garrya

[tim]

Will it make it through the winter this year?
Every year, it just starts to turn pink when it gets zonked! Yet it'a been through an unusually long period of frost?

[tim]

[Palustris]

We have this problem with Quince (Chaenomeles), they flower beautifully in Feb and March, then at the end of March early April, there is a period when the wind chill factor drops the temp by a massive amount and the shrubs have every leaf burnt off them. So rather than frost, it could be wind-burn which is affecting your Garrya.

[tim]

Oh!!

[grawrc]

Yes my garrya is in a very sheltered spot and seems to do extremely well. No tassles this year because I chopped it right back last but hope to see them again at the end of this year.

[agapanthus]

It's very pretty Tim :)

[Mimi]

Remember seeing it last  year Tim.  Still stunning   ;D

[Carol]

We have one of them and I didn't know the name of it till now, gee thanks Tim for showing the picture.  Ours is quite big and it has had a blackbird nesting in it a couple of times.  wow   a Garrya eh??

:D :D

[flowerlady]

My neighbour grows his as a hedge.  So it is quite exposed, yet seems to do beautifully.  

Tim in order to get a great show of tassels, when do you trim it - if ever?

Full name garrya eliptica  ;)

[tim]

We trim quite often to restrain it. It's 15' or so & rampant!

[flowerlady]

But WHEN is the best time in order not to loose out on the beautiful tassels? :-\

[Robert_Brenchley]

They look as though they're on the tips of the branches. If this is correct, the time would probably be after flowering, so that they then have a year to grow new ones.

[Palustris]

The book says as Robert surmised that any pruning should be done after flowering.
It is recommended that the plant is grown against a south facing wall for protection. In warmer areas or where you do not get that icy wind which some parts do, then the wind burn of which I wrote is probably not a problem.

[tim]

Sorry, flowerlady - I heard what you said but, because we just do it when we see the need, I thought I would leave it to someone else to answer. I knew I had done wrong!

[grawrc]

Mine is against my neighbour's conservatory wall about 10 feet from our back door and faces east north-east. Despite that it thrives.

[flowerlady]

Ah ...  I've also got a Cotnoneaster ... if I gave that a hair cut after flowering wouldn't I miss out on the gorgeous berries  ???

[grawrc]

Yes. Time to do that is after the berries.

[flowerlady]

OK  ... now ... where are my clippers !!  ;D

[tim]

WE MADE IT!! Just turning pink/green.

[flowerlady]

Wow ...  fabulous .. how old is the shrub?

[tim]

About 10 years.  Here's a better photo.