RE: Re:Cyclamen hardiness

Great testimonials, Marge.
However, these people all seem to be 'professionals' at this Cyclamen
business - got any words of encouragement from cycla-newbies?
Just kidding.
Kitty


> [Original Message]
> From: Marge Talt <mtalt@hort.net>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 2/22/2003 2:15:13 AM
> Subject: [CHAT] Re:Cyclamen hardiness was:  new purchases
>
> > From: Kitty <kmrsy@earthlink.net>
> > But I do think a few varieties of Cyclamen have a chance of making
> it
> > here, especially if they're well-sited and attention is paid to
> critter
> > protection and culture as both Marge and Gene have related. It's
> worth a
> > try.
> ----------
>
> Most definitely worth a try, Kitty.  Nothing ventured; nothing
> gained.  I have gone through my Cyclamen files and compiled assorted
> posts having to do with hardiness which I am copying and pasting to
> give you encouragement;-)  Above the [quote] is the person who
> posted...these either came from Cyclamen list or probably Alpine-L
> and some of the "quotes" have been edited a bit to remove stuff that
> was extraneous to the topic.
>
>
> Martyn Denney, Honorary Secretary, Cyclamen Society:
> [The most common garden species such as C. coum and C. hederifolium
> are generally very accommodating and will tolerate a wide range of
> growing conditions with the one definite exception of the lethal
> combination of very wet and very cold.  Both are bone hardy -
> especially hederifolium -and will survive -10 or -15c, but not if
> they are also very wet - by which I mean more waterlogged, not merely
> damp. In woodland, they should both thrive provided the layer of
> fresh leaves does not become so thick that it cuts all light and
> moisture.]
>
> George Marcus,  Ottawa, Ontario:
> [For the information of whomever may be interested, the following
> species of cyclamen have survived and bloomed annually in my garden
> in Ottawa (US zone 4) for several years:   cilicium,  coum,
> hederifolium and purpurescens. The last, grown from ordinary
> commercial seed, has tended to bloom continuously form July until
> frost. Cyclamen coum's flowers, unfortunately, are often hidden under
> snow here.]
>   
> Gerald Taaffe, Ottawa, Canada, US Zone 4:
> [For the record, Cyclamen hederifolium and C. purpurascens have been
> consistently hardy in well drained places here in my Zone 4 garden. 
> C. coum has been hardy most years as well, but can be damaged by an
> early onset of very cold temperatures.]
>
> Dr John T Lonsdale, Exton, PA (my comment - recognized expert on
> assorted bulbous plants - just heard excellent lecture by him about a
> month ago):
> [We are in the midst of a cold spell, with a low around 3F (-16C) in
> the garden (no snow cover).  Cyclamen in the garden (hederifolium,
> coum, cilicium, trochopteranthum and purpurascens) are unfazed
> although the leaves on the hederifolium var. confusum are distinctly
> browned and pretty unhappy. ]
>
> Louise Parsons (PNW):
> [Microclimate can be a prevailing factor anyway.  For example,
> overhead tree canopy can prevent some terrestrial heat accumulated
> during winter days (low sun angle = earth warming beneath them) from
> radiating into space at night.  This can be so strong a factor as to
> "up" your zone a notch or two. (then she quoted): Grey-Wilson lists
> the following as being frost-hardy:  C. cilicium, coum (ssp.coum and
> caucasicum), hederifolium, parviflorum, pseudoibericum, and
> purpurascens.  He states that C. hederifolium has been known to
> survive temperatures as low as -30C (-22F)]
>
> Don't know who posted this in response to query about growing
> Cyclamen at high elevations in Lake Tahoe:
> [In NE Turkey coum is present from very low altitudes, almost at sea
> level,and very warm and wet being on the Black sea coast, but then it
> occurs at very  high altitudes on both the Zigana and Kose passes
> over the watershed where the winters are fierce with very low temp.
> and lots of snow. Near lake Abant well inland it appears with
> crocuses, corydalis and galanthus in the spring.
>
> At these higher levels they both occur in pine woods and on open
> hillsides In both cases the higher plants grow in extreme conditions
> with long winter snow cover and  quite dry summers. I have found them
> emerging in flower from snow patches in early May in perfect
> condition.
>
> Again looking at c.repandum in the pelopennese in the Langada gorge
> growing with c. hederifolium, this is covered in snow all winter 
> emerging to flower in the spring, and then has a dry summer.]
>
> Bob Nold, Denver, Colorado:
> [Although I would never use the word "normally" with reference to
> anything having to do with "outdoors" here, Cyclamen coum was seen
> blooming here last Monday, March 11. It has snowed three times since
> then. I imagine it will be briefly visible tomorrow before it snows
> again, and on and off all next week in between the usual blizzards.
> Another population here, in less sun right now, starts to bloom a
> little later and is also briefly visible during those rare occasions
> when it isn't snowing.]
>
> Jim Hatchett, Eagle Idaho, Zone5:
> [All of the above, C.cuom, C.purperescens, C. hederifolium(a real
> unruly plant)C.cilcium grow and expand to the point of having to be
> weeded out periodically here in Idaho.....I grow in partial shade in
> acidic duff overlying somewhat alkaline mineral soil......One other
> Item that may be important is that we are quite dry from fall to late
> winter and then the moisture comes in the form of snow such that the
> growing medium is somewhat dry.]
>
> Nina Lambert, Ithaca, New York z5:
> [C. coum has naturalized itself out-doors here, persistently melting
> the snow crust in March and April even during those decades when we
> had Zone IV weather (-30 F).] 
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
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