Lotus Berthelotii

I have one in a hanging basket and it's now in the cold greenhouse. Hardinness info is confusing as some sites say USDA Zone 9, some say 10 and some 11.
Should I bring it into the house if the temp drops and should I keep it watered during the winter? Anyone else growing this?
Many thanks

 

Hi Blackthorn! You're talking about a favourite of mine ...



I have to agree with you, I have very varied info regarding this trailer. Mine lives outdoors all year (I'm 10) but I had an initial problem with watering as the info I had swayed. I found it did best in the ground as opposed to a pot and it went off like wildfire, although one in a concrete pot is doing well!

My temps drop to about 3-5oC in Jan/Feb but for only 10-14 days and the day temps are always 10oC plus with sun. If you have yours in a sheltered position, you may be okay. You may have to play this one hit and miss unless someone else comes up with something ... but it's not a common plant, we've discussed it before.

How do your temps fare and what does your cold greenhouse go down to?

 

Not 100% certain if this is exactly the same plant as I have,as I got mine from here http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/cffiles/details.cfm?var_ref=3577&rand=0.682252662091&cat_ca_ref=512
with just the name Lotus fire-vine. Anyway - I had mine in hanging baskets for the first time this year, and have brought them into the greenhouse, which I intend to keep just frost free this time.
They say it's a tender perennial.

 

Dendro, believe yours is the Lotus maculata and not the L bethelotii although they have the same requirements.

http://www.paghat.com/lotusvine.html

 

I agree with dendy, bethelotii as I remember is dark red with a touch of black or brown but no yellow.
I always took cuttings and overwintered in a greenhouse, if its not too cold it will probably be too wet.
Just my opinion, but the USA zones of hardiness are completely useless when you try to apply them to the UK.

 

Mine, pictured above, is definitely the L bethelotii. In fact, haven't seen the L maculata even sold here.

In the link I gave it says ... "Lotus maculata 'Gold Flash' aka: 'Gold Flash' Fire Vine, or Golden Lotus Vine" which is what dendro says she bought, ie, Fire Vine.

Still agree with you though, Pete, on the uselessness of the USDA zones applying the the UK.

 

Sorry, gotta say the pic in your link L of L of berthelotii is nothing like the pic of your plant.
It says "red flash", when I grew it we didn't have these so called confusing cultivars.

 

Sorry, Pete, I'm still not with it from my trip. I was showing that thread to indicate that dendro had the L maculata called Fire Vine. Mine, shown above, is ...

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/18870/

Hope this is a little clearer.

 

Yep but I'm still not convinced yours is Berthelotii, try finding Maculata on DG, they've confused both and called them all Berthelotii.

 

Okay, I'm not so keen on DG either. Often quite diverse info like on the Passiflora Victoria the other day when dendro referred to DG.

However, other than I had mine identified by Plantscape Gardens (a speciality garden centre here - not the guy doing the trees, I might add), look at these ..

http://www.f-lohmueller.de/botanic/Leguminosae/Papilionaceae/Lotus/Lotus012.htm

http://www.sunnygardens.com/garden_plants/lotus/lotus_1792.php
://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/wiki.asp?k=Lotus

... but on the other hand ...

http://www.plantfacts.com/Family/Fabaceae/Lotus.maculatus.shtml

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Fabaceae/Lotus_maculatus.html

I think all these folk are as confused as I am so I'll just throw my hands up in the air and surrender and say I have a beautiful Lotus .. then everyone can surmise whether it's a plant, a water lily or a sports car! :D :D :D

 

perhaps this will be of some use to you guys it's a hardness zone map that is the same as the american one
http://www.trebrown.com/hrdzone.html

 

Thanks everyone. I bought mine as just a Lotus (no other info on the label) and it is exactly like the one that you have LoL, so I assume it is bethelotii. The info on Plantfacts says never to let it dry out so that is what I shall do - thanks for the link LoL.

The link to UK hardinness zones was also very useful, thanks Walnut, Cornwall is zone 9b but because in this bit we are 850ft up we are probably 9a. I think I will keep it in the cold greenhouse and fleece it if it threatens to drop below freezing. Can but try. It's a beautiful plant and spectacular when in flower.

 

Yes thats more help, thanKs walnut.

As you say L of L, the deeper you dig the more confused it seems to become.
Think your right, I'll go for the sports car I think. :D

 

blimey! all over a lotus I sooner have the car.

 

No way! The cars were rubbish!!!!

I love these and got the more yellow one last year.............