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Old 10-19-2009, 06:47 PM   #18 (permalink)
Richard
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Location: Vista, CA
Zone: USDA 10b
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Default Re: subtropical papayas?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Want Them All View Post
That's impressive! At what temps do papayas die?
Most true papayas (Carica papaya) are native to regions with record low temperatures in the low 50's F. Some of the cultivars have proven to be more cold hardy, for example the "Solo" shown here has been ok with brief (1 hour) excursions to the mid 30's F. By the way, I cut that plant down this summer because I was not satisfied with the fruit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Want Them All View Post
What's the low temp for your area?
Typically it will flirt with freezing about a half dozen times per year, and then only in the last hour before dawn. On those nights, the temperature was in the high 30's F from about 11pm to 5am -- when it starts plunging.

In the freeze of 2007, we had 3 nights where the over night temperatures were in the mid-30's F and then hit 28 F before dawn. All but one of my plants survived. My Passiflora quadrangularis died almost instantly, but my Passiflora edulis cultivar "Frederick" was just fine, with leaf-edge burn on about 10% of the leaves.
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