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Acacia King

Growing cold climate plants in warm weather

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Hey Y'all

This might be the dumbest question every but I just got some Incarvillea Sinensis seeds in response to another members post. However I live in a very warm climate and it would seem that this plant is only hardy to very cold climate (up to 2 degrees). I googled it and couldn't find much but can cold climate plants be grown in warmer climates. I was thinking maybe a grow light in a fridge (I know this is ecologically unsound). Could

this work or would the air be terrible? Any advice would be really appreciated!

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Google pictures shows the plant in full sunlight in a warm looking climite. Not that google is god when it comes to plants, but thats a decent indication it might not be the frost lover you thought it was :P

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Is noted as an annual, should grow ok (maybe partial shade). But for flowering it may require a set "trigger" - be it temperature or photoperiod.

The production of alkaloid may be affected as well (?), but in general an increase in temperature (to a limit) helps a lot of biological reactions.

Preparing to grow in a fridge shows dedication, I like it...I reckon you should do OK without resorting to that. I have issues the other way, and there are just some things I cannot give enough heat or heat/humidity too. So there is always a window in which a species can just grow, boom, or perish.

Interesting species......

Edited by waterboy
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Sub-Antarctic Plant House

Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens

Basically, it's a refrigerated container with grow-lights and fogging units, and massive fans blowing a gale, all to mimic the actual environment of Maquarie Island. Apparently, it costs a bomb to run, but the Google pics make it look pretty amazing.

Something like this might be a bit overkill just for Incarvillea sinensis though. Try it in a really cool, shady spot, or pass some seeds on to someone in cooler climes so they can provide a backup?

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Incarvillea sinensis was growing well in the hot summer here, but it is an annual / perennial, so it dies in winter.

Growing cold climate plants in warmer climate depends on the species. My arctic blackberry (Rubus arcticus) grows (at best in autumn and spring) but never flowers... like waterboy wrote, some species need cold-trigger for flowering and fruiting, also like my Rubus tibeticus, the tibetan raspberry.

Ledum palustre / groenlandicum was very difficult in hot summer.

Lancea tibetica grows very good and has no problem with heat.

Empetrum nigrum, a species which grows in Greenland up to the sub-arctic, was also difficult in hot summers but I had it for 3 years.

It is advisable to give them a partial shaded position and no direct sunlight in the summer.

Empetrum nigrum:

2mzldkx.jpg

Edited by mindperformer
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Thanks for all of the advice Fellas. I will just try her in the shade before I resort to Drilling a hole in my beer fridge. Appreciate the help guys.

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Your collection and knowledge impresses me mindperformer, I see you have a few from my home range from Tasmania (tea thread).

Hit me up if you a looking for any other natives from the island mate.

WB

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