Q: Do potato bushes lose there leaves like my apple, peach trees that i have? I moved from S.F bay area to northern California and the bush felt the change a bit. Now its it the ground and i am wondering if i should cover the bush when REALLY cold weather exists. Gracias!!!
A: Potato bush (Solanum rantonnetii) is a semi-evergreen plant that will lose its leaves when the temperatures drop below freezing for an extended period. It is said to be hardy down to 15 degrees, and may freeze all the way to the ground when temperatures are much below freezing for more than a day or two. It should spring up from the roots the following spring. Despite that, I would protect it from extended cold below 25 degrees just to be on the safe side and protect the roots from freezing.
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