Dear All, I don't know if this observation falls under the heading of "survivors", but, here in North Central West Virginia, where it used to be designated USDA Zone 6, the climate has become quite inconsistent. Over the last few winters, low temps have varied between -11 F and +10 F. But more impactful on my outdoor plants has been the early spates of abnormally high temps (60-70's F) in March followed by more normal 20-40's in April. It's "supposed to" stay cold until April! I have a nice clump of Bletilla striata right next to a clump of Erythronium 'Pagoda'. Two years ago, the bletillas were hit so badly by a late freeze that I got only one flower stalk, but the erythroniums, which were budding at the time, bloomed beautifully. This year, after a warm spell in March, and then a freeze in April, the erythroniums did almost nothing, but the bletillas, though they suffered frost damage, look like the are going to do "what they are supposed to do" Best wishes, Dell Dell Sherk, Salem WV, USA -------------------------------------------- On Sun, 4/30/17, Jane McGary <janemcgary@earthlink.net> wrote: Subject: [pbs] Surprising survivors To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Date: Sunday, April 30, 2017, 1:57 PM This is my offering for a topic of the week. Hope to hear from many others! This is the time of year when those of us who garden in climates that experience winter frost take stock of what has survived the trials of winter. In western Oregon we've had a winter that was slightly colder than normal, with several periods of snow cover (one of about one week), and very heavy and prolonged rainfall. This was a real test of plants known to be marginally hardy here. I don't have a heated greenhouse, though I move a few potted plants under lights in the garage in winter. My bulb house is never more than a degree or two above ambient temperature, since it has a roof but no solid sides. I also moved many bulbs into the open garden last summer. Some of them are mentioned in books (mostly books published in the UK) as requiring frost-free cultivation. Nevertheless, some marginal species are now in growth and even in flower. I didn't mean to plant Ornithogalum reverchonii (from the French Riviera) in the open, but I mistook its bulbs for Ornithogalum narbonense. Yet O. reverchonii is opening its crystalline white flowers now; the foliage, which is winter-growing, is a little bedraggled but definitely alive. Amaryllis belladonna turned to mush, but new leaves have emerged -- I may never see any flowers but it's not giving up. The shining yellow flowers of Anemone palmata (from Portugal) light up both the rock garden and the bulb lawn. Even the Crinum plants given to me by another PBS member last year are putting out new growth; I did mulch them heavily but thought they were gone for good. Most everything in the bulb house survived (low temperature, 18 F), except for some Babiana. Another African species, Oxalis obtusa, is all too lively -- I even spotted one that got into the open garden, fortunately back in the shrubbery where it can't do much damage. The lovely North African Asphodelus acaulis dutifully produced its peach-colored flowers in early March, a little later than usual. I think the survival of marginal plants under a roof is aided by the fact that their foliage is dry; on the other hand, they got no snow cover. I suspect that the many species I'm trying in turf also enjoy a little extra protection in winter, when the grass here is in active growth. So far the only big Alstroemeria outdoors, A. angustifolia, has not made an appearance, but in the bulb house the little species Alstroemeria hookeri came through fine, despite being in growth during the cold snaps. I'm also happy to see Alstroemeria patagonica there, but it is more cold-adapted, though not really easy to maintain. The first Calochortus here is always Calochortus uniflorus, and it's opening now. Others are in bud. Most of them flower rather later than other bulbs. I have sometimes thought that native bulbs from the Pacific Coast of North America are particularly well adapted to surviving extra-cold winters. Have you had any pleasant surprises like these? Let us know. Jane McGary Portland, Oregon, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@mailman1.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@mailman1.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/