TB: winter hardy ? was OT: bio. etc.
- Subject: TB: winter hardy ? was OT: bio. etc.
- From: E* G*
- Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 02:08:44 -0000
--- In iris-talk@y..., "Jeff and Carolyn Walters" <jcwalters@b...>
wrote to answer Dan's question:
>>>> 2. I recently have been told that there are TBs that are not
winter hardy for zone 5. Is there truth in this? I never hear of
tender TBs.>>>>
Jeff answered:
>>>>I do not know of any TB irises than cannot stand the lowest
temperaturesthat are likely to occur in Zone 5 (and it has gotten down
to 30 below zero F here and stayed there for several days at a
stretch). However, if youlive in an area where repeated freezing and
thawing occurs during the winter, that might have a fatal effect on
some irises rather than low temperatures per se.<<<<
Cold weather is not an enemy of irises and I say that living and
gardening in Zone 3 in which we regularly see temps. going down to -40
F. and the rhizomes survive and bloom (well). I second Jeff's
statement that the freeze-thaw cycle might have a deleterious effect
on many plants (including irises) without a reliable snow cover which
we fortunately have (white mulch). It depends on where you garden as
to whether or not you have this vexing problem.
There are plants that cannot sustain very, very cold temps. like most
lavenders (I think I have tried most of them) but irises are not one
of them. Having said that, I do wonder if most of the modern irises
are being hybridized in warmer climes will lose some of their
"toughness" as time passes. Makes me _almost_ want to do some TB
crosses. :)
Ellen Gallagher
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