Good information, Aaron. ----- Original Message ----- From: "aaron floden" <aaron_floden@yahoo.com> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 7:39 AM Subject: [pbs] Manfreda -- hardiness issues. While in Kansas, just south of Kansas City, I wintered Manfreda maculosa for two years outside unprotected, but fairly dry. During these two winters it took temperatures into the negative single digits. The two survivors of the brood from Alplains seed (?) came with me to TN where they are completely content in the garden even trying to remain evergreen down to 7F this past winter. Manfreda virginica, from all the locations I have collected it, have proven hardy in Z5 Kansas, handling temperatures to -10F. All mine are sending up spikes now. Aaron Floden Knoxville, TN On Wed, 6/10/09, Tony Avent <tony@plantdelights.com> wrote: The only manfreda that I know of which is hardy north of Zone 7b is M. virginica, which has a wide range. I was in southern Minnesota last week and saw one that has grown well there for many years. Of the xMangave's, xM. 'Bloodspot' is the least hardy since A. macroacantha was a parent. Next is xM. 'Macha Mocha', which is a Zone 8 plant, using A. celsii. Our unreleased hybrids used A. salmiana v. ferox x Manfreda jalisciana, both solid Zone 7b plants. I would rate both Polianthes tuberosa and P. gemniflora also as Zone 7b plants, so we don't have any hybrids yet that will survive north of the Mason-Dixon line. Jon is slighter colder than we are, so he may have found some of his hybrids that can take Zone 7a temperatures. Adding A. polianthifolia to the mix is brilliant since it got no damage here this year at 9F. That being said, the work continues. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/