Tigridia pavonia; was Re: Trying to get started
Jim McKenney (Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:49:59 PDT)

Tony Avent wrote: “ We have tried for years to grow tigridia from Dutch
sources with no

survivability. When I was visiting growers in Holland, they blamed the

lack of hardiness on virus, but I haven't been able to confirm this and

wonder if it's not just genetics. Finally, about 10+ years ago, we got

plants grown from wild collected seed from Yucca Do Nursery. These have

survived and flowered for the last decade. We occasionally offer them

as does Yucca Do.”

Tony, when you write “survivability” and “hardiness” do you mean winter
survivability and winter hardiness in the open garden? Or does it refer to
the rapid deterioration of such stocks under your conditions?

I’ve found Dutch Tigridia pavonia to be reliable when dug and stored dry or
moist for the winter. And I’ve known plants overlooked at digging time to
survive the winter and bloom the next year here.

On the other hand, I’ve found it difficult to get colors as described in the
catalogs.

Does anyone know if the color variants offered by the Dutch are seed grown
strains or if they are clones? I’m inclined to believe that they are seed
grown strains because I have an old price list from pre WWII days from a
grower in the Pacific Northwest who offered many Tigridia pavonia color
variants as seed grown strains. That at least proves that it can be done,
but of course it is no comment on the current practice of commercial
growers.

Jim McKenney

jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com

Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871º North, 77.09829º West, USDA zone
7

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