Re: Re: Descanso Lilacas

The Descanso Lilac you're discussing is " Lavender Lady". I worked for
Descanso Nursery in the early 50's when the lilac was released. It was
patented & they got 15.00 for 2 gal can wholesale. 
We grew 1000's & they sold like "hot cakes" in S. Cal. Many cold climate
people were migrating & they wanted something that reminded them of "
home". I grew azaleas / camellias for them. the Descanso Gardens in La
Canada, east of Pasadena near the foothills. It was started by Manchester
Boddy, who ran the LA. Daily News. 
his son, Bob ran the nursery. He was quite an innovator for new ideas for
the retail trade. He started flocking Pineas Pinea's & decorating Hollies
for CHRISTmas. The nursery moved to Fort Bragg, Calif just inland from
the Mendecino coast in the Redwoods & got into Rhodies,  skimmia,
Leucothe & Oregon Grape. I believe it's still there.

Tony Veca <><
Another Gr888 Day in Paradise !!!!!
Vancouver, WA

On Mon, 10 Feb 2003 19:06:06 -0500 "kmrsy" <kmrsy@earthlink.net> writes:
> Re the Descano Lilacs -
> Horticulture mag just arrived and this is addressed in their Q&A 
> section 
> (paraphrased):
> Q:How far south can lilacs be grown?
> A: Leu Gardens in Orlando, Z9 has tried a number of lilac cultivars 
> 
> unsuccessfully. including the CA-bred Descanos. These were bred 
> specifically to thrive in the dry, hot environment of southern CA.  
> LA 
> county shares the same hardiness zone, but there the lilacs 
> experience 
> lower night temps.  The Descanos planted in the southeast have been 
> 
> short-lived and highly susceptible to powdery mildew.
> Gardeners in Z8, however, can try growing the Japanese tree lilac, 
> Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk', Peking Lilac, S. reticulata ssp 
> pekinensis, Cutleaf Lilac, S. x laciniata, early flwring lilac, S. x 
> 
> hyacinthiflora, and S. pubescens ssp. patula 'Miss Kim'.
> Another possibility is 'Betsy Ross', a recent Natl Arboretum 
> release. 
> This white, early-flwrg lilac has the characteristics of French 
> lilacs 
> with the added bonus of heat tolerance from one of the parents, S 
> oblata 
> var. donaldii.  Dr. Margaret Pooler, at the NA, hopes to release 1 
> or2 
> other heat-tolerant varieties in the nxt several yrs.
> 
> Kitty
> 
> Kitty Morrissy wrote:
> > Andrea, 
> > I looked for both 'Blue Skies' and 'Monroe' and found it, but not 
> for less
> > money.  However, Forest Farm carries Descano Hybrid Warm Winter 
> Lilacs in
> > white, pink, and lilac.  Tubes are $6.95, gallons $9.00.  Their 
> shipping
> > costs can be rough, but it might be worth looking into.
> > Kitty
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >>[Original Message]
> >>From: Andrea H <hodgesaa@islc.net>
> >>To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> >>Date: 2/9/2003 10:15:45 PM
> >>Subject: [CHAT] Syringia 'blue skies
> >>
> >>has anyone out of the normal zones tried this lilac? Wayside 
> gardens says
> > 
> > it's
> > 
> >>hardy zones 4-9 and tolerates heat and humidity and doesn't require 
> the
> >>chilling hours to set buds that other lilac do. my brother-in law 
> wants
> > 
> > to try
> > 
> >>one and so do I but we don't want to spend $25 on a gallon pot if 
> they are
> >>going to croak.
> >>
> >>
> >>Andrea H
> >>Beaufort, SC
> >>Zone 8b
> >>
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> 



Tony Veca <><
Another Gr888 Day in Paradise !!!!!
Vancouver, WA

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