Canadian Gardening: Tropicals up north, 1 by smurf428

smurf428 wrote:
I have the Zanzibariensis they are the tallest ones in my picture.. However i only got a few seeds from them cause they are last to seed and my growing season just isn't long enough.. I've been looking for the purple ones for 2 years now, have recieved them once each year to grow them and find out they are just simple the red ones.. I want the ones that the leaves are almost black as well as the seed pod.. I think i have given up on those though..

Canna's i have are
Musifolia(if you dont have this one GET IT!! its my fav) , flaccida, Erebus, Red Stripe, yellow indica, Amazon Butterfly, Ambassadour, Florence Vaughan, majella's, pearly shells, Polly Gay, Red King Humbert, tropical Rose, Tropical White, Tropicanna, and Wyoming.. I've ordered seeds that are on there way for Burgundy Blush, tuerckheimii, warscznickii, Intrigue, and Robert Kemp..

I got a pot or elephant ears (the normal ones you find every where) from my hubbies grandfather.. The rest i purchased from a wonderful DGer however i had to have them shipped to my friends in the states cause most wont ship to canada.. I found this spring alot of the black magic's at a few nurseries i went to so they are making there way out here now..
Elephant ears i have
Alocasia Stingray, Alocasia macrorrhizos Variegata, Alocasia odora, Colocasia esculenta Big Dipper, Colocasia esculenta Black Magic, Colocasia esculenta Black Runner, and the regular Colocasia esculenta..

Musa Sikkimensis is a new banana out its hardy to zone 7 but could go colder with mulch.. I have been reading its easier to grow from seed and easier to grow then basjoo over all.. i plan to order some seeds and give it a try this winter.. They can get up to 9 feet in 6 months so its worth a try.. I dont think i would trust mulch i would rather just bring the pot indoors in cold storage then risk looking my plant..

Some people say they just mulch there ears in zone 6 but man on man i would cry if they didn't come up.. Most of mine other then the regular ones are only there first year so they are still small, but in time they will be huge..

heres a pic of half my rock garden with ears and banana canna.. The big ears are the regular ones and the others black majic, black runner, and small green ones are big dipper..