!
Chris

 

[Poink88]

We have pyracantha here and they usually do well enough left outside w/o any protection. Our lows can dip to 20's but not frequent and not for long. Based on your description, it sounds like your hoop house would be sufficient.

 

[fore]

We have pyracantha here and they usually do well enough left outside w/o any protection. Our lows can dip to 20's but not frequent and not for long. Based on your description, it sounds like your hoop house would be sufficient.

I was just concerned Dario about the tender new roots of the air layer being damaged with any freeze at all.

 

[Poink88]

I was just concerned Dario about the tender new roots of the air layer being damaged with any freeze at all.

Is it possible to keep it in the hoop house then move it in (just this coming winter) if the weather is really bad? I think that would be your best bet.

Regarding your original question, I do not think they need long cold spell...just because they seem to do well here in TX.

 

[fore]

Is it possible to keep it in the hoop house then move it in (just this coming winter) if the weather is really bad? I think that would be your best bet.

Regarding your original question, I do not think they need long cold spell...just because they seem to do well here in TX.

That's a great idea Dario! Ok, why didn't I think of that?? LOL!! Thanks man!

 

[0soyoung]

I was just concerned Dario about the tender new roots of the air layer being damaged with any freeze at all.

I grew them as landscape plants in eastern Idaho which is about the same winter climate as the Chicago area. Of course that is with their roots in the ground, but pyracantha are not particularly deep rooted, so their roots likely froze during the winters. Even though you are talking about tender new air-layer roots, they likely will be okay in your hoop house this coming winter. You can also wrap the pot in bubble pack, straw, batting, or etc. to further insulate it from the winter cold if you want. IMHO, this is preferable to keeping it in your basement.

 

[fore]

I grew them as landscape plants in eastern Idaho which is about the same winter climate as the Chicago area. Of course that is with their roots in the ground, but pyracantha are not particularly deep rooted, so their roots likely froze during the winters. Even though you are talking about tender new air-layer roots, they likely will be okay in your hoop house this coming winter. You can also wrap the pot in bubble pack, straw, batting, or etc. to further insulate it from the winter cold if you want. IMHO, this is preferable to keeping it in your basement.

Thanks Osoyoung! Wrapping it in bubble wrap is a great idea!

I am not at all familiar with the growth rate of these, but it's taking it's time pushing new roots out. So I was thinking it might take another mos or two to really get root bound. Hence my concern.

(And I was thinking the layer I am doing was great area to layer too, till I saw BVF's Pyracantha! lol But I am excited about this one nevertheless)

 

[Bill S]

These are temperate not hardy, giving a full winter can kill them, I didn't see where you are from though. Temperate meaning they can take some cold, a frost or three then cool for the winter.

 

[Bill S]

Actually with plants not making thier own heat, insulating a pot doesn't do much of anything. They get to whatever the tempreture is where they are stored.

 

[fore]

Actually with plants not making thier own heat, insulating a pot doesn't do much of anything. They get to whatever the tempreture is where they are stored.

Then I guess I'm back to bringing it into the basement on really cold nights. I was hoping to hear it'd do ok during our winters here, zone 5. As I read here, http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/p/pyrcoc/pyrcoc1.html that it's zone 5-6. It does just fine year round here in the ground, so it must be the roots in a pot that makes it susceptible. Heck, maybe I should just put the pot in the ground, covered in mulch, inside the hoop house. Probable be the easiest and most protective.

 

[Beng]

My pyracantha spent the entire winter outside here in my covered cold house. It never fell below 30 in there though all winter.

Ben

 

[Bill S]

Then I guess I'm back to bringing it into the basement on really cold nights. I was hoping to hear it'd do ok during our winters here, zone 5. As I read here, http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/p/pyrcoc/pyrcoc1.html that it's zone 5-6. It does just fine year round here in the ground, so it must be the roots in a pot that makes it susceptible. Heck, maybe I should just put the pot in the ground, covered in mulch, inside the hoop house. Probable be the easiest and most protective.

Not for a pyracantha, but this method has been a good one for me overall, you just are at the mercy of the ground thawing out,to get your trees in the spring.

 

[fore]

Not for a pyracantha, but this method has been a good one for me overall, you just are at the mercy of the ground thawing out, to get your trees in the spring.

Well Bill, you're leaving me with little options lol I'll have to bury it and come march/april dig it up, and then just keep in hoop house. I hope the material is worth all the trouble now!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

If the parent tree survived Chicago winters, it's a safe bet the layer will too. The genus Pyracantha includes a large number of cultivars/varieties; many that do well in cold climates. I collected mine on the MS coast, but has done fine with little protection when outside temps dipped into the lower teens for a few nights at a time.

Time the separation so the new roots are well formed, but still have 6-8 weeks to establish themselves on their own before freezing temps. When you do separate, do nothing more than slip the undisturbed root mass into a slightly larger pot, and gently add bonsai soil. A variety that lives in your area should be fine overwintering in a hoop house.

Next year, let it grow unchecked, letting the roots escape out of the pot and into the ground if possible...they do grow hard, and it will be ready for anything you throw at it by 2015.

 

[fore]

Thank You Brian! I was getting a bit worried lol And you're correct, the mother plant is huge in the ground and does fine with the winters here. Well if you let yours get to the teens for a few nights the rootball froze and it still did fine. Excellent news!

I watered it yesterday and dug around to look for roots, they are there, but still only 1" long. And I did this in May. We don't get freezing temps till around Thanksgiving, so I have till 10/3 for an 8 wk window. There should be tons of roots by then. And I had planned on a simple slip pot. Putting on ground is a good idea!

Overall, it's got very good trunk movement, but is only about 2"W. After seeing yours again Brian, I wish I could dig up the entire tree as the base is absol. killer. One thing at a time lol

 

[Bill S]

That's good news, I just got mine so we will find out. I will probably overwinter on my 3 season closed in breezeway, it will get the cold, but I can control how bad it gets. I was going on info I got from the nursery, but I find that the info I get is a bit conservative I think, as I usually end up colder than I was told the trees like to handle. Serrissa is like this, they like a frost or three before being put away for the winter.

 

[fore]

That's good news, I just got mine so we will find out. I will probably overwinter on my 3 season closed in breezeway, it will get the cold, but I can control how bad it gets. I was going on info I got from the nursery, but I find that the info I get is a bit conservative I think, as I usually end up colder than I was told the trees like to handle. Serrissa is like this, they like a frost or three before being put away for the winter.

Well Good Luck with yours Bill! Nice to have a protected breezeway too

 

[Smoke]

Hey...threads like this without pictures is just well....words!!

Come on, share.

I'll show you mine if you show me yours?

This was before on March 17.

 

[fore]

Hey...threads like this without pictures is just well....words!!

Come on, share.

I'll show you mine if you show me yours?

This was before on March 17.

Sorry Al, I totally missed your post. I have no pictures, but tom I have to go water it and I'll shoot some pics. I have noticed that it takes it's time putting out new roots.

 

[coh]

I dug up a multi-trunk pyracantha this spring that I'm hoping to use for a clump/raft style. I didn't get many fine roots when I dug despite "preparing" the tree last summer by digging around/under the root system. However, it is growing strongly, both top and root growth. I was planning on just over-wintering with my other hardy trees, in an enclosed mini-greenhouse inside my barn. I use a thermostat and space heater to keep it at about 27-28 deg.

Not sure which cultivar it is, perhaps mohave...but it had been growing in the landscape here for about 8 years, so I know it's winter hardy in the ground. Anyone think my over-wintering plan won't work for pyracantha? I know it's not an air layer like the subject of this thread, but the root mass this winter will consist of mostly new, fine growth...so perhaps not quite as hardy as a more established specimen.

Chris