I tried for three years to grow them and couldn't keep them alive. My males always died first too.

Thanks, Trianglejohn, I had high hopes for them as I read that they were basically bullet proof, not phased by extreme low temps, extreme high temps, or poor soil. Check, check, and check :) Do you have any theories about the cause of death? Ungodly high humidity?

I talked with my neighbor from northern europe before buying them and she mentioned them to her mom. Mom thought they were worth having but I was advised to get the German varieties rather than Siberian as they might be better adapted to our weather...

I'm not sure but I think the acidity of our area (neutral or slightly acid water/soil) is different from the environment they are used to. I also think that day length and sun strength plays a role. I know when I try to grow plants from South America that are found high in the Andes Mountains, they don't know what to do with long summer days. Close to the equator the days and nights are pretty constant at 12 hours each.

Other failures for me are Goji - which thrives and is highly invasive but rarely fruits. Princepia - which barely grows but blooms, it loves our winter but hates our summer. Quince, Serviceberry, Medlar, and all of the Mountain Ash hybrids (Ivan's Beauty, Ivan's Belle, Shippova) all suffer from Cedar-Quince Rust, Cedar-Apple Rust or Cedar-Hawthorne Rust.

You have just saved me some time and $. I see several on the failures list that i was thinking of trying because they are pest free, etc. Thanks so much!