Red Dragon Edgeworthia. The first time one sees this cultivar in full flower is a moment they will never forget. The color is a bright orange-red. This selection is from the E. papyrifera types which taxonomist tell us nurserymen doesn't exist. But we know otherwise! It has leaves half the size of the more familiar "chrysantha" types; it is not as cold hardy; it is hardly fragrant at all; and it definitely is not as root hardy. It propagates quite easily from cuttings, but I can only get it to live 2 years on its own roots, and this has also been the experience of most other gardeners as well. So I had the idea to graft it onto our vigorous 'Winter Gold' cultivar as an understock. which is a vigorous grower and quite cold hardy. And viola, a tough root-hardy plant which grows well and flowers profusely has resulted, Since these are grafted plants, they are more expensive, but amazingly vigorous. One must be careful to watch for any understocks sprouting below the graft union and remove these. The last picture is courtesy of Mark Crawford of Loch Laurel Nursery, Valdosta, GA. This was taken in Locarno, Switzerland.
Zones 7-9
