Last summer I bought many variegated flax lilies and planted them in recommended shade and damp soil. Over the winter they slowly turned dark and mushy. The tag on them said cold hardy to zone 8a, but I noticed Davesgarden lists them as cold hardy only to zone 9b. They're definitely root hardy-they're still green and firm at the base. Would they stay green if I mulched them? Thanks .
Mushy variegated flax lilies
I don't think so. Hopefully, they'll just sprout new growth. I'd just cut off all the foliage and hope for the best.
That's what I'm doing with my Crinum. The mail bulbs are mush but it looks like offsets are ok.
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The crinum foliage does turn to mush, just cut it off. I've never had the bulbs go mushy, though. Mine are already starting to put up new growth. I hope we don't get a nasty freeze over Easter like we did a couple years ago. It's amazing how just a couple days of nice weather and everything starts putting up new growth.
It's frustrating investing money and time on plants mislabeled as cold hardy to zone 8a! Variegated flax is widely marketed here. From now on if I see something I've never seen growing locally, regardless of the tag info, I'm checking dave's garden plant file recommendations before I purchase it. I've found their cold hardiness guidelines are generally spot on. My crinums are still firm, even a few I moved in Jan to a water logged area. I love the giant crinums-don't know their botanical name- but I've never seen them marketed in the Sumter area, ditto for variegated agave.