In two trips to Seattle and Vancouver I was lucky to see several mature Chilean Gunnera plants in the finer public gardens...


It was apparent these plants would not do well on the southern Great Plains... so they remained an unfulfilled dream UNTIL...
I was wandering through an old nursery in OkC... looking for unusual plants. [They always seemed to have some... but did not necessarily know anything about them.]
I ran across three 2 gallon pots of Chinese Rice Paper Plant [Tetrapanax papyrifer].
Old Man Warren was glad to get rid of them for a song..............................

and I've enjoyed them ever since in various gardens. The books say this plant is barely hardy above zone 8... but they have thrived for 23 years here... in zone 7A. They love supplemental water in summer's heat, they do well in LIGHT afternoon shade, they are heavily mulched in winter... and they thrive.

This large grouping grew for years just outside the visitor entrance to the OkC Zoo.


I've tried grouping pots around them and I've tried permanent plantings adjacent to them



but I cannot say I've ever found a combination I like best... the search continues.
I can also say this has never affected the good feelings I get from this plant each year.........................

or the pleasure I feel each time I see and touch the leaves................................................





no matter the season..........................................