dracunculus hardiness

From: sholtzma at sunflower.bio.indiana.edu (stacy holtzman) on 1997.10.22 at 17:32:30(1464) Hi all, I will probably purchase some dracunculus vulgaris next spring, and I actually saw a hardiness zone 5 in one of my catalogs. Is this possible? Is there any other aroider out there that lives in zone 5 (probably considered zone 5b, I live in Bloomington, IN)? What other hardy aroids besides arisaema can be grown as hardy perennials? Oh, and another plant of interest - I would like to put some arum italicum out, but the zone hardiness varies between 4 and 7. What's the scoop on it? Thanks STacy +More Stacy Holtzman sholtzma@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu --- Biology Dept., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 ---

From: Ellen Hornig <hornig at Oswego.EDU> on 1997.10.22 at 18:52:42(1466) Stacy - both Dracunculus vulgaris and Arum italicum have overwintered here (zone 5b, great snowcover) for several years. Ellen Hornig +More Oswego, NY - where we had some snow today, but it didn't stick for long

From: Rand Nicholson <writserv at nbnet.nb.ca> on 1997.10.23 at 04:14:50(1468) >I live in Bloomington, IN)? What other hardy aroids >besides arisaema can be grown as hardy perennials? The "Wolverine Rotted Meat Cadavour Maggot Leavings Plant" (as it is called by the locals here), could be a hardy winner. Otherwise known as the North American East Coast _Symplocarpus foetidus_, (so-called by fussy, obsessive, naming type people that live in countries where the plant occurs _not_ naturally.) ... it will nicely accent your spring garden with the scent of something freshly dug that should have been well left alone. It is also called "Skunk Cabbage," by layabouts, refering to its leafly habit, no doubt. It prefers a semi-bog to moist woodsy clearing habit, but will grow in acidic soil around conifers. It has an ... interesting ... inflorescence . I reccommend a close study of it in bloom, especially by neophytes, in order to appreciate the common attributes of this unusual northern terrestrial Aroid. 8-O Rand +More Rand Nicholson New Brunswick Maritime Canada, Z 5b

From: SNALICE at aol.com on 1997.10.23 at 15:01:58(1471) Now Rand, your Skunk Cabbage inflorescences may stink, but mine don't! Here on the west coast we have Lysichiton americanum, with a beautiful brilliant yellow bloom that has the slight scent of a daffodil.....REALLY! It's the LEAVES that stink! I think the wastern variety is called 'Skunk Cabbage' because the leaves actually DO smell like Skunk, and 'Cabbage' perhaps because of the leaf layout. When crushed, they give off a definite 'skunk' odor. But the baby plants don't stink at all, and I just happen to have some youngins'......sprouts in fact. I don't know how they would do in IN., but I can send you some if you would like. Perhaps a bit of eastern AND western would be nice. It sounds like they pretty much require the same surroundings. +More >>> It prefers a semi-bog to moist woodsy clearing habit, but will grow in acidic soil around conifers.<<< The western variety also likes wet creek beds in and around Birch, Alder, Redwood, Fir, Blackberries and Thimbleberries if there is an underground source of moisture. >>>> I reccommend a close study of it in bloom, especially by neophytes, in order to appreciate the common attributes of this unusual northern terrestrial Aroid.<<<< I'M a neophyte, and I'M not falling for THAT one Stacy!!!! But there you have it! Two nicely scented possibilities ...............if you have the right place for them. Enjoy! Sue Zunino

From: sholtzma at sunflower.bio.indiana.edu (stacy holtzman) on 1997.10.23 at 15:08:55(1472) Rand, I was definitely going to add skunk cabbage to my bog garden next year, and was aware that they are hardy here. Hopefully, when all of the plants I like are planted, not even my family will come visit me. Seriously, my grandmother thinks I'm absolutely crazy to plant something so foetid in my yard, but she does realize that I'm kind of antisocial, and that plants are my closest friends. STacy +More Stacy Holtzman sholtzma@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu --- Biology Dept., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 ---

From: Zzzadig at aol.com on 1997.10.23 at 18:09:00(1473) Dranunculus vulgaris is hardy here in Middle Tennessee, although it goes dormant during the heat of the summer. It always reappears in spring. The locals here have called it "Dead Horse Lilly" and after sniffing the bloom, it became apparent to me where the name came from. It may not smell too pretty, but I have to admit it is one of my favorites and is a bloomer you can count on. The smell only lasts a short while, so if it is a bother, stay out of the wind and wait for the smell to pass, then get close and gaze at this wonder of nature. Julie

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