Re: Marguerites was malodorous plants

Barry Garcia wrote:
> One unfortunate
> thing is, my marguerite (C. frutescens) seems to have bit the dust with
> that freeze a few weeks ago (it might still be alive but ill really
> have to prune it back!

Barry
Marguerite dasies (Argyranthereum) are very popular in parts of NZ where
winters are mild. In recent years there has been much breeding of new
varieties in Australlia (Federation Dasies and others) and these have
naturally found their way across to us. When I was  columnist for our
major gardening magazine one of the nursery firms sent me samples of
three of these plants to try. I put one plant of each in an area
sheltered by clear plastic and one outdoors. We normally expect winter
frosts of -2to-3degrees C (say 28-24F)
but once in ten years or so it may go down as low as -6c(21F) 

 It happened the next winter was one of those, and for good measure we
had 9 days of frost in a row (almost unheard of). By the end of this
test all the Federation Daisies outside were completely dead and the
shelterd ones very sorry for themselves, while all my old-style
cultivars, no doubt selected out by many years of frosts, had survived
outdoors, even if some looked a bit weatherworn.

Several of lessons to learn I think:- 
1)Beware of plants bred in a milder climate than yours, as hardiness is
something the breeders may not have been interested in.
2)Marguerites do vary in hardiness. However, if they had not struck that
severe winter straight off these might have gradually become
cold-adapted.
3) It always pays, when trying out any variety of doubtful hardiness to
have reserves under cover over winter. 
4) If you live in a normally mild climate you tend to become careless
over the hardiness of "borderline" subjects. Those who expect low
temperatures every year tend to be more careful about siting their
plants.

Moira
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand
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