SPEC: Cold climate spurias.

Claire asked about spurias that grow well in Ottawa, Zone 4B.  I delayed
a reply until I could survey my beds without digging through the snow. 
As we am now at the spring clean up stage, all labels are very visible. 
Of the thirteen species of spurias in the BIS Guide, I have:-

as plants, almost all grown from seed:-
graminea 	- from many different sources (in fact, too many of this
species!)
kerneriana
monnieri
orientalis	- (often found as ochroleuca)  
sintenesii
spuria		- many different sources

as seeds:-
crocea
pseudonotha

I also have quite a few cultivars as seedlings but none is well
established enough to be considered viable in this climmate just yet.

As spurias are from regions where cold or very cold winters occur,
unually without the advantage of heavy snow cover, I would imagine that
all should live in climates down to Zone 3-4B.  I think that difficulty
in growing them is more likely to be associated with lack of drainage,
very wet or moist summers, and, acidity of the soil.  Another problem
might be the movement of a plant from a warmer climate.  There is a
great deal of benefit of starting from seed if one wishes to grow a
plant in an environmentally marginal area.  The disadvantage is that you
wait four or five years to see what you have but there is considerable
joy when it finally blooms before you have died!

Ian, in Ottawa where he is in agreement with John's request to cut
excess text from replies.
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