Winter survival report

John Ingram john@floralarchitecture.com
Sat, 14 May 2005 11:12:07 PDT
I'm now in OH and there are several bulb surprises for me. 
I have Hippeastrums sprouting in 2 locations. Labels somehow left over the winter for a warmer safari but the bulbs are still there. They are either the 'Yellow Goddess' (?) from Brent and Becky's or x Johnsonii. I'm rather hoping for the yellow but I will assume that it is the xJohnsonii. 
Also, this is the first year that I have had Frit. imperalis not only sprout but also flower. Now, if I can just get them back for next year. I have another Frit that came out and bloomed but I don't have my notes with me to know which one. It came from Jane, maybe she could access her notes. It is a single bloomed flower, color long since gone but it did flower. Again, if I can just get it to return. 
Ipheion 'Alberto Castillo' is still blooming. These were planted last fall. I'm glad to see these are hardy. 
Some tulips that have returned after several years are:
 
Green Artist
Blushing Beauty
Carnival de Nice
President Kennedy 
 
The hyacinth 'Woodstock' (also from Brent and Becky's) bloomed just as beautifully this year as last (so I have been told). 
 
I have about 5 Trillium grandiflorum that are blooming. I was hoping that there would be more as I planted about 15 over the past 2 years but, I'll take 5. They will slowly increase. I guess they are the hardy ones for my site and would fare better in the long run anyway. 

Bletilla chinensis are all sprouting. Actually, colonizing would be a better term. They are coming up everywhere. 
 
Allium flavum (from Mark) have sprouted. I am doubtful that I will see the blooms as I will be long gone when they will appear but I'm glad they are doing well. 
 
Liatris have finally started in increase well. It has take a while for them to get established. I have 2-3 species and a hybrid selection. 
 
Lilium 'African Queen' has struggled for the first several years but now (year 4) it is 5 strong stems in a cluster that look like they could be bamboo. I'm hoping for the 7' towering stems that I know they can achieve. 
 
None of the peonies are open here but there are a ton of buds on very strong plants. I have a few that have really twisted and contorted leaves this year. I fear the worse and assume that I will have to remove them from the collection. Any thoughts Jim W what they could be suffering from? I bought many species last fall from Appalachian Alpines and they all are out. I would not expect blooms for at least 3 years as they are just small seedlings. The tree peonies look like they will not open for another 2 weeks maybe. I hope it will stay warm nd moist to push them.
 
Not one iris is open save for a mini bearded type that I put in last fall. Everything else is either just sprouted or no where near spiking. Oh well. I did see that the reticulatas have bloomed earlier in the year. 
 
I have a lot of Lycoris foliage from radiata and several other species. It doesn't look like aurea returned but I only did a quick once through yesterday when I arrived. I hope to have more to report in the next day or so. 
 
OT: the palm species (needles and Sabal minor) have all returned with minor tip burn for the 5th spring (4 winters) and the Sarracineas are sprouting and one even has a flower spike formed. I'm pretty happy about that. Time will tell if the Hesperaloe, Dahlia, and Hedychium will return. They always spout later in the year. There was a Zephyranthes candida clump that made it through last winter and bloomed in the late summer. I am hoping for the same. 
Yesterday while at a nursery, I found a pot of Gazanias in with the perennials. It listed it as "Hardy Gazania" and rated it as z4. I will be getting a few of these to try out you can be sure of that. Anything that I can get to replace the coreopsis that are over running middle America is fine with me. 
Speaking of America, I have a peony by that name and it is in glorious form this year, good dark leaves, lots of buds and held firm in the rains. 
My uncle put the canna and Brugmansia that were on the patio in pots into the garage over the winter, covered them with heavy clear plastic and a double light bulb lamp. Well, the Brug only died back a little. It is sprouting from 4' above the pot and also the base. The canna fared just as well. They are all coming out from the bottom. So, Canna 'Australia' is a tough little rhizome that can withstand quite a bit of cold. 
The Asparagus sprengerii is also sprouted and nearly all green again. The Yucca elephantipes (common indoor yucca from mass marketers) stayed evergreen all winter and other than a few lower leaves with brown tips probably from lack of moisture, it looks perfect. 
I will write more when I have time to do a better inspection. 
 
 
 



John Ingram in L.A., CA. 
http://www.floralarchitecture.com/ check it out 
Floralartistry2000@yahoo.com
310.709.1613 (cell, west coast time, please call accordingly. Thank you)


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