Does anyone know how hardy this is? Bean says not (and that is my most
reliable source), but several other sources say that it is fairly hardy.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Does anyone know how hardy this is? Bean says not (and that is my most
reliable source), but several other sources say that it is fairly hardy.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I have one, about 3 years old, it is growing against a south facing
wall and is sheltered by other small shrubs. It would seem to be fairly
hardy but I dont know how it would cope in any other postition.

kate

In article ,
Janet Baraclough wrote:

Does anyone know how hardy this is? Bean says not (and that is my most
reliable source), but several other sources say that it is fairly hardy.

Not very, I suspect. There's an old specimen here on
gulf-stream-warmed Arran, in a sheltered position in a S facing garden.
I don't recall ever seeing one on the Scottish mainland, which may be a
clue :-)

Bother. Thanks.

Anyway, I am going to try, but shall not repeat the experiment if it fails.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren wrote:

Does anyone know how hardy this is? Bean says not (and that is my most
reliable source), but several other sources say that it is fairly hardy.

Nick, I grew this on several occasions in several sites 'oop't noorth
in't Midlands' where it withstood frequent exposures down to minus 8
or 10C. In each case, it was planted against south or west facing
house walls and never suffered at all. Bean is too conservative about
its cold tolerance - given the inevitable wind shelter that a wall
provides, Itea illicifolia appears remarkably tough. total freezing
of the roots will cause problems, but if you go for a house wall, the
chances of that happening even in a Cambridge winter are remote.

Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November

In article ,
Dave Poole wrote:
Nick Maclaren wrote:

Does anyone know how hardy this is? Bean says not (and that is my most
reliable source), but several other sources say that it is fairly hardy.

Nick, I grew this on several occasions in several sites 'oop't noorth
in't Midlands' where it withstood frequent exposures down to minus 8
or 10C. In each case, it was planted against south or west facing
house walls and never suffered at all. Bean is too conservative about
its cold tolerance - given the inevitable wind shelter that a wall
provides, Itea illicifolia appears remarkably tough. total freezing
of the roots will cause problems, but if you go for a house wall, the
chances of that happening even in a Cambridge winter are remote.

Thanks very much.

Where I want to put it isn't next to a wall, but isn't wholly exposed,
either. In the past 5-10 years, we haven't had a frost that got below
the top 1-2" - which wasn't true in earlier years.

The reason that I thought it might be hardier than Bean thinks is that
the Sunset book says that it can take (its) zone 4, which has colder
winters than even Cambridge of 10-25 years ago. And the soil at Kew
is a lot heavier than it is here, which makes quite a difference to
some plants.

Anyway, I shall report. I am optimistic about Erythrina crista-galli
and Passiflora incarnata, but I shall see if my optimism is justified.
It definitely does seem that Feijoa sellowiana is much more resistant
to frost when in a pot than many books claim, too.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.