Thanks, everyone for your interesting additions to this thread. Desertlvr, your response includes another perfect example of how the zone system is just too general. It consistently shows valleys as being in warmer zones than surrounding uplands, something all of us here in NM know is not always true. For example, most zone maps show the espanola valley of Northern NM in Zone 7, and surrounding higher elevations in zone 6, but every time I watch the weather report, the nighttime lows for the former location are colder than for Santa Fe, for example, nearly 2000 feet higher. Obviously this particular valley is a major cold air drainage, and although daytime highs are often a few degrees warmer than the higher terrain, nights are in fact colder, especially so under clear skies (which always produce the coldest temps here). I guess more than anything this post has reinforced my confidence in establishing my own zone designations for a given area, and for continuing to experiment with plants that are not typically grown in the broader area due to zone generalizations. A few examples of these that have already survived a few winters: Ferocactus wiszlizenii (spelling) Yucca whipplei Echinocereus engelmannii Echinocereus stramineus Agave deserti Currently trying: (with protection) Agave americana Pomegranate Fig Asian Persimmon Windmill Palm

Figs just need some water to produce good fruit, but not a lot of water (deep irrigation once every week or two weeks). Seemingly unirrigated figs with good fruit are probably accessing a shallow water table. I have known of fig trees, some quite old, surviving in totally dry situations where old homesteads used to be, but the fruit was generally small, hard, and inedible. The nice thing about fig trees is that they are very amenable to pruning for size and shape.

Sorry for the late reply, HU-243901113. I don't regularly fertilize my Jiaogulan plants, but do occasionally water them with some 'Foliage Pro' in the water, which is what I water my citrus trees with. My first year growing them I kept them in a near total shady spot, and they grew very slowly. When I moved them to a sunnier spot they grew much faster, but too much sun wilted them badly. I now keep mine in a spot were they get the morning sun, and afternoon shade when the day is hotter. They have thrived in that spot. I started/grew Jiaogulan plants last winter in a SunBlaster Grow Light Garden kit I got off Amazon, and it worked OK. I also have put them in a window where they grow, but not as fast as when outdoors. Most of the Jiaogulan roots in the pictures above died this past winter (I should have moved them to a more protected area when the prolong super cold temps came), but they produced a lot of berries last year which I harvested for seed (berries are not edible by the way). Those seeds germinated and I now have replacement plants just as good as the ones above. When they sprouted, the vines had 3 leafs, but now they have matured into 5 leaf Jiaogulan plants. I don't think I'd be willing to sell any of my plants. I got my starter plants from Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens Herbs, and highly recommend purchasing plants from him. I have purchased plants elsewhere. Not all Jiaogulan plants taste them same, some are bitter, some sweeter, some have no flavor at all. The bare root plants I got from Hollis were most vigorous and had a pleasant taste. I use mostly the leaves for tea, as most of the beneficial properties in Jiaogulan are concentrated in the leaves, from what I have read. I don't *think* the roots or flowers are edible (haven't confirmed they are), but I have read in Jiaogulan resource books that the berries should not be consumed. . Good luck!

'The one I had grew amazingly well for 5 years,' Most trees will do good down to a certain temperature. So it will help to remember what conditions you had during the winters that the tree did well. Protecting the tree from harsh winds will help as wind can strip heat from trees branches and trunk causing temperatures to drop even further from the ambient temperature outside. Freezing of the inner bark will kill the top of the tree so the more you can do in that respect, the better. Mulching the ground will help keep the ground from wild temperature swings that can damage the roots. If your area does not get enough snow to insulate the ground during the coldest part of the winter, you need something that will. If the roots drop to below zone hardy temperatures, the tree is finished. That said, there is only so much you can do because not only is your tree "barely zone hardy" but your zone itself can have temperatures out side of the average temperatures that your zone was graded by. So you get one winter that defies your Z5a and gives you a Z4b because of a dip in the polar vortex, puts your tree 2 zones out of it's hardiness zone and will cause failure at all levels.