Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Tough Little Plant, 1 by semesterke

semesterke wrote:
This should be an easy one, but not for me.

Early this year my wife came home with this plant which she got free. The plant in its original condition was about five feet high and the leaves covered and area six feet in circumference. In addition to the leaves, the plant has thick runners that extend out from the base of the plant. After several months, we decided it took up to much room in our living room. I took it out to the compose pile, removed it from its pot and chopped off all the stalks and leaves and left it there. After a few days I saw green shoots coming up and planted it outside along a back wall. A few more weeks new leaves started growing so I dug it back out and re-potted it since summer is coming to an end. During all this time I have checked the web, but there are thousands of tropical plants and so far I have failed to ID it. Also checked flower stores but again no luck finding even a small one like it. Please, someone give me the name of this plant.

Thanks.