I'm very interested in trying some different strains of Z. aethiopica. I've tried it outdoors here in NW Arkansas several times, with plants from several sources - though I've no idea how different they really were as far as original provenance - and of course failed miserably each time. Here the problem seems to be our wildly fluctuating winter and spring temperatures, just as Jamie describes. Z. aethiopica repeatedly starts into growth too early, gets zapped when we have a hard frost, and after some number of cycles just fades away. All the others stay safely underground until well past the danger of any frost and so do well. I've not tried it in a very wet situation, despite all those pictures I've seen of it in habitat standing in water. It's an interesting idea. What depth of water will Z. aethiopica tolerate? Steve On Mon, 19 Jun 2006, Jamie V. wrote: > John, > > although I agree that provenance is important, I have found that the > same clone of Z. aethiopica will survive in my pond, but not in my > garden! Apparently, under the water it is assured a constant rest > during the Winter. I believe the repeated freeze-thaw of my typical > Cologne Winter simply breaks the dormancy of the plant in the garden and > the next frost weakens it until it finally succumbs. > ... > > Ciao, > > Jamie V. > Cologne > > John Grimshaw schrieb: > > >In view of the appparently abject failure of Zantedeschia aethiopica to > >perform in Mid-West gardens, has any thought been given to provenance? The > >species is very widespread in South Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope > > ... -- Steve Marak -- samarak@gizmoworks.com