HOW THE COLD WEATHER AFFECTED OUR TREES

Here is a summary of how the cold weather affected our fruit trees at our property at Julatten, 1200 ft above sea level, north of Cairns (about 16.5°S).

In June 1982, the temperature reached its lowest at 0°C on the grass on the flats where there was a slight frost, and 2°C on the grass on the higher ground near the house. We had nearly two weeks of exceptional cold weather, averaging around 6°C air temperature in the house in the early morning till around 7.30am. This was the coldest winter we have experienced in the seven years we have lived at Julatten. An old resident at Julatten told me it was the coldest winter he had experienced in 24 years in Julatten.

Common Name Of TreeCommentApprox. AgeApprox. Height
Jaboticabano ill effect from cold3 years2½ ft
Pitombano ill effect from cold3 years2½ ft
Sugar Appleno ill effect from cold, starts to drop leaves,
normal for the time of year		7 years10 ft
Cedar Bay Cherryno ill effect from cold3 years2 ft
Soncoyano ill effect from cold3 years15 ft
Ross Sapoteno ill effect from cold2½ years6 ft
Grafted African Prideno ill effect from cold
dropped leaves, same as sugar apple		4 years8 ft
Grafted mangoesno ill effect from cold1 year2 ft
Grafted avocadoesno ill effect from cold3 years8 ft
Fig Cuttingno ill effect from cold1 year1 ft
Dwarf Mulberry cuttingno ill effect from cold1 year1 ft
Miracle fruitdropped some mature leaves and some flowers3 years1½ ft
Star Appleno ill effect from cold5 years15 ft
Aqua Cherryno ill effect from cold3 years12 ft
Purple Mangosteendropped mature leaves, burnt new growth, some tips dead4 years3 ft
Strawberry Guavano ill effect from cold4 years7 ft
Singarpore Guavano ill effect from cold3 years5 ft
Malay Appledropped old matured leaves4 years12 ft
Lycheeno ill effect from cold6 years18 ft
Grafted sapodillano ill effect from cold2 years6 ft
Rolliniaslight brown markings on leaves, mature fruit split on 1 tree, small fruit turned black4 years20 ft
Olosapono ill effect from cold3 years6 ft
Barbados Cherryno ill effect from cold3 years6 ft
Uvilla (Amazon Tree Grape)dropped large mature leaves3 years20 ft
Abiuno ill effect at all, shot new growth4 years18 ft
Kwai Mukno ill effect from cold4 years10 ft
Butia Palmsno ill effect from cold6 years10 ft
White Sapoteno ill effect from cold (flowering and small fruit)4 years20 ft
Carambolano ill effect from cold4 years15 ft
South American Sapotedropped mature leaves4 years15 ft
Young South American Sapotesome died, others, leaves and tips dead, might shoot from bottom1½-2½ years2-8 ft
Madronono ill effect from cold3½ years5 ft
Nanceslight brown on leaves, otherwise OK4 years16 ft
Dovyalisno ill effect from cold4 years6 ft
Yellow Mombinno ill effect from cold4 years20 ft
Champadeksuffering, dropped all leaves, some tips and branches dead4 years10 ft
Jak fruitno ill effect from cold4 years20 ft
Green Sapotedropped some mature leaves, but otherwise thriving well2½ years6 ft
Other Guavasno ill effect from cold3 years6 ft
Bael Fruitno ill effect from cold5 years16 ft
Grumichamano ill effect from cold, buds galore3½ years7 ft
Black Sapoteno ill effect from cold5 years20 ft
Mamey Sapotedropped some mature leaves, but otherwise no ill effect3½ years14 ft
Duku Langsatdropped few mature leaves but otherwise no ill effect3 years7 ft
Bacuparino ill effect, new growth
Charichuelano ill effect from cold3 years1½ ft
Mamey americanaslight yellowing on new growth, otherwise no ill effect4 years12 ft
Marangsad, but this one is dead, all leaves still attached to tree, branches dead, trunk dead, growth tips dead.4 years12 ft
Mocamboleaves still attached to tree, but stone cold dead2½ years6 ft
Duriandropped all leaves, tips dead, looks like they are dead2½ years4 ft
Cherapusome brown on mature leaves, otherwise fine½ year½ ft
Mabolono ill effect from cold4 years12 ft
Citrusno ill effect from cold7 years12 ft
Ingano ill effect from cold4 years20 ft
Sweet Manilla beanno ill effect from cold2½ years4 ft
Persimmoncan't really tell, always looks like a dead stick at this time of year4 years4 ft
Spondiasdropped all leaves, normal for this time of year6 years25 ft
Yellow Sapoteslight browning on some mature leaves, otherwise no ill effect3 years10 ft
Stevens Rambutandropped some mature leaves but otherwise thriving well5 years10 ft
Grafted RambutansChompoo, new tips dead, most leaves still intact½ year1 ft
R170, Stone cold dead½ year1 ft
Rongrien, brown on mature leaves, tips dead, but otherwise will shoot½ year1 ft
Peach Palmno ill effect from cold4 years18 ft
Cherry Rio Grandeno ill effect from cold6 years15 ft
Wampino ill effect from cold7 years15 ft
Soursopdropped most mature leaves but normally does this at this time7 years18 ft
Brazilian Cherryno ill effect from cold7 years9 ft
Queensland nut, graftedno ill effect from cold6 years14 ft
Tropical Peachno ill effect from cold6 years14 ft
Capulinno ill effect from cold2½ years15 ft
Santolno ill effect from cold4 years18 ft
Christine Gray

DATE: November 1982

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