November 15, 2016 – Hoarfrost:  The Blond Assassin

          Last night we finally got our KILLING FROST at this residence.   The new red pansies – are fine [and will winter over], but the Tradescantia pallida [purple heart] are mush this morning.  The purple-hearts were spectacular right up to the end – last night which is surprising since we are in EXTREME DROUGHT in this section of North Carolina.

The above pictured plant is eye-catching purple and makes a great contrast and statement in the mixed herbaceous border.  It is a long-jointed sprawling ground cover plant with succulent stems and pointed leaves.  It is often called purple-heart or purple queen.  It is a member of the family Camelinaceae.   This plant is low growing and likes full sun, yet will tolerate some shade.

          Several years ago I noticed it was surviving in the heat of the summer and during a drought; I put it on my “got to have” list for the next year. The next spring I purchased three 4-inch pots and planted them on the kitchen end of the house which is a difficult location for most plants I have tried there. 

It spreads, it grows, you can yank it back easily and it still keeps coming and looks good.  It is my kind of a TOP PERFORMER in the garden.  I suggest you check it out at your nursery next spring.

          It has surprisingly come back just about every year even though it is listed as Zone 8 to 11 in horticulture guides. [I am in 7b.]

I have successfully propagated it many times. Trust me, anyone, can get it to grow from fresh cuttings as long as it is warm and settled.   One day in early August this year, I broke off a dozen stems, and literally shoved them unceremoniously into some moist potting soil in a 3 gallon plastic nursery pot.  This was located in the dappled shade at the end of the driveway.  I watered them in and they got water every few days for about three weeks and then got NO WATER as we had hit the wall when it came to no rain and an ensuing drought. 

We have a well, we live in the country and when there is a drought and you are on well water – you simply stop watering your gardens. 

We have had hardly any rain for September, October, and now November.  We did get a smattering when Hurricane Matthew blew through and my hydrangeas perked up – but then within a day – they were limp. My clay soil is hard as a kiln-fired brick. My raised vegetable garden beds are like dust.

          I had to get realistic and give up the watering of my various gardens in late August.  I was expecting the traditional September rains to replenish the soil, but NO – not this year. I delayed planting my fall/winter garden waiting on the October rains which did not come.  So, no winter gardens this year.  UGH!

          BUT what surprised me this year - The purple-hearts came through the drought completely unscathed until last night’s killing frost.  I can’t tell you how many times I have stopped and looked at how good the purple-hearts have looked these last 9 to 12 weeks without precious water.  I have been absolutely amazed at this plant.   It must have a camel hump type of water retention system.

       Now that we are at the end of our traditional gardening season - this is a valuable time to make note of what survived with only the moisture from the atmosphere – night dew.

My surprise drought survival list includes:

The chrysanthemums limped through their bloom cycle. I did get color.

The roses surprised me with a few grand blooms in mid-September.

The nasturtiums looked pretty limp the end of August, however, they rebounded with the cooler September and October nights and I actually picked blossoms for Halloween.

The lavender plants still look alive – so far.

The purple coneflowers set seed nicely, and their rosettes look healthy.

The lambs ears [stachy byzntina]  still look fine – you can’t kill them.

And,

The few French marigold plants in one of the raised vegetable gardens have kept on blooming in the drought.   I will know tomorrow if they made it through last night’s frost and a day of sun. 

          I will leave you with a famous poem I enjoyed during my college days about frost:

Apparently with no surprise,

To any happy flower,

The frost beheads it at its play,

In accidental  power.

The blond assassin passes on.

The sun proceeds unmoved,

To measure off another day,

For  an approving God.

                                - Emily Dickinson