Re: Re: rohdea

Well, Cathy, I am sure they would prefer soil that does not turn into
concrete, but they tolerate dry shade well - such as that under trees
where there is root competition - do not consider them Xeric
plants..won't take desert conditions.  Tolerance of a condition
doesn't mean that's what a plant prefers...just that it will live:-) 
I don't think they want really moist (as in always wet) soil, despite
what AHS says..I think they'd rot in what I consider damp shade - of
course, AHS may have a different definition of 'damp' than I do.

My take is that they prefer good, organic soil that stays reasonably
moist but drains well...that Nirvana of most plants.  They will put
up with a lot less, but not bad drainage.

The reason I quoted Jim Waddick on the hardiness is because it
appears that the limits listed in most resources are very
conservative - they often are, I have found.  If Jim's been growing
Rhodea in z5 for 15 years, it will grow in z5 given the right
treatment:-)  Jim's quite a plantsman.  

I often wonder where some authors get their hardiness information.  I
think they must pick it up from some other publication and it just
keeps getting re-used and printed in new publications without any
real practical knowledge of the plant and what it will and won't do. 
Generally, I search the web and give the range of info. I find and it
can be all over the map, believe me.  Given the almost identical
descriptive information I find in different resources, I know there's
a lot of just plain copying what you find going on out there....so,
who was the original source, I always wonder.

Most will also elect to err on the side of being conservative if they
have no real idea.  That's one of the wonderful things about the net
- we can find out first hand from people who are actually growing the
durn things where plants can be grown.  Some plant societies are even
posting lists of known hardiness for assorted species of plants -
like members of the society send in what they are growing and where
in terms of city, state, zone and lowest temperature survived.  Now,
that's what I call good hardiness information:-)

The proof of any pudding is, of course, to grow it yourself and find
out if it will survive in what you have to offer it.

As for images.......

Here's one of a bed of rhodea under trees:
http://www.specialtyornamentals.com/plantpics/p-r/rhodea_j_use.jpg

Here's a close up of one:
http://www.specialtyornamentals.com/plantpics/p-r/rohdea_j_close.jpg

Tony Avent has a bunch in his catalog - scroll down to Rhodea:
http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/page71.html

If you want even more - do a Google image search and you will find
the above plus lots more - just plug in rhodea at:

http://www.google.com/advanced_image_search?hl=en

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: cathy carpenter <cathyc@rnet.com>
> 
> Marge indicated that they were good for dry shade situations, which
I 
> have in spades! However, the AHS A to Z says damp shade. It also 
> indicates z7+ (of course zones seem to be up for grabs these
days...) 
> which I don't have!  Which of these situations should I believe?
Also, 
> where can I view a good picture?

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