Coprosma, any advice please?

Eenymeeny

I purchased two of these (Karo Red and Evening Glow) to use as low growing evergreen shrubs. I've found out since that they are frost tender:eek:
Can anyone offer any advice on how to keep them alive in the North East please, where ground frost can still occur at the end of May!
I'm hardening them off during the day at the moment and putting them on a cool windowsill indoors at night. Would it be possible to plant them in containers and keep them in a south facing front garden through the summer, bringing them indoors at the first sign of frost, probably October? (They'll probably have to spend the winter in the utility room as I don't have a greenhouse)
I feel like I've wasted my money, but they are pretty. If I can possibly keep them alive I'd be thrilled... Thanks for any advice:)

sobie

They need a min temperature of 7-10 degrees centigrade.

I'd keep them as lovely houseplants, with the possibility of using in containers on the warmest summer days.

cormie

It depends where in the country you live, Croposma grows outdoors all year round here in N. Ireland but then we're normally quite mild.

cormie

I'm not sure about them 7-10C they will certainly take some frost.

Eenymeeny

Thanks for the advice. I was hoping that someone would say they kept them through the winter, sounds like I have two new houseplants...
Disappointing, as they were outside but under cover in the nursery and the labels were in cartoon form, clearly showing them being planted outside.
Thanks for all of your help, I've got them on cool windowsills and yes, I probably enjoy them more at close quarters

Foxy_Snob

I've got 2, one is Evening Glow. The other's a very dark reddy-purply colour, but the name escapes me at the moment. Anyway, they've been outside all winter, albeit in a sheltered spot and under a double layer of fleece. I took the fleece off this morning, and they're absolutely fine :j

Edit: I'm in the Midlands.

Eenymeeny

Thanks a lot, Foxy Snob that's given me hope! I've got them as houseplants on cool windowsills at the moment and they're producing lots of new growth (green, hoping they'll turn red later?) Maybe I'll put them out as the weather warms up...
Maybe your plant is Karo Red? It sounds like mine by your description
Edit: Can I ask if you have them in containers please?

Yolina

I retrieved a Karo Red and a Pacific Night from the B&Q bargain-half-dead-plants bucket in early March. The label for the Karo Red says that it's hardy (I'm assuming to -5ish), Pacific Night is meant to be only half-hardy. Going by my usual "grow or die" policy, I planted them in large pots on my terrace, totally unprotected, when it was still below 0c at night :rotfl: they also get battered by the wind - I'm on the 2nd floor, south-west facing and it can be *really* windy on the Isle of Dogs. They're both still very much alive and are starting to grow new leaves so I guess they're tougher than it seems

sobie

Continual cold & wet for weeks on end will do more damage than the odd frost/ cold wind.

Foxy_Snob

Eenymeeny wrote: »

Thanks a lot, Foxy Snob that's given me hope! I've got them as houseplants on cool windowsills at the moment and they're producing lots of new growth (green, hoping they'll turn red later?) Maybe I'll put them out as the weather warms up...
Maybe your plant is Karo Red? It sounds like mine by your description
Edit: Can I ask if you have them in containers please?

It's Pacific Night.

Yes, they're in terracotta pots. They're usually spread out, but they've all spent the winter huddled together under the fleece

I'd happily plant them - and make a wigwam with fleece and canes, to sit over them like a hat in the winter.

Eenymeeny

Foxy_Snob wrote: »

It's Pacific Night.

Yes, they're in terracotta pots. They're usually spread out, but they've all spent the winter huddled together under the fleece

I'd happily plant them - and make a wigwam with fleece and canes, to sit over them like a hat in the winter.

Terracotta pots it is then! I was planning on putting them out this weekend but we're going away and there's a possibility of frost and hailstones would you believe?
They're definitely going out next week. As long as I'm there to bring them in overnight if it gets too bad...
As Sobie says, it's prolonged cold that does the damage. If they're in pots I can put them in the shed if it gets bad through next winter. (Wigwams would probably get blown away here!) Thanks everyone:T