Primocanes of `Marion' trailing blackberry plants (Rubus spp.) were suppressed by cutting them off at ground level in either late April, May, June, or July 1991 and 1992. A control was included in which primocanes were not cut. Four canes per plant were trained in either August or February, with all other canes being removed and measured. Yield data were collected in 1992 and 1993, after which yield components were measured. Cane diameter was greatest for unsuppressed plants and declined with later primocane removal date. Cane length was greatest for unsuppressed and April-suppressed plants. Internode length decreased and main cane percent budbreak increased with later suppression date. Cane number and total main cane length per plant were increased in April-, May-, and June-suppressed plants in 1992 and for April- and June-suppressed plants in 1993. Consequently, yield of April-suppressed plants exceeded that of unsuppressed plants in 1992. Yield of April-, May-, and June-suppressed plants exceeded that of unsuppressed plants in 1993. August-trained plants yielded 46% more than February-trained plants, primarily because of higher percent budbreak on main canes. August-trained plants also produced longer canes with more nodes and a greater number of fruit per main cane lateral.

Primocanes of `Marion' trailing blackberry plants were suppressed by cutting them off at ground level in either late April, May, June, or July 1991 and 1992. An unsuppressed control was included in which primocanes were not cut. A single cane was removed from each replication of the five primocane suppression dates at monthly intervals from mid-November to mid-February 1991-92, and from mid-November to mid-January 1992-93. One-node samples were exposed to controlled freezing at temperatures of 4, -6, -9, -12, -15, and -18C in November through February. In December and January, the-6 temperature was replaced with-21C. After 5 days at room temperature following freezing, growing point, budbase, vascular, and pith tissues were evaluated for tissue browning on a 1 to 5 scale. The LT50 developed for each suppression date was compared to the control. July-suppressed plants were generally hardiest for all tissues. June-suppressed plants were somewhat less hardy than July-suppressed plants, while April-, May- and unsuppressed plants were comparable and least hardy. Cane tissues of July-suppressed and unsuppressed plants had a higher level of soluble carbohydrates than other suppression dates.

Ninety-three species, cultivars, and hybrid selections of rockrose (Cistus spp., Halimium spp., and ×Halimiocistus spp.) were evaluated for growth, flowering, and cold hardiness in a landscape trial in Aurora, OR, from 2004 to 2009. Plants were irrigated to aid establishment when planted in summer 2004, but thereafter were not watered, fertilized, or pruned throughout the trial. Cold damage was recorded following freezing events in Feb. 2006 and Dec. 2008 in which low temperatures were 20 and 17 °F, respectively. Those plants that consistently suffered the most cold damage were Halimium atriplicifolium, Cistus creticus ssp. creticus ‘Tania Compton’, Cistus ×pauranthus, and Cistus albidus forma albus. Other plants showed cold damage related to poor vigor. The length of the flowering period and foliage quality varied widely among plants in the evaluation. The plants with the longest flowering period were Halimium ×pauanum, Cistus inflatus, Cistus ×pulverulentus ‘Sunset’, and ×Halimiocistus ‘Ingwersenii’, all of which flowered for more than 55 days. Plant form and foliage quality declined drastically for some plants during the evaluation. Those that retained the best foliage quality included Cistus ×obtusifolius, Cistus ×laxus, Cistus salviifolius ‘Gold Star’, Cistus ‘Gordon Cooper’, Halimium lasianthum ‘Sandling’, Halimium ‘Susan’, and ×Halimiocistus sahucii. Based on ratings of foliage and bloom time, as well as hardiness, several Cistus are recommended as drought-tolerant groundcovers, including Cistus ×gardianus and C. ×obtusifolius. Cistus ×laxus, C. inflatus, Cistus ‘Gordon Cooper’, Cistus ‘Ruby Cluster’, and Cistus ‘Snow Fire’ are suggested as tall groundcovers or landscape specimens. Several Halimium are recommended for landscape use, including H. lasianthum ‘Sandling’, Halimium ‘Susan’, H. ×pauanum, and ×Halimiocistus ‘Ingwersenii’.

Thirty-eight species, cultivars, and hybrid selections of ceanothus (Ceanothus spp.) were evaluated for growth, flowering, and cold hardiness in a landscape trial in Silverton, OR, from 2001 to 2005. Plants were only irrigated for establishment in Summer 2001 and were not pruned or fertilized throughout the trial. Several cultivars showed dieback and leaf damage after 22 °F cold events in late October and early Nov. 2002 and 2003, the most severely affected of which were Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. griseus, C. thyrsiflorus var. griseus ‘Yankee Point’, Ceanothus hearstiorum, and C. thyrsiflorus ‘Snowflurry’. Among the cultivars evaluated, those recommended for early bloom are ‘Ray Hartman’ and ‘Blue Jeans’. Several cultivars are effective drought-tolerant groundcovers, including ‘Wheeler Canyon’, ‘Joyce Coulter’, and ‘Joan Mirov’. Among the smaller-growing plants, Ceanothus cuneatus var. rigidus ‘Snowball’ and Ceanothus gloriosus ‘Heart's Desire’ made effective groundcovers only 0.6 and 0.2 m tall, respectively.

Compared to film-covered quonset structures typically used for unheated cold protection of nursery crops in Oregon, unheated retractable roof structures can provide cooler day temperatures (lower average daily temperature, ADT) in late winter and early spring. Late winter and spring growth and flowering of six nursery genera (12 replicate blocks), and air temperatures, were studied when crops were cold-protected in a film-covered quonset structure compared to a retractable roof cold protection structure operated using predawn “cold-trapping.” Compared the quonset structures, retractable roof structures had lower daily maximum temperatures, lower ADT, and similar daily minimum temperatures. Shoot growth of all crops was delayed by 2 to 4 weeks, and flowering of Rhododendron `Hino Crimson' was delayed by 4 weeks, in the retractable roof structures. Erica `Irish Bells' had symptoms of cold-damage and did not flower when protected in the quonset structure, compared to no damage and full-flowering when protected in the retractable roof structure. Arctostaphylos had more leaf spots, and less growth in the quonset structures compared to the retractable roof structures. Our hypothesis is that the lower ADT in the retractable roof structures delays de-acclimation to cold temperatures (delaying vegetative and flower budbreak), providing extended protection to frost damage. Higher relative humidity and higher daylight temperatures in the quonset structures may leave the earlier new growth and flowering of nursery crops more susceptible to frost damage and disease infestations compared to the daily vented and cooler retractable roof cold-protection structures.