Anyone over-winter Angelonia? I have 6 white Archangel Angelonia that I would like to over-winter. They are so rediculously expensive in my area and they are not an Annual. Conflicting info shows they are hardy perennial above Zone 8 or 9.

I have also ran into (obviously ) conflicting info on the best way to over-winter them. It seems they want/need two things - lotsa light and lotsa heat.

Should I pot them up and cut them back to 2, 3, 6 or what inches? One guy suggested 1 inch which I find absurd.

Or should I just make some cuttings that would take up much less space?

They will likely be under lights in my basement as I have ZERO window space left.

BTW - do we have an over-wintering forum? Could not find one.

thanks,
david

Very good question, David. I'll be waiting with you for an answer.

Claiming no expertise here, but I overwintered some Angelonia one year in the basement. I was far from scientific about it. I dug the root balls out of the containers, trimmed the stems back (maybe to 5", not positive) and shoe-horned them all into one pot. The basement is cool but far from freezing and there was some light from a window but not "sunny." I watered them lightly about once a month, just enough to keep them alive. They basically sat there all winter semi-dormant and looking no different. In spring, I threw them back outside and they started growing again. They had experienced some really cold, near freezing temps before I brought them inside in the fall so that may have put them in a semi-dormant state. After all, it freezes in Zone 9 so the Angelonia plants must go dormant there like any other herbaceous perennial. I seem to recall that they had plump, white roots that made it easy to see that they were still alive.

Unless tender plants are really tropical, I find it much easier to store them cool and dormant or semi-dormant. Otherwise, pests become a nightmare.

You can also collect seeds from them, in addition to cuttings.

@Danita - That is just the sort of info I was looking for. I have a much greater appreciation for the knowledge of our members than I do some random post on the net.

So glad I stumbled upon this post. I thought angelonia was an annual but at $5 a pot at the nursery I definitely am going to try to overwinter. I use my garage to overwinter plumeria, even though it can get cold in there on the coldest nights I think it will be okay. And I'm going to do pelargonium (geranium) as well. But everything looks so happy its hard to think about frost.... but last year we got frost on Halloween.

Last winter I kept 3 deck planters in my garage and we get down to near freezing in there. 2 planters with calibrachoa and 1 with geraniums. Gave them a bit of water once a month or so. No additional lights and just a very small window. This winter I may leave some other things in there as well including the Angelonia.

On Tuesday I whacked my plants. Potted up 7 of them. Came out Wed morning and 3 were gone. Found one in yard. Found 1 in street - pot in neighbor's yard. Never found the other. Coons I guess. Also drug a Tweedia Milkweed into the street and someone ran over it.

Gonna store in my garage with Geraniums and Calibrichoas and some other stuff.

Since it is hardy to Zone 8, it should make it in my garage.

Are they normally that much of a nuisance? I hope that you get everything safely in your garage soon and that things go uphill from here.

Deebie said: Are they normally that much of a nuisance? I that you get everything safely in your garage soon and that things go uphill from here.

Thanks. I have 4 storm sewer inlets within 200 feet of my property. Coons live in them. I was just guessing it was coons - the squirrels could not have lugged the plants that far. And they (squirrels) are horrible this year - especially past month since I have had to water. They dig my plant roots up in search of moisture and goodies.

And there are deer - winter before last chewed a Royal Star Magmolia from 6 feet to 6 inches.. And voles.

Yeah - I am just hoping that once I get everything in pots indoors, the animals will leave me alone.

http://www.gardenguides.com/10...

Update. My Angelonia in the garage do not look great. But they also do not look dead.

I decided to try growing Angelonia from seed this year. Out of 12 seeds planted 2 sprouted and look very healthy. I won't try that again as the seed (20) was close to $5.00. I live in zone 4b so I'm not sure if I could over-winter them in the garage. I do have a basement that stays about 50 degrees but there are no windows in it. Would they have a chance of making it through the winter in it?

The ones I tried to overwinter died. But I didn't water it. Will try again and water it. Might bring it indoors and keep on spare room

Update on the garage Angelonia. I think they are RIP.... That ticks me off.

David, what do the roots look like?

Still in pots. Will look tomorrow.