Black Frost 2010

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
If anyone hasn't been out yet, it appears that Monday night/Tuesday morning there was a "black frost" in some areas of the pines. I'm curious to see if anyone else has noticed this in other areas.

Oak species were hit hardest . . . those areas with open canopy and away from wetlands is were it was apparently coldest.

Here are some of the pictures I took today:

Lyonia
_MG_9385.jpg


K. latifolia
_MG_9378.jpg


Quercus ilicifolia
_MG_9386.jpg


Even pitch pine new growth was affected:
_MG_9389.jpg


As opposed to normal:
_MG_9391.jpg


Quercus marilandica
_MG_9392.jpg


Gaylussacia frondosa
_MG_9366.jpg


ilicifolia (scrub/bear oak) carnage was widespread:
_MG_9367.jpg

_MG_9368.jpg

_MG_9370.jpg


Some sassafras was affected as well
_MG_9371.jpg


Q. alba (White Oak)
_MG_9374.jpg


Those plants with older (less tender) leaves and nearer water were spared, save some heavy wilting.
_MG_9377.jpg


Nyssa sylvatica
_MG_9379.jpg


Ilex opaca
_MG_9381.jpg


Ilex glabra
_MG_9384.jpg


As far as I know, the last time this happened was 1992, and the ecological ripples were significant. Which is again why I'm interested: has anyone else seen this?
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
I do believe that I did notice the same thing around my area. It was limited to the extreme shoots. I was with Ted Gordon in mid april and he predicted this because everything is about 2 weeks early in the bloom time.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
The new growth on the tops of our dogwoods look similar, but I have no idea what caused it. Nothing else that I can see appears to have been affected.
 

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
Bob its funny you mention that - I've been meaning to pick his brain about this. Doesn't surprise me that he called it.

Chris - just a little shelter is all they'd need to get through it. They appear unaffected. I think the animals directly dependent on the insect population would be affected most. Rough greens will probably take a hit since they're losing potential prey and most of their camo/cover.

The only thing particulaly damaging about that night was low humidity/lack of (protective) white frost, so probably all it directly killed was new plant growth and invertebrates that didn't take cover for the night.
 

LARGO

Piney
Sep 7, 2005
1,552
132
53
Pestletown
This is quite odd, having just read the other day the bit on
Black frosts in PB Odyssey by Howard Boyd.
(Door prize, Lines on Pines)
It is all dead in line with the chapter.
I cut the lawn Monday (My lawn is a big sucker)
Tuesday morn', it and my car were quite frosted up.
The first thing I thought of was that chapter.
Yes, some greenery suffered.

g.
 

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,257
Pines; Bamber area
This is quite odd, having just read the other day the bit on
Black frosts in PB Odyssey by Howard Boyd.
(Door prize, Lines on Pines)
It is all dead in line with the chapter.
I cut the lawn Monday (My lawn is a big sucker)
Tuesday morn', it and my car were quite frosted up.
The first thing I thought of was that chapter.
Yes, some greenery suffered.

g.

That is a great read, that book. It gave me a sense of peace and cadence when I read it.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,502
2,765
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
I got hit by the frost here on two different days, but the worst was the most recent one. It has killed a lot of new shoots on the laurel bushes, plus foliage on some little oak saplings. Too bad, but I gather that this is not unheard of during May...
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
Jessica and I were in Penn State Forest today not far from the Haine's Blueberry fields and Bear Swamp Hill, and the results of the frost was evident there also.

IMG_4743.JPG



IMG_4750.JPG



IMG_4751.JPG


Guy
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,502
2,765
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
Looking around my woods some more, the Laurel bushes really sustained some major damage. Interestingly, it didn't damage the buds which are in the process of blossoming. But it killed almost all the new foliage and many large bushes are now ugly and brown. This makes me sad because they're some of my favorite plants and were on track for a really nice year.
 

Bobbleton

Explorer
Mar 12, 2004
466
46
NJ
yeah as time goes by, the affected areas become more obvious . . . but there's still some life out there . . .

_MG_9329-1.jpg


_MG_9351-2-1.jpg
 
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