By "it" I mean the bamboo-killing cold. Last year we reached -8ºF (-22ºC) as a low a couple of times here in St. Louis when the Polar Vortex spun down and made us wonder exactly how that arctic ice was disappearing, and the result was that all of my bamboos spent a few months with brown leaves.
This winter our low had been 6ºF (-14ºC) which is no problem for the several Phyllostachys bamboo species that I have planted. Most of them are all still green and lovely, but that will be ending tonight.
The current temperature this morning is 14ºF (-10ºC), and that's the high for the day. Tonight we're expected to hit -2ºF (-19ºC) which wouldn't have me too worried -- it's not -8ºF so things should be better than last year -- except that winds will be around 10 mph (16 kph) with gust of 20 mph (32 kph) or so. Nothing desiccates bamboo leaves faster than bitterly cold winds.
So I'm expecting these to be the last photos of happy, green bamboo leaves you'll see from me for a while.
The green bamboo in the foreground is Ph. virella.
It's quite hardy so I'll be watching it closely.
...and at times like these I kind of wish I were unaware of what's going on above around me too.
...much to the relief of those living outdoors.
Same here. Keeping my fingers crossed. It's been 30 years since I experienced cold that intense and I'm not sure I ever want to experience it again.
I hope your beautiful bamboo trees don't lose to many leaves. I think of bamboo and panda bears in snow like the trees can take the cold.
So sorry to hear about your cold! Move west, young man!
I will never be able to understand your temperature swings, so quick and strong. Like the others I'm hoping you don't hit the predicted lows.
Loree: I've never known anything else, being a Midwestern guy my whole life. I don't know what I would do with predictable weather.