Puzzles

[Anthony Darby]

Some sort of vine?

[Giles]

No, Anthony - a free standing shrub.

[Giles]

Usually yellow flowers, but a red flowered cultivar is available.

[Brian Ellis]

Then it must be Edgeworthia - hope mine has survived!

[Giles]

 
(I don't know anything else with that pattern of branching; I think I need a lie down now  )

[johnw]

Then it must be Edgeworthia - hope mine has survived!

Brian - That's what I was thinking.  Saw this great one on Long Island a year ago and was surprised to see it growing that far north and looking so good. I hear Akebono is much less hardy.

johnw - frigid here (-8c)

[Lesley Cox]

Diane, we do have summer time here and while we have it, we are 13 hours ahead of you and while you have it, we are 11 hours ahead. There's a 2 or 3 week period in autumn and spring when we're 12 hours ahead, when you've started and we haven't or vice versa. We seem to have a bit more now, maybe 7 full months. Great for gardeners and tennis players but dairy farmers don't like it.

[Brian Ellis]

I hear Akebono is much less hardy.

Well I have E.grandiflora, a young bush so I hope it will cope with this weather, I had hoped for a 'Red Dragon' but it was sold out.  The scent is wonderful.

[Anthony Darby]

A new one on me.

[Brian Ellis]

This is possibly why Anthony

‣ Frost hardy to Frost tender - Plant can withstand temperatures to -5°C (23°F) but might only tolerate as low 5°C (41°F)

Hence my concern!!

[johnw]

This is possibly why Anthony

‣ Frost hardy to Frost tender - Plant can withstand temperatures to -5°C (23°F) but might only tolerate as low 5°C (41°F)

Hence my concern!!

Brian - The Long Island plant would surely have seen -12c to -15c if it's been out for 3 years or more, possibly even -17c.  I can check with friends living nearby who could tell me the lows they have experienced. It is milder there than much of the nearby east coast and they do get alot of summer heat which may help ripening.

johnw

[johnw]

Brian - This may be good news for your Edgeworthia. Just in from a friend near Planting Fields Arbotretum on Long Island:

"John,- Last winter was the coldest we had in several years and we just touched -17C  here. The previous two winters were more in the range of -12 to -15C which is more
typical of our average winter lows. Oyster Bay, where Planting Fields Arboretum is and where we saw the Edgeworthia, might be a degree or two warmer, they are in a more urbanized area of L.I., down wind and much closer to NY city, which has giant heat dome over it from air pollution. You can get a good indication of that effect by observing when the ubiquitous Forthysia start to bloom, they are about
one week to 10 days ahead of us."

Dirr says E. papyrifera died to the root tips at -3F (-19c) in Georgia,  E. chrysantha and gardenii he rates at Zone 7.  He notes Red Dragon is more tender so lucky you went with Grandiflora.

Good to do a bit of research as I thought the genus had but one species.

johnw - up to -8c at 1:30 pm after -12c last night and on our way to -5c this afternoon.  25mm of rain tomorrow followed by 25cm of snow. 

[Brian Ellis]

Cheers John, I am hopeful but it doesn't look too happy at the moment, perhaps warmer weather will perk it up!

[johnw]

Cheers John, I am hopeful but it doesn't look too happy at the moment, perhaps warmer weather will perk it up!

Brian - Is this because the leaves are damaged or bark is split?  I always assumed it was deciduous.

johnw

[Giles]

Maybe Edgeworthia really is a puzzle.....
...I don't know if it's one of those things where there have been multiple introductions from different parts of its range, and these introductions differ in their hardiness.
Bean says it didn't prove hardy at Kew, but they have several well established plants, both as a wall shrub and in an open bed at Wisley.
My biggest plant is in a pot, and I put it in a frost free greenhouse at night if its going to be cold, as it browns quite badly, yet I have several seedlings, which are kept in the greenhouse all of the time, which are still in full leaf.
It's a puzzle