Yeah, the Koppen system has some shortcomings, which apparently have led some to try to revise it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification#Trewartha_climate_classification_scheme I think you are both right...it's not a 'dry Mediterranean' climate in the PNW, but it's a cool summer one. (nor is the entire Mediterranean basin quite as warm as is assumed by some Americans...Barcelona's summers are barely warmer than Boston's. Although Rhododendrons don't seem to grow there because the soil is alkaline, there are plenty of huge, lush looking hedges of Pittosporum tobira. I have no doubt if an ironclad were nursed for a few years in the right spot, i.e. acid soil, it would survive. Jean Marie has been documented having roots > 2' deep.) Even around Seattle, they do, in fact, have to water plants like rhododendrons and kalmias in the summer, particularly if they are not established. But in a place with such cool summers, a little watering goes a long way. Here on the East Coast I've had lucky summers when I've not had to water a single newly planted plant. Even perennials. Of course, this summer wasn't one of them! I had plants that would literally be fully watered one day, and fully limp 2 days later. Hot air is able to hold a lot of moisture, and even when it is moist, it can extract a lot of moisture from the plant. As for rhodies in a place like Idaho...well...the cold and dryness you can experience is much more severe than most of their native haunts. However, part of SW China and the Himalaya have very little rain in winter. However temperatures tend to be stable compared to ours because the Himalayan anticyclone doesn't move very much, and the mountains and other ranges in Asia block outbreaks of severe cold. (for example it's slightly ridiculous anybody tries to call the highlands of NC a 'subtropical highland' climate, when their record lows are all around -15F if not lower...whereas the real thing like Kumning, China, has a record low of 20F...the Himalayan hill towns are even milder) I'm pretty certain there would be a steady, light wind in winter there, versus our alternation between cyclonic weather (snow storms) and intense periods of drying wind as frontal passage occurs. Compared to what we experience, there are really only 2 major frontal passages per year in the land of the Laligurans...SW Monsoon in June (wet) and NE Monsoon (dry) in October. They might have other minor fronts throughout the year, but with lower pressure gradients that ours. One interesting mystery I've been meaning to mention, that ties into (sort of) this thread. Last winter I was on the West Coast and observed, at several gardens, rhododendrons growing in low spots that looked like, with a large enough winter storm, they would almost temporarily flood. Again, considering they come from an area that gets rather dry in winter, this would seem like a problem. Certainly, spots like that on most of the East Coast would be a major no-no. For the reason of rot in _summer_ that Mainegrower mentioned. But these plants seemed fine. My theory is that, of course, this wet soil occurs in winter, when the plant isn't actively growing (but of course, still has some physiological need for water) at a time when soil pathogens are not going to be a problem. (unless there were literally water covering the ground all winter...of course that would kill the roots but the 'pathogens' in that case would be merely opportunistic) In the summer, in most of the areas, the plants are at best going to be skating by on reserve soil moisture, at worst going to need watering. I'm sure, for example, even at the Berkeley Botanic Garden (72F max. in summer) the magnificent Himalayan rhododendrons have had to be watered for some years until they were established. But they don't have to worry if the soil is a little moist in winter, even though it's known for being a sticky clay. It just isn't going to harm the plants. Whereas on the East Coast, we have to site things very carefully for those times when we get ridiculous deluges during the hot season. Luckily this year I only lost a couple rhododendrons to root rot, after incredible rainfall in August & Sept. Most of mine are planted on slight slopes or small mounds, I have no doubt this saved a # of them.

The white "stuff" as Andy pointed out, is part of the plant's makeup. They are specialized cells called trichomes and commonly called "scales". They act as little Pac-men (gobble, gobble), grabbing whatever nutrients and moisture they can out of the atmosphere. Many Tillandsias grow in very arid conditions and have evolved to capture what little moisture they can via these "scales". Some species live at extreme altitudes and have such a large amount that they appear almost fuzzy. This is to protect the plant's epidermis from the UV rays of the sun. These species are equipped to substain themselves on very, very little moisture, mostly from fog. A rule of thumb is that the whiter the plant's color (a lot of trichomes), the drier conditions it can handle. Tillandsias that are green in color come from areas where rainfall and/or humidity is abundant. These need frequent watering/misting.

Gonzer, My mental call to you must've worked!!! ;O) Yes, you're info was helpful. Thanks for clarifying exactly what misting vs. watering vs. dunking is considered. I know it all sounds so straight forward but had to ask just to be sure. I've been so paranoid about drying them out that I never thought a light misting would do anything, but I'll definitely be doing that in lieu of the drownings. No, my area doesn't get the proper air circulation (unless the windows in the living room are opened and even then it's not like being outside) so I do now have the fan on the floor (and it actually is pointing straight up towards the ceiling... I thought blowing directly on the plants would be too drying). It hasn't had the chance to help yet though since my last "drowning" was just on 12-24. Haven't watered anyone since then and am just monitoring everyone to see when it's time. The lighting is just the east and west windows they're in, and in between of, and the south light comes in when the door is opened. The living room, directly behind their area, has windows also south facing and always has the shades opened so there is a lot of bright light coming from there (but it's indirect and nothing like being in their best environment). I'm just hoping it's all enough to keep them as best I can. Oh, and I forgot to say earlier that my Pruinosa has also grown an offset since I got it... I have no idea if it would have grown it in inadequate lighting, but I was hoping that it was a sign of it enjoying it's light amount? I knew this was all a gamble going in... I just love them so much so it's basically been "I'll just buy it now and hope I can make it live, and be healthy.". Gonzer, you also said that my strepto x pseudo looks like a worm or snail, perhaps, has eaten the upper dermal layer. I didn't post my strepto x pseudo pic so I'm not sure which one you meant... maybe the strepto x ehlersiana? That one does look exactly like the upper dermal layer was eaten, or scraped off, but there's no snails or slugs or worms in the house. No other tiny creepies at all. The damage on that one occurred about three days after I received it and after it's second drowning... then got worse after it's third (drowning). It was absolutely perfect when I got it. :O( When I wrote to Ken from Rainforest Flora (where I got almost all of my Till.) he too explained that over and under watering often look alike, but after reading my watering schedule he explained how the long soaks could have killed the plant cells therefore causing these damaged areas (he explained it all better than I'm saying but basically like that). Thanks for the info Gonzer... I so hope I'm able to succeed. TommyR, Thank you too for the info. I see that you're also in NY. Are your Till. in the house (I assume yes)? What type of lighting are they getting, and are they doing well? Thanks again everyone for all the info and replies.

From unh.edu website: These are not spores, insects, or eggs, as many people believe. They are trichomes. Trichomes are hair-like outgrowths from the epidermis of the leaf, and many plants (including spinach) produce them. Trichomes come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and have different purposes. In the case of spinach, if you look closely with a microscope, you can see that there is a little hair that comes from the leaf surface, and a big glob at the end.