Ixiolirion

James Waddick jwaddick@kc.rr.com
Sat, 13 Aug 2011 05:13:47 PDT
Dear Andrew and all,
	Sorry for my slow response to this topic.
	Yes I do grow Ixiolirion tataricum, but not as well as I 
theoretically should. I understand that this is a bulb of the Central 
Asian Steppe area, not drastically unlike the Central US prairie 
where I live.

	Years ago I bought dozens of bulbs cheaply form a Dutch 
source expecting them to naturalize or at least be an easy subject. 
Most of them bloomed a beautiful medium to deep blue the first spring 
and then disappeared.  I won't speculate why, but they did. Now 
perhaps 10 years later I do have a small clump on a steep west facing 
hill side that bakes seriously in the summer. I have a few Spuria 
Irises in the same area.

	They bloom reliably in the main spring season, but being 
rather short and hidden among taller plants I can easily miss the 
display. In short they are nice, but not a knock out by any means.

	I will remind you my continental climate is fairly extreme 
compared to Andrew's. Last winter we got down to -12 F had long 
periods with night time lows below 0 F and even longer below freezing 
(32 F). This summer we have had long periods over 100 F with night 
temps down to 80+ F. And an extended drought just recently and 
finally broken (!!) by an inch of rain. LAst winter we did have some 
snow cover, but this is not typical.

	I'd be happy if I could maintain a nice clump in one clear 
spot, but I am lucky they persist at all.

	On the other hand they are not expensive and you might just 
buy a couple and try them and improvise their growing conditions.

			Best		Jim W.




-- 
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph.    816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
	Summer 100F +


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