dracunculus hardiness/ Neighborly Reply

From: genebush at munchkinnursery.com on 1997.10.22 at 22:41:46(1467) Hi Stacy, My garden is located in Southern Indiana, not that far south from you. Only about 30 miles north and west from Louisville, KY. Listed as zone 6 here, but get zone 5 frequently. I have two forms of Arum italicum in the garden and have had for years. Both do very well. Arum maculata- again two forms- has done well for some years. I do not have, but neighbors do, Arum dracunculus and it seems to do well for them. Do not know if Fraser's Thimble Farms is on this list, but he has a goodly selection of Arums in his catalog over in Canada. Perhaps he could comment on hardiness of his different Arum species. That I would also be interested in seeing. Gene Bush Munchkin Nursery So IN Zone 6a genebush@munchkinnursery.com +More AR>Hi all, AR>I will probably purchase some dracunculus vulgaris next spring, and I AR>actually saw a hardiness zone 5 in one of my catalogs. Is this possible? AR>Is there any other aroider out there that lives in zone 5 (probably AR>considered zone 5b, I live in Bloomington, IN)? What other hardy aroids AR>besides arisaema can be grown as hardy perennials? AR>Oh, and another plant of interest - I would like to put some arum italicum AR>out, but the zone hardiness varies between 4 and 7. What's the scoop on AR>it? AR>Thanks AR>STacy AR>Stacy Holtzman sholtzma@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu AR>--- Biology Dept., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 ---

From: Jan Renfroe <jrenfroe at nvinet.com> on 1997.10.23 at 14:51:45(1470) Gene, I don't think that I know Arum maculata. Could you describe it for us. -- Thanks, Jan Renfroe +More jrenfroe@nvinet.com

From: genebush at munchkinnursery.com on 1997.10.23 at 21:24:23(1475) Hello Jan, Begin with a picture in your mind of the Arum italicum. The two forms of maculata are very similar in outline to the italicum. They are, however, smaller in all respects. Leafs are glossy as in the italicum, but without the mottling in between the veins and a lighter more to the olive green color. Bloom is the same shape and color as my italicums, but smaller. A. maculata are above ground a much shorter period of time. They do not emerge here until around the end of March or first of April and are dormant by the end of July. Maculata refers to the spots on the leaves. One cultivar I have does not have the spots, the other does. Looks like someone flecked India ink on the leaves. Not very botanical here in describing, but hope you get the picture. Gene Bush Munchkin Nursery Southern Indiana Zone 6a genebush@munchkinnursery.com +More AR>Gene, AR>I don't think that I know Arum maculata. Could you describe it for us. AR>-- AR>Thanks, AR>Jan Renfroe AR>jrenfroe@nvinet.com

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