Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 20:03:59 -0800 From: "Carl Mazur" <cherryhillcp@freenet.hamilton.on.ca> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg673$foo@default> Subject: Re: CP hardiness
Fred,
> (I live on the Zone 4/5 border, minimum temperature -20 F., and
> wondered if the CP's usually found only in the South could be selected
> for hardiness in Northern Climes.)
>
> I also planted various Sarracenia and *they* survived too. So right
> now I think that many "Southern" species are limited by competition
> from weeds rather than hardiness per se.
As far as I'm concerned, its not the temperature that limits Sarracenia
cultivation in the north, its the length of growing season. Where I live
in Ontario Canada, we have a zone 6A USDA Climate Zone. I've grown most
Southern Sarrs outside from time to time, and they have all survived the
winter. Our min Winter temp -25C or so, however, average temps aren't
nearly that cold. The coldest normal temps are about -3C daytime and -14
nite temps (mid January). However there is much variance. Yesterday it was
+10 C, and Saturday they are predicting a daytime high of only -8C.
Anyways, our growing season here is only 185 days or so frost free, not bad
for flava or oreophila, however, many of the sarrs produce their best
leaves in the fall. In the greenhouse they pitcher until mid to late
november, however, our first killing frosts are usually a month before
then. Plants also go into growth a month or two earlier in the greenhouse
in fully bloom by April, our last frost is around April too!
Just my 2 cents. I too would like to hear of experience of growers in
northern areas who grow sarrs out doors!
Best Regards,
Carl J.Mazur
Cherryhill Carnivorous Plants
Grimsby, ON Canada
http://www.vaxxine.com/ccphome
>
> If you live in Zone 5 or farther North, please email me with
> your experiences -- your location, species grown, how long, what
> success, etc. etc. I'll try to write something up for CPN.
>
> My location is 42.5 N, 72.3 W, 1000' elevation in north central
> Massachusetts. I have four small artificial bogs (wading pools).
>
> I have results for only one year so far (the second year's results
> won't be in for about two months when it thaws). They were:
>
> D. muscipula -- 2 large and 5 small plants in 8" SPM top-dressed
> with sand, all survived with 1" pine needle mulch, mostly naturally
> derived from the big pine tree that grows just north of the bogs.
>
> S. flava -- 1 large plant, survived and flowered. This and all
> the following are in 8" SPM top-dressed with coarse live sphagnum,
> our local, undetermined species.
>
> S. psittacina -- 1 plant, survived, looked strange at first,
> eventually resumed normal growth habit and appearance.
>
> S. leucopohylla -- 3 or 4 large clumps of small plants, 1 maybe
> with some S. purpurea genes lurking in the background, all did
> very well.
>
> I also have D. californica out *this* winter, so no firm results,
> but one small plant, visible where snow cover has melted due to
> seepage, looked very healthy.
>
> If you have any experiences to share, please email me, I'm
> not subscribed right now. Thanks,
>
> Fred
>
> P.S. I'm looking for a copy of Schnell's "CP's of US and Canada",
> any condition, please let me know if you have one to spare.
>
> --
> Fred K. Lenherr, Ph.D. Neuroscience Web Search
> lenherr@tiac.net http://www.acsiom.org/nsr/neuro.html
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