Iris unguicularis hardiness
Jane McGary (Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:36:43 PST)
A correspondent in Germany wrote:
Hi, We just had 3 weeks of really cold weather with day temperatures
not above -8 degree C and night Temperatures up to - 17 degree C
without snow cover. My Iris unguiularis ssp cretensis did not show
any sign of damage now 1 week after warmer weathter did arrive. Even
Helleborus species did freeze down to the ground loosing all leaves.
This all is in Germany near Bonn. I thinkI. Unguicularis is totaly
hardy specially in the ssp cretensis (which naturaly occure up to
1500m in the Greek Mainland.
I agree that I. cretensis, also called I. unguicularis subsp.
cretensis, is more cold-hardy than the North African I. unguicularis.
I grew I. cretensis from Archibalds' seeds and it survived winter
lows of 16 F at my former garden. In the new garden, which is warmer,
it is also doing well. In the new garden I can grow I. unguicularis
itself in the open, too, given very good drainage.
On the minus side, I. cretensis does not have the strong sweet
fragrance of I. unguicularis, and the flowers are smaller.
Jane McGary
Portland, Oregon, USA