cold, hardiness, and lies :)
- Subject: cold, hardiness, and lies :)
- From: B* G*
- Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 23:16:33 -0700
I've been reading descriptions of various sub-tropical to tropical plants
that most sources claim cant take temps much below freezing, and yet i see
these plants in my town. For instance, Strelitzia reginae , i've seen all
over my town, and is sold in nurseries here, and i've hardly seen any
freeze to death, even in the open. Same with S. nicolai (one of the yards
in town has several along a wall). I refuse to believe that theyre that
tender. Maybe my town doesnt get as cold as I think it does :).
Another example, Archontophoenix cunninghamiana. Sunset says these
should/can only be grown in their zones 21 to 24, yet i know of specimens
in Modesto (their zone 14), and also Santa Cruz (zone 17). The ones in
Modesto have 15 feet of trunk i've heard (IIRC). Anyway, i'm more inclined
to go with what i see than with what most books tell me.
Which reminds me. Cloudforest.com took readings from both Quito, Ecuador
and Monterey and compared the temperatures. Both cities have fairly
similar temperature readings throughout the year (right now Quito seems a
bit warmer than Monterey: 55 vs. 50 F). Apparently Monterey is a good
place to grow Andean type plants. Ceroxylon anyone? :). Maybe gardens can
incorporate both mediterranean ideas and andean plants? :)
