Well, this is really controversial... H. xjohnsonii I have seen blooming here in Zone 6 but I've never planted any in the ground myself! I've known of others that grow it and bloom it in Chicago but I'm SURE micro-climate plays a big role. Just make sure they are kept as dry as possible during winter as I think this is the biggest issue with them rotting!

Josh

I can believe it- especially if they have been bred for cold hardiness. I have had a few normal ones planted in the ground here in zone 6b/7a for three or four years now and they seem to do just fine. In fact, probably better than the ones I brought in every winter due to the fact that freezing the foliage back every year seems to stop red spot disease (which I battled with my indoor ones). They will not survive in a pot outside during the winter though. Also I planted mine fairly deep.

{{gwi:430712}}

Jon, I'd love to know where you live!

I planted the INCREDIBLY hardy 'Apple Blossom' very early this spring as well as 'Limona' to see how they would fair.

It seems that the hybrids with H. vittatum in the parentage are incredibly hardy like x johnsonii and 'Apple Blossom'.

Hopefully this spring we will see :) I did have a Amarcrinum come back this year that I planted LATE in fall last year as well as a Nerine species.

Josh

I live next to the Unicoi mtn range in East Tennessee. Interesting about your Amarcrinum. I planted mine in the ground the first year I had it and it did live through the winter but it didn't make any flowers that following summer. I decided that it wanted to be evergreen and dug it up and potted it and brought it in for the next winter. It did flower LATE this summer- VERY fragrant. I like it a hole bunch. -perhaps I should go ahead and plant it in the ground again?

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m85/tncamellia/011/24aug11006.jpg

Crinum lilies have naturalized in my area and they come up 'wild' all over the place. Seems the seed spread easily and far as well. If you've ever tried to dig a mature one of those up, the bulbs are the deepest I've seen of anything- like two feet deep.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m85/tncamellia/011/spiderlily008.jpg

I ordered those Brecks bulbs. Through a mix up they sent me three sets. They said to keep them. I planted one set outdoors to see how they do. No idea how they will do up in Z5. Only one bloomed and it looked to be Sonatini Ballentino. They were very dried out but, grew leaves just fine after a cleanup.