Bob, It has gone through -20 F here. We routinely get from 0F to -5 F every winter (this one included). Why is it hardy? Either your Viking theory is true or “Nature is weird”. I. 'Alberto Castillo’ is one small bulb I would easily recommend for the Kansas City area. Jim W. > On Feb 23, 2015, at 10:02 AM, penstemon <penstemon@Q.com> wrote: > > Reliable information reports 'Alberto Castillo' having survived impervious -24 C (-11.2 F) temperatures in the States. Of course it is not what it would prefer coming from a sunny part of the world with mostly mild winters. > > Not at all what one would expect. So why is it hardy? > 1. Facing extinction in its native Greenland, Vikings dug up all the remaining bulbs and sailed to the Rio de la Plata and planted the bulbs, long before the Portuguese arrived in the 16th century. (That would explain the hardiness.) > OR > 2. Habitat is not an indication of hardiness. There are other evolutionary factors at work. > Bob Nold > Denver, Colorado James Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd Kansas City, MO 64152-2711 USA Phone 816-746-1949 _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/