Cold climate and viridiflorus hybrids


Bill and Daffnet friends,

N. viridiflorus itself is not hardy in the colder winters in the midwest and northeastern USA. First-generation viridiflorus hybrids don’t seem to flourish in cold winters – though the seedlings I grow have survived overnight temps down to 21F here without damage. But second- and third-generation hybrids with less species "blood" seem to do okay. Richard Ezell has had success growing ‘Mesa Verde’ outdoors in Gettysburg PA for quite a few years. ‘Mesa Verde’ is second-generation, being ‘Ashmore’  x (‘Easter Moon’ x viridiflorus). It might be significant that the two cultivars in its parentage are good cold-climate growers.

John Hunter and those growing seedlings from his ‘Emerald Sea’ might want to chime in here.

 Bob
 Oakley, CA

At 11:03 AM 7/19/2010, you wrote:

Bob, would you also guess that viridiflorus hybrids would probably do much better in California than in the midwest and east? I have this in the back of my mind from Journal articles on the Lima seedlings years ago.
 
You might want to add that to the person who was asking about availability if it is true.
Bill Lee

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