Are my plumbagos dead?

[gardenwannabe]

Hello,

It's Early April and my blue plumbagos have not come out of dormancy. I have been seeing some of the more established plumbagos coming out already. When do they normally come out? My hibicus have come out and they are typically pretty late. They are the only plants I have in my garden that aren't out yet.

I live in Austin, Texas. We got some snow this year. I'm thinking the snow may have killed them. I also have clay soil. Have lots of stuff in that soil growing happily roses, daylilies, german iris, hibiscus, asters.

[bullthistle]

When you have clay soil and when planting plants always amend the soil. No shortcuts because Mother Nature knows. I was a cold winter so they just could be slow coming so I wouldn't fret until May Day.

[gardenwannabe]

I have a ton of other stuff growing the area and it's the far better draining area of my garden. In one area that they are in it is ammended. The other area is not, but there are a ton of other stuff growing there happily like Hibiscus, Rose of Sharon, Asters, German Iris and have had no issues with them. I would understand them not making in the unammended area, but not the area that is ammended. I guess it may not be an ideal plant for my garden. Are there any plants that grow like them that have blue flowers? I was just thinking of just mass planting blue german flag iris since the ones I have do very well in my soil.

[hendi_alex]

Plumbago is a tender perennial or a hardy tropical however you wish to think of it. The plant never overwinters here in zone 8. I doubt that the snow killed your plants, but temperautes in the low to mid twenties are likely to kill the plant. This year I lost quite a few perennials that are normally cold hardy for our area. We dipped down into the singe digits this year, while most years we visit no lower than the mid 20's.

[gardenwannabe]

Yeah, I did lose a few asters actually this year. The last time it was cold enough to snow here I lost a number of plants. Wouldn't surprise. Not really sure when I should pull them out if they are dead. Everything is out now except the plumbagos and one hibiscus and hibiscus are typically late anyway. They are actually out earlier compared to last year. I'll probably just go with the May 1 date that the earlier poster stated.