[pbs] A hardiness note - Frit persica
James Waddick
jwaddick at kc.rr.com
Tue Mar 31 09:36:10 EDT 2009
Dear friends,
I just want to pass a long a note about the surprising
hardiness of Fritillaria persica here. I had replanted 6 bulbs last
fall and all are in full bloom; a bit sparse perhaps due to
replanting or prior over crowded status. At full bloom they are
something like 15 to 20 inches in height. These are blooming quite
early after a mild winter.
2 days ago we had 4 inches of wet heavy snow and the temps
drop to somewhere around 24 to 26 F. When I trudged out through the
snow the Frits had formed a perfect 180 degree arch with the top of
the flowering stem touching the snow and the regularly pendant flower
facing straight up. And frozen solid.
Today with 2 days of 40 and 50 degrees, ample sunshine and
light breezes, the plants are all perfectly upright, flowers pendant
and foliage undamaged. The breeze was enough to shake the stem back
into a rigidly upright stature and some flowers even seem to show the
start of swelling seed pods.
Totally unfazed. I didn't go check the other garden frits
before and after, but none look damaged by the hard freeze and snow.
I am surprised exactly how well these plants have endured some very
hard conditions essentially in full growth.
Aren't plants amazing sometimes? 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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