Well lucky you, sounds like you have the right combo of dry and hot plus wet and cool at the right times. RJ

Found this info in an old book...maybe helpfull.
Silver trees should be planted in soil which is acid and they must be watered regularly during Autumn and Winter. They do not mind being somewhat dry during Summer. They withstand moderate frost , provided they are watered. When grown in areas which have frost the young plants should be protected. They have been grown under glass in England for more than 300 years. The book lists them as suitable for container growing. From South African Shrubs and Trees for the Garden by Una Van Der Spuy 1971.

Its common name in Afrikaans is 'silwerblaarboom' which translates as silver leaf tree (in Afrikaans one concept is written as one word). These trees adorn the slopes of Table Mountain at Cape Town. A very beautiful tree which is guaranteed to evoke nostalgia in expatriate South Africans. Hope it grows well and brings you much joy.
P.S. They intensely dislike having their roots disturbed.

I'm still silly over this plant and it is growing and seems to love the heat. We've had a month of HOT 95-100+ degree days and it is still in the dappled sun for most of the day with a couple of hours of full late afternoon sun. The silvery hairs are much more pronounced and even today, on the first overcast day with predictions of rain (unheard of in California in the summer!), it just glows.

Probably hard to appreciate the growth but here it is a month ago and on the right today: {{gwi:1236420}}Â {{gwi:1236423}}

Obviously a month's time is not going to foretell its future, but it will spend the first winter in the greenhouse and go into the ground next March and I will take care not to disturb its roots. Here's a page of interesting info about this wonderful plant.