I grow 15 different ribes in zone 7-8  plenty of chilling hours (below 45°F). Likely they need a few hundred hours or possibly as much as 1000. Cool partly shaded from west, heat. Maritime climes are cool and likely preferred.  We have 20 native ribes species Western Cascades, Washington. Its 65°F. Average high in July and August. Sufficient chilling and geat tolerance is the question. I know many ribes that are fine with dry heat of 90 to 105°F. But they get plenty of chilling hours.    Because I ship out to many states I am still questioning thd yield of fruiting plants in zone 9-10. Please help! Any NAFEX members out there doing the science of trialing?    Gil Schieber of Skipley Farm

Yes. PT = Poncirus Trifoliata. I mixed some in with other dishes and some I ate by itself. It does have seeds, and it's a powerful taste. If you like bland fruit, I wouldn't recommend it. Part of it is that some friends have recommended PT as a rootstock, so PT is a "beach head" in the citrus area that may or may not develop by grafting on, say, yuzu, or Thomasville Citrangequat. We have had new record heat here each year for the last 3 years. I'm 52 and I've never seen something like this here, so it could develop that way too. John S PDX OR

Caldwell, did you bother to read my comments about loropetalums here in the PNW?? Winter cold tolerance is not the only hardiness factor involved. The new growth/wood does not ripen well here due to lack of any significant summer heat so there is often significant winter die back. Having lived in the PNW all my life and having attempted this plant several times, I can say with some degree of authority that this species does not fair all that well here and it is difficult to find an example that has survived more than a couple of seasons. This is just not a good choice for the OP despite what you may think. In fact, if you research this shrub for this area, you will numerous online references discussing its lack of PNW hardiness. btw, Leylands seldom suffer many of the problems here that they do in the SE. In fact, they are very commonly planted and it is not at all difficult to find handsome, lush stands of them in situtations were they have adequate space to grow well without hindrance. It is also relatively common to find amazingly attractive sheared hedged forms of them, if one wants to attend to the maintenance to keep them in form. And redtip photinia suffers from an extremely debilitating leaf blight here, to the point where it is not easy to find healthy specimens in gardens. And to the point that many local nurseries no longer carry them. The climate of the PNW is pretty dissimilar to anywhere else in the US and plants that do well for us may not be as adaptable elsewhere and conversely, those that thrive elsewhere may not be the best choices here. I'd take suggestions from responders located elsewhere with a large grain of salt and some local research as to their appropriateness HERE :-) While well-intended they may be, many are just not at all suitable. And a final note ot the OP: California lilacs are not very amenable to transplanting, even if your neighbor didn't notice it was missing :-) But in the right setting they can grow very rapidly, especially varieties like 'Victoria' (also a Great Plants Pick), so even starting with a not very tall 5G could get you to a good screening shrub in just a couple of seasons. The fact of the matter is that privacy screening is seldom, ever, immediate. One has to exert some patience :-)

I wonder how expensive it would be for me to send you a few of my little Sabal Minors, I have several. I will likely not have room for all of them. I can send you a few maybe, if you are interested. As for the oaks, I'm kinda glad you are interested in them because I will be talking about them now. I LOVE Live oaks, I can't grow the Quercus Virginiana here in Pa zone 6, but, I'm growing a hardier variety of Live oak, but, it grows really slow. I've tried a Quercus Ilex also, but, it died, and as far as the Quercus Chrysolepis, it is also zone 6 hardy at least and I'm zone 6. So I must be happy with my Quercus Fusiformis "Quartz mountain". You can look it up if you care too. If your interested in my baby Sabal Minors let me know, maybe I can send you a few when they are dormant in October. I don't expect any money for them as long as I can send them dormant with no soil to make the package heavy.