I used to grow the Ming and another aralia (we clipped them into thin hedges) in my yard as garden plants when I lived in Miami years ago. They did just fine with temps in the 40s, and got a bit of burn when it went down in the 30s and the wind was blowing. But I never lost a single plant or had any of them have a major setback. Since yours are in pots with the roots exposed to the cool weather, you can probably shave about 10 degrees off of what a plant in the ground can take comfortably.

If you have a garage or unheated utility room, put them in there; there isn't as much of a temperature differential as bringing them into a warm house so the shock will be less.

thin hedges must have been beautiful...thank you so much.
I had them in the ground years ago grew like crazy all went well in temps. Since now I live in apartments it is a lot more harder to keep them from shattering.. I love them so much ..thank you

Can you rig up some sort of raised support to throw a blanket over so you don't have to bring them in?

No They're inside already , they are delicate and fragile not hardy there are two types of these one parsley hardy could cover it up..This Ming anything over it the branches would break off ..At this point I'm praying as my vandas took a beating I fear one of them tonight is a gonner. The roots look great can't get over what one nite of cold can do to these wonderful plants ..Thank you I realized and I'm sorry for posting about these on the orchid forum when I had just posted about the cold and my vandas it was already too late ...So hope I did not get anyone upset by saying araelas..;'> thx

I have a Ming Aralia here in Maryland. I keep it indoors all the time. One summer I put it out and it nearly died in the heat! Guess they like cooler temps. Now it's in a sunny spot near my orchids and bromeliads and is doing fine.

Florrie

Interesting! I deal with ming aralias as indoor year round plants. I have found that they HATE cold drafts! It makes them get lots of yellow leaves. I consider them to be one of the LEAST cold tolerant houseplants. What a surprise to learn that you grow them outdoors! Where are you in FL? Zone 10 is pretty warm.

I'm near Boca Raton. 30 min from Palm Beach or 30 mins from Fort Lauderdale.Very very hot and humid ..You are right I raised them before my mom passed inside air conditioning by a sunny window..My mom passed last Sept ..I had to move to her place no light in apt.
So I had to put them on a hot porch. I almost lost two but they came around lots of air . But ..they are inside now a few days ..They look happy I think I might try to ween them back in my room by the sliding glass door maybe if it gets too hot..
Right now I'm dealing with almost freezing last days hit in the 30's then upper fourties now fifties.
Crazy for we haven't had a swing like this in a decade.
THank you ...

Hi
No obvious damage to any of my orchids or other plants.
My therm recorded 33 and weatherbug said 33.6. I went walking and they had left a sprinkler on at the bank . ICICLES on a shrub lol Funny as I thought they were shattered glass pieces when I first saw them. First icicles I've seen in 25 years ,except in Margaritas lol.
How can there be icicles at 33??
Was surprised at the tropical fish in the pond ,no mass of dead bodies and a couple were up swimming around.!!
Go figure gary

Hi -
This may not be of use to you, but my Ming Aralia has been planted in-ground for about 5 years in south Louisiana. We have had actual snow (!!!) this year, several freezes, and the plants are still evergreen. Tough little rascals!
The only times they have de-leafed have been during periods of drought. Cold doesn't seem to bother them a bit.
Cheers - Nancy

Ok..thanx My question for help was zone ten ...heated hot humid living conditioned Mings sudden drop severe drop in temps..
I used to have Mings planted in the earth under an oak tree and they did great and durring the cold..But that was the roots system they were grown 4 feet high from babies. This is so different ..Globle warming zone 10 tremendous heat with no wind to in the same day 35 degrees.
I love them like my orchids they mean so much ..when they get sad so do I lol.
Thank you all sorry to have posted this on the orchids side.