PCNs & Arils in NM
- To: "INTERNET:i*@onelist.com"
- Subject: PCNs & Arils in NM
- From: S* M* <7*@compuserve.com>
- Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1999 23:39:14 -0500
- Content-Disposition: inline
From: Sharon McAllister <73372.1745@compuserve.com>
Message text written by INTERNET:iris-talk@onelist.com
> Tenex will grow up in the mountains and does naturally fairly close
to Mt. Rainier. It grows along I-5 in WA State as far north as
Centralia,WA.
then it goes east and west from there. Colin Rigby thinks it has more to do
with the soil than the temp. I live about 60 miles north of there and it
reseeds readily. Growing from seed does seem to be the most reliable way to
get PCN to grow in unknown or difficult areas. Luella Danialson who lives
in
New Mexico did grow them in a shaded situation. I don't know if she still
does but she has also said she has an Aril which even in her high desert
situation she hangs on the fence during the summer to make sure it stays
hot
and dry enough. Some people will try any type iris just for the trial and
knowledge.
<
There's a narrow mountain range between us, but very little difference in
our climates, so I'm probably the one in the best position to elaborate on
this subject.
Lu has grown PCNs in a lathe house -- very impressively, in fact. But to
put this in perspective, a lathe house is the best way to grow many things
here. My only successful experiment in producing rebloom on TBs involved
a lathe house AND a position that took advantage of a window left open to
vent an evaporative cooler. Even some of the northern and high-altitude
arils respond favorable to this type of protection.
I don't know of any arils for which we can't provide enough heat <G>, but
some are native to areas with even less annual rainfall than we have, and
none of it during their summer dormancy -- which happens to coincide with
our rainy season. These are the ones that must be protected from any
summer rain. Lu hangs them IN THE SHADE to keep them high & dry. My own
solution has been to grow them in very large pots that can be moved to a
sheltered area for the summer.
Lu & I are both fascinated by the diversity of the aril species and
committed to maintaining a comprehensive gene pool. The hybrid vigor that
can be produced by crossing a mountain species with one that's native to
the southern deserts is nothing short of amazing. That's where good
breeders and, ultimately, gardenable hybrids come from.
Sharon McAllister
73372.1745@compuserve.com
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