I think I'll be at the very edge of hardiness with this where I am. Anyone else getting away with it in Z8? I bought it in Z9, near the gulf coast. Will frost knock it back to the ground? I'll keep some cuttings, assuming they root, inside for winter just to be safe.

There are pics of much more compact plants in the database but I don't know if those are young plants, got zapped by frost. The monstrosity I brought home has branches that are almost 4 feet. The guy at the store said it was stretched because their grow lot is so shady, which I agree, there were a lot of big, very old, very tall pines back there.

The plant I got in May has been put in the ground about a month later and seems to be OK. Over time, I trimmed off the super-long stems and some cuttings have taken root, a few failed. I got another one that I am planning to put in GH as a backup in case the ground plant doesn't make it.

Would love to hear your tales of firecracker!

Wish I had some tales. It's a beautiful plant but not hardy here of course. Good luck with it.

Thanks! Supposedly hummers really love it. I maybe should ask in FL forum. I've seen this doing well in St. Augustine and Sanford, but I'm probably engaging in ridiculousness putting the one in the ground on this side of the border.

Is it evergreen?

Where there is no frost I'm sure it is. I'm just hoping for roots to survive here, maybe.

I don't own any but they are all around my neighborhood and blooming their heads off.

purpleinopp said:I think I'll be at the very edge of hardiness with this where I am. Anyone else getting away with it in Z8? I bought it in Z9, near the gulf coast. Will frost knock it back to the ground? I'll keep some cuttings, assuming they root, inside for winter just to be safe.

There are pics of much more compact plants in the database but I don't know if those are young plants, got zapped by frost. The monstrosity I brought home has branches that are almost 4 feet. The guy at the store said it was stretched because their grow lot is so shady, which I agree, there were a lot of big, very old, very tall pines back there.

I saw some when I visited florida. they are very pretty.

I have a friend who grows banana trees in NJ so I say it is worth a try. He does cut them down and cover them with 2 feet of leaves. He is in Zone7.

LorettaNJ said:I have a friend who grows banana trees in NJ so I say it is worth a try. He does cut them down and cover them with 2 feet of leaves. He is in Zone7.

Is this an ornamental or a fruiting tree?

I don't know enough about banana trees to say but I don't think he could get fruit from it up here. I hear stories of people getting the occasional fruit or the start of one. His thing is to push the zone.

Thank you for the replies!

Those banana plants are way better than mine, Loretta! LOL!! They are so thirsty.

He has 4 acres and they are in the woods. He doesn't have irrigation out that far as far as I can tell. Supposedly, he asks the town to drop off the collected shredded leaves and he and his wife spread it out but really, I can't see how anyone can keep that up. They are both obsessed.

I had one and lost it this past winter with the devastating freeze but mine wasn't in ground. I had the container in the greenhouse.

This interesting link says you should be o.k.. https://www.almostedenplants.c...

It is a clump forming perennial but stems may root where they touch bare soil. In areas where temperatures fall below about 25oF the Firecracker Fern will typically act as a die-back perennial, even into portions of zone 8B if given a protected location. Like most root hardy tropical plants, it will be best to establish your plants early in the season so that they can develop a large and vigorous root system before winter sets in.

And next summer your hummers will thank you for this plant!

We don't get anywhere near as cold as you, but they grow great here. We use them as ground cover and spilling over walls. Hummers LOVE them! They actually don't need much water, even here, so if they winter over you can plant them anywhere and never have to worry about them.
I had one in a 16" hanging basket that hung off the roof overhang by my front door that was 8' long. Bloomed most of the year and fed lots of hummers.

That sounds awesome! I hope a damp winter isn't a problem. So far, my area hasn't had a hard frost. Even Coleus are still up and alive, although I swear they look terrified. I ended up buying 2 firecracker plants this year. I have a little piece that took root in a jar of water so if the outside plants don't make it, maybe that will still be with us by spring.

Do they grow fast enough to grow as an annual up north? I'm looking for a wide variety of hummingbird plants this year. I could cut them back and store them inside in the winter. Think that would work?

They probably won't bloom until late in the season. You might miss the hummers. But, with lots of sun and some fertilizer you might be able to push it.

CPPgardener said:They probably won't bloom until late in the season. You might miss the hummers. But, with lots of sun and some fertilizer you might be able to push it.

Hmmm... It would have worked this year when it was hot and droughty, but we've been in a two-year drought that probably won't last another.

Then I say go for it!