Database, TOW, bullet proof, etc.

Joe Shaw jshaw@opuntiads.com
Sat, 30 Dec 2006 11:01:45 PST
It would seem to me that with such a world wide list it would be an 
interesting exercise in hardiness for people to report what was perennial 
where they lived. I know Jim Shields tried to get a data base started for 
that years ago and only a few contributed so I'm not suggesting we do 
this......
+++++++++++++++++

Hi Gang,

Mary Sue has touched on a really great idea.  I do spend time roaming 
through the PBS archives to try and discover plants that I might want to 
try.

I have a slightly different idea that relates to a past TOW.  The topic was 
"bulbs for continental climates," and I enjoyed reading that topic but much 
information was concerned with the cold midwest of the USA.  What would 
really interest me is "bullet-proof bulbs."  Desginating a bulb as bullet 
proof would not mean it will grow everywhere, but that the bulb is easy.

The reason bullet-proof interests me is that plants with such nature tend to 
be wonerfully adaptive, and can grow in multiple situations.   Another way 
to look at it is "bulbs that surivive anything."  Still another way to 
explain the concept is "weediness."  For sure, some plants that I grow here 
are listed in the global compendium of weeds--they are weeds because they 
are bullet proof even thought they may not be weedy in my area.

See below for my intial list of bullet-proof geophytes (and a wannabe or 
two) for this area: USDA zone 9a, year round rain, hot summers, cool 
winters.  Our 9a-type frosts have been minimal the past few years, only half 
a dozen at most that reach 25 F, and only 1-2 per year that reach 22-23 F 
overnight.  The ground never freezes.

All of these do great here, but some need good drainage, a couple enjoy 
winter flooding.

1.  Crinum hybrids (esp. erubescens, bulbispermum, mcowanii, scabrum-like, 
asiaticum)
2.  Narcissus x 'Falconet', some other tazetta hybrids
3.  Lycoris radiata (the sterile form)
4.  Rhodophiala bifida (the sterile form)
5.  Freesia laxa (Anomatheca)
6.  Allium drummondii
7.  Alophia drummondii (needs sandy soil, but otherwise bullet-proof)
8.  Cannas (need strong caterpillar conrtrol)
9.  Manfreda virginica, M. variegata (both need good drainage)
10.  Rainlilies and their hybrids (almost all types)
11.  Homeria collina (Moraea)
12.  Amarcrinum
13.  unknown white/off-white Lycoris
14.  Aloe saponaria (A. maculata)
15.  Lycoris squamigera (but will not bloom)
16.  Amaryllis belladona (but will not bloom)
17.  Sinningia tubiflora
18.  Hymenocallis liriosme
19.  Bletelia (unknown species or hybrid)
20  Heydichium spp. (many types)
21.  Hippeastrum hybrids (florsts' hybrids)
22  Iris spp. (native eastern species)
23. Thalia dealbata (needs water)
24. Lilium formosum (unknown provenance)
25.  Crocosmia (orange pass-along-plant, unknown provenance)
26.  Uknown yellow Lycoris
27.  Yucca aloifolia
28.  Yucca gloriosa
29.  Yucca filamentosa
30.  Crinum americanum

Bullet-proof might include plants that need to be dried down and put away 
for a season.  Bullet-proof need not be limited to plants that are in the 
grond but plants that can take the climate 9 months of the year in a pot, 
but maybe this is a different list, "seasonally bullet-proof."


Cordially,

Joe
Conroe TX


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