Re: TB: winter hardy ? was OT: bio. etc.

--- In iris-talk@y..., "Ellen Gallagher" <ellengalla@y...> wrote:
> --- 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


My advice?  Do it, Ellen!  Hybridizing is FUN!  And you're probably 
right about the need for irises bred tough for cold climates.

Patricia Brooks
Whidbey Island, WA, ever-moderate climate


 

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