Re: xanthosoma mafaffa


----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Avent <tony@plantdel.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L <aroid-l@mobot.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2001 12:15 PM
Subject: Re: xanthosoma mafaffa


Dear Tony,

Good luck!  (as the corus of the song 'Dream Lover' by the Everly Brothers
plays in the back ground)   I don`t think that Xanthosomas can or ever will
withstand near freezing temps.---better chance of penguins living in Lk.
Okeechobee or Elephants at the N. Pole, but we can try, correct?!
These tropical plants SEEM fine with a short 'blast' of low temps., but IF
they don`t turn to mush right away, the cold damage is horrific after a few
days/weeks, the tissues die, and then they die.
Hope to see you soon!

Julius

>>Julius:

We tried Xanthasoma maffafa 'Aurea' outdoors back in 1995.  That winter we
reached 0 degrees F, and the plant was mush.  The foliage was fine up until
frost.  I guess we should try again now that we are having global warming.
You've got to look at the positive side of every issue...xanthosomas will
be hardy for everyone soon!<<

>Dear Tony,
>
>I will be very interested in hearing the 'end' results of this
>survey---Xanthosoma 'mafafa' (in fact all species of Xanthosoma) are
>heat-loving plants, but who knows what extremes of low temps they might
>withstand, as they do grow pretty far south into southern S. America
>(Eduardo???).   Somehow I suspect that you will find that the leaves will
>not withstand much below say 50 degs F., and the plant will be killed by
>wind with temps below this, and frost will kill the rhizome.
>Please let us know the results of YOUR attempts, but only after 'you kill
it
>yourself---at least three times!'
>
>Cheers,
>
>Julius

Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery @
Juniper Level Botanic Garden
9241 Sauls Road
Raleigh, NC  27603  USA
Minimum Winter Temps 0-5 F
Maximum Summer Temps 95-105F
USDA Hardiness Zone 7b
email tony@plantdelights.com
website  http://www.plantdel.com
phone 919 772-4794
fax  919 662-0370
"I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least
three times" - Avent
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index