Reports of hardy forms of Urginea maritima are most interesting: I should like to grow a really hardy one. The bulbs of the common Mediterranean littoral form are often found rolling about and are brought home by holidaymakers - I've been asked about these 'funny big bulbs' on several occasions. The ones I've grown were from Portugal and Turkey and were promptly killed when put outside for 'hardiness testing' when they no longer warranted greenhouse space. I have never, to my recollection, seen it growing outside in any English garden. John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Garden Manager, Colesbourne Gardens Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP Website: http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Angelo Porcelli" <ang.por@aliceposta.it> To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 9:00 PM Subject: [pbs] Urginea maritima > Dear Paul & Jim, > > Urginea maritima, in spite of the specific name with means "from the sea" > grows usually inland where lows of -5-8°C are normal every winter, as well > as short but regular snowfalls, with snow that can melt after some days and > these don't cause any damage at all. It grows also on the sea and it is > likely these populations are more frost tender. > The inland form developes huge bulbs, up to 30cm usually with few offstes > and this is probably the strain Lauw De Jager lists as 'red squill' in his > site, referring to a form with reddish tunics and larger bulbs. > I was also surprised to read in T.Howard's book that this species needs > frost protection in Texas, considering that in the Mediterranean climate > frosts occour during the moist months. > > best regards > Angelo Porcelli > Italy > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >