Nick wrote .


Bob Hobden wrote:

Whether P. alkekengi is one of those, I don't know, but P. edulis
is a drought-resistant plant, with fairly deep-ranging roots, and
P. alkekengi is quite likely to be similar.

The soil is over gravel so that has excellent drainage and it's not that
far
down as another neighbour dug it out to use when he built his own house. I
hit it when digging my pond at about 1 metre down.
I'll suggest he tries the two you mentioned and see if those work, maybe
some in a shadier spot and some in sun.

Er, don't bother with P. edulis (a.k.a. P. peruviana, I think).
It is the plant that grows the edible "Cape gooseberries" and
is seriously not hardy. It will overwinter in a frost-free
greenhouse if kept dry, but won't have an earthly outside.



Probably the one he has been trying to grow!
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK