_darlingtonia_
ksnive@pstbbs.com
Sat, 31 Dec 94 00:12:59 -0700
>> Also I'd like to second the request for an estimation of how far north
>> Darlingtonia might be winter hardy? I live in zone 6 and would like to
>> try it if there is a reasonable chance for survival.
>> James.
>
>Well...mine got down to 15 F and survived just fine, but you have to
>remember that this is an isolated occurrence and doesn't last for long.
>Seattle has had some really cold snaps - down to 5 or 6, but I chickened
>out and brought all my stuff indoors. Kevin, what about you? Kevin
>Sniveley lives up north of here where things get considerably colder for
>such a small distance.
I do not wish to try to set my self up as an authority of any sort
on the subject of _Darlingtonia_ but will sight a few references and
let you all draw your own conclusions.
#1 Sunset New Western Garden Book
June 1979 edition
Page 268. Zones 4-7 and 14-17
Zone four is listed as the coldest with low temps. ranging
between 19 and -7 deg F for the 20 years prior to printing.
#2 Carnivorous plants of the Unites States & Canada
By Donald E Schnell
Page 52. Sea Level to 2800 m. (Well above the winter snow line)
#3 Bulletin of the American Rock Garden Society
Vol. 50 No. 3 Article by Fredric W. Chase, Jr.
Page 210. Moderate winter-hardiness Not recommended for the
authors area. ( Central Michigan )
My own experience has been that seed germinates well after
winter in my back yard but seedlings die during the same season.
Established adult plants do well year after year with the only
winter losses due to the grubs of the Strawberry root weevil
_Otiorhynchus ovatus_ which eat crowns and roots.
Friends are growing _Darlingtonia_ out doors in Vancouver
B.C. with no extra protection.
>Andrew Marshall here in Seattle did such a setup. He planted a 20 gallon
>long aquarium with sphagnum (live) and used an air pump attached to a
>long bent tube to keep the water moving slowly. It worked fine.
Andrew's article appeared in C.P.N. Vol. 21 No. 3 Page 78
and to my knowledge he is still happy with it. He is also the only
one in the area I know who go's to this much trouble to grow this
plant. I prefer drip irrigation operating once every three days,
and a splash from the hose when I've got it out any way. I also
prefer WHITE plastic pots as I believe they absorb less heat than
the black ones.
Remember that when growing plants out side a light mulch can extend
the range well past what would otherwise be expected. Most people
still ignore me when I brag about pushing a _Cephalotus_ to 17 deg
F last winter or look at me like I'm some kind of nutcase. The
the only protection it got was a light peace of land scape fabric
and while it lost 7/8 of its original size it is still going.
krs