Hello, I have flowering quince that also produces fruit here and there. I have all sizes to dig from 4" to 3-4 feet. I would love to have your Hardy Chicago Fig if you still have it. Please let me know. Thanks, garden_n_mom

Hi M-J, I have seeds for both the Japanese quince (smaller, red/orange spring flowers) and the large, pink-flowered one (actually, 2 kinds: one dark pink, one light pink.) Would you like some of each? Kirsten in NS (linkir@eastlink.ca

You might also try some Turkish or Russian quinces. About 3 weeks ago I received a 5-foot tall bare root Aromatnaya quince by mail from Raintree Nursery outside of Seattle. I planted it in a part sun area and it is already leafing out. Raintree says Aromatnaya has a "pineapple like flavor and is sweet enough to eat fresh". Raintree says it is hardy to Zones 5 thru 9. If you are interested in how it is progressing later this year, drop me an email. I also received from Raintree, Schizandra chinensis (Magnolia vine). Here in Louisiana, we have baystar vine (S. glabra) found in Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area. Planted the S. chinensis also 3 weeks ago in a dense shade area under an overstory live oak and water oak next to a chainlength fence. So far it has been rapidly growing and has produced a few flowers. Hopefully it can take the extreme south Louisiana humidity as I can use a vigerous fruit producing vine in the shaded portions of my yard. The species will apparently thrive in either full sun or dense shade. Here is a link that might be useful: Raintree Nursery

We live in NW Iowa, about 45 miles SW of Worthington, MN. We have several butterfly bushes which usually overwinter just fine. Through the years we've probably had about a 75% success rate with them. "White Profusion" & the shorter "Nanho Indigo/Plum" varieties have been flawlessly hardy for us (even surviving some transplantings.) "Pink Delight" is more tentative; our first two died, but our current one was planted in 2001 & is just now leafing out. "Royal Red" we are experimenting with; one planted last year came through just fine. We have a dark one, probably "Black Knight", which has also been around since 2000. Two separate times we tried the yellow variety "Honeycomb", but both died for us, as did the variegated "Harlequin". Truth is, I don't think we've ever lost one that made it through its first winter. We usually leave the branches all winter for their interesting shape, pruning them this time of year. Usually we pile some leaves around the base as a mulch. Best wishes, Randy W.