I live in the extreme NW coastal part of CA (ie, farthest point West in the continental US.) It is quite rainy here in a "normal" year. I have had one plant in my yard for a decade or more. It is sited along a N/S fence line facing West and it is shaded by its neighbors. It flowers every year quite early in Spring and seems to be quite able to take temperatures into the 20s. I have not given it much supplemental water in its time here and it seems to be okay with that, too. Soil is far from clay, any clay I have found is mixed with sand. Land was originally coastline, river bed &/or Redwood forest so pretty good soil all 'round. A friend of mine has a plant in full sun and it is not doing as well as mine.

Thanks for the info. It backs up what I thought was the case with this plant.

I inherited two of them, and since they were free I'll give them a try. The north side of the car port is more gravely and well draining, it was an old creek bad ages ago. Plus there used to be a large pine tree there that's long since died, but the soil is full of lots of decomposed pine needles and somewhat loamy due to that. Thanks again!

Checked the bush yesterday and it was beginning to set flower buds. Must like the warmer weather we have been having. I recalled after making my first post that I did give the plant some water once in late summer this year as I noticed it was drooping. First time I had watered it since it was newly planted.