Dieffenbachia propagated just for the fun of observing. Doing the 1st stem was so fun, I did another. Will now perform hardiness experiment. Almost every tropical plant I've put in the ground, succulents notwithstanding, has survived at the roots & started growing again the following summer. Maybe Dief is another survivor. When most / a lot of the plants go dormant for winter, it's so much easier to add leaves/compost, pull unwanted tree sprouts, etc... Herbaceous perennials aren't "the thing" for a garden where I am now, compared to the style when I was in OH, but I'm used to that naked winter look, and if my herbacous perennials can be leafy tropicals, I say heck yeah!


Along with Cordyline fruticosa, Syngonium podophyllum, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Tradescantia pallida, Hypoestes, Caladium, cane Begonias, Brugmansia... all of which disappear above-ground, but keep showing back up. That's hardy in my book, just not evergreen.

I've learned a new appreciation for my now-adopted Z8b. What else do you use that way, those of you who also get regular frosts but the ground does not freeze?

Tiffany, I have also had Firebush, Hamelia patens; Fire spike, Odentonema; datura, lantana, and confederate rose come back from the roots in my zone 8a SC garden.

Fabulous suggestions! I also have Lantana & Confederate rose but didn't mention because they require tools to be cut down to get rid of the debris from the previous year. ...but I guess the Brugmansia I mentioned does too.

"Cordyline fruticosa, Syngonium podophyllum, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Tradescantia pallida, Hypoestes, Caladium, cane Begonias, Brugmansia"

An update.
All of these are still alive this spring except Brugmansia! I had 5 of them and none are showing any signs of life. Some C. fruticosa are still alive, but some of them seem to have died this past winter. It was a mild winter, I don't get it.

And no luck with the Dieffenbachia.

My brugs planted in the ground are leafing out, as is a tall dahlia that I thought I dug up and gave away. Pothos and spider plants also overwinter here in 8a SE.

That's great! I wish it was spider plants instead of Brugs. I have dug up a whole 5-gal. bucket of spider plants this spring, no problem with those except that digging them up doesn't get rid of them.

An update. Two of the Brugs are not dead afterall, just feeling slow this year for whatever reason.

I usually wait a few yrs to say a plant is surviving, and have reached that point with Swedish ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)
Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)

and 'Baby Bunny Bellies' Tradescantia - which I've only seen sold as a houseplant. This grows too well for my small flower beds, and on top of other plants that don't get very tall or grow as quickly.
Speedy Jenny (Tradescantia chrysophylla 'Baby Bunny Bellies')

This stuff is also hardy, and makes the 'Baby Bunny Bellies' look like a slow-poke.
Inch Plant (Tradescantia fluminensis)

Arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum) sold as a houseplant, invasive weed where evergreen, but has been a very satisfying herbaceous perennial. Found growing @ my previous house in 2008, planted by some unknown previous resident. Where I am now, I've propagated several and love these little poofs of fresh new white and pink leaves. This has been much more worthy of my effort than Caladium - which I end up wasting $ on almost every year.

I left some extras of various plants in the ground this fall to see which, if any, come back. Is anyone else trying any experiments?

You are lucky with the syngoniums coming back. I was thinking the same thing about caladiums when I saw your pic. I never knew it was considered invasive.

I had planted a Pink Princess Philodendron and it grew up and through a shrub. It is showing a lot of cold damage but the stem feels firm. I am hoping it will put out new leaves. I should have take a cutting before the cold hit.

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana has been reliably root-hardy.



Firecracker (Russelia equisetiformis) cutting looks OK. The two mama plants are not showing any signs of life, which doesn't surprise me. Root balls in peaty store-soil have about a 10% chance of survival, IME, especially if only marginally hardy.


This is a fun surprise. When I trimmed crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii), I didn't want to start more pots of it so I put the cuttings in the ground. They looked great and then frost came. But, almost all are still alive. It was not hard to know where to look since I left the old thorny stems in place as "tags."



Same thing with Aloe juvenna. I'm not in love with this plant, so having it in just 1 pot is enough for me. IDK if it can grow enough to be a noticeable addition to the landscape, we'll see what it does.


A Begonia, mallet-type I think, either 'Frosty' or 'Sinbad.'


Polka-dot plants are reliably root-hardy. Emerging growth for this year:

Forgot this one, IDK if it's normal that it survived winter or not. Wondering if it likes the cold more than summer, I thought it was dead back around September, looked covered with mildew, as you can see. When I went to pull it out, ants swarmed me so it has been totally ignored since then.

Some Ti plants (Cordyline fruticosa) that have grown back from the roots this year. Worthwhile, IMVHO. These take up a lot of space inside.

Since I found some space to borrow, I'm propagating the best looking stems to increase my display next year. It's ugly up there, but there's a very big window facing SW and the plants don't mind the inDUSTrial resting spot.

I bet the unusually low and lengthy spell of cold will cull some of this herd. It will be interesting to see what shows back up. I may learn that there's a good reason none of these are sold as perennials for Z8, but am optimistic there will be a few survivors.

An update after the unusually harsh winter.

This plant has not survived, supposed to be good to Z8A. I had 2, both are MIA.


These are OK
- flaming Katy, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
- purple heart, Tradescantia pallida
- polka dot plant, Hypoestes
- Brugmansia
- Lantana
- confederate rose, Hibiscus mutabilis
- baby bunny bellies, Tradescantia
- firecracker, Russelia equisetiformis

MIA, but it is barely mid-April.
- some Cordyline fruticosa
- Caladium
- most cane Begonias
- most Swedish ivy, Plectranthus verticillatus
- arrowhead vine, Syngonium podophyllum

A couple of plants that are, technically, surviving, but not doing enough to be of much landscape interest.

Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) that has been in this spot for years, maybe 7-8. Some years it gets a little taller, but this is what it can do.


Plain green Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema modestum) that has been in the spot for 5-6 years. A 5th or 6th leaf is forming. Great insurance in case something happens to my potted plants, but not able to add much to the outside landscape. Maybe similar to one of the small Hostas.


I do appreciate those because I use the area where they are for very small, micro-managed plants, so they happen to fit in. I'm surprised to see both are back at all after the cold spell last winter.