Jim, take the plunge and experiment. I found that I am actually one whole Zone warmer than the authorities think, and some nooks and crannies are positively tropical -- at least on the edges of same. Go ahead and test some while saving a few for "in-case-I-guessed-wrong." You could have a very pleasant surprise and give lots of courage to your fellow gardeners in the area who were not quite as daring. And be sure to document it when you do try something new, complete with dates etc. I'm certain you know the routine. Good luck, Shirley Meneice J.E. Shields wrote: >Hi all, > >I'm always curious about potentially hardy bulbs from South Africa. I've >tried growing numerous species from seed, but have not dared to test any >against our actual in-the-ground conditions here in central Indiana (USDA >cold zone 5, in the hot and humid eastern part of the Midwest). > >What are the species of Haemanthus that experience and survive the coldest >temperatures in winter time in habitat? How about in cultivation? > >I know that several species are very wide ranging in South Africa. HH. >albiflos, coccineus, and humilis come to mind. There might be ecotypes -- >local populations -- of these that experience colder winter temperatures >than is usual over much of the other range of the species. Does anyone >know of such? > >Regards, >Jim Shields >in central Indiana (USA) > >************************************************* >Jim Shields USDA Zone 5 Shields Gardens, Ltd. >P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/ >Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA >Tel. ++1-317-867-3344 or toll-free 1-866-449-3344 in USA > > >_______________________________________________ >pbs mailing list >pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > > > > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.338 / Virus Database: 267.10.1/64 - Release Date: 8/4/05