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Aug 12, 2022 5:35 PM CST
Name: Gina
Florida (Zone 9a)
Tropical plant collector 40 years
Aroids Region: Florida Greenhouse Tropicals
I wish so much that they were reliably hardy here
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Aug 13, 2022 6:20 PM CST
Name: Gheri
Merritt Island Fl zone 9b (Zone 9b)
Aroids The WITWIT Badge Tropicals Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Orchids Region: Florida
Dog Lover Critters Allowed Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
They are extremely hardy here... it amazes me how a slight change in zone makes such a difference. I didnt know they aren't hardy in 9a. Florida has a wide range of zones. So, when someone says they are growing this or that in Florida, I'll have to be more aware of what zone they are in. Thinking
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Aug 13, 2022 7:20 PM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Having started my gardening career in Z5 for the first few decades, hardy to me was a plant that grows back after being killed by winter, under snow. So I'm always a little amused when those in warmer zones insist on evergreen-ness as a required element for calling something perennial.

For ground plants, I have mostly plants that die back to the ground for winter and grow back in the spring, and consider them hardy. Plants that haven't been evergreen but are still root-hardy are Cordyline, Brugmansia, ginger, Tradescantias, Salvia, elephant ears, Curcuma, Plectranthus, Bletilla, Hibiscus mutabilis, Syngonium, Hypoestes, Lantana, some bulbs, a few others that don't come to mind @ the moment.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
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Aug 13, 2022 7:29 PM CST
Name: Gina
Florida (Zone 9a)
Tropical plant collector 40 years
Aroids Region: Florida Greenhouse Tropicals
Gheri they are ok unless it gets below about 25. They will defoliate but still survive. Much less than that for longer and they may or may not make it. That is why I keep Mrs Iceton and Sloppy Painter in my greenhouse (and Rasta). They are large old plants. I'd hate to lose them on a single night of cold here
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Aug 14, 2022 5:58 AM CST
Name: Alice
Flat Rock, NC (Zone 7a)
The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Birds Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Region: North Carolina Hydrangeas Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Butterflies Tropicals Ponds
Being near the ocean makes a huge difference. Central FL does not have that warm humid air for protection during the winter.
Minds are like parachutes; they work better when they are open.
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Aug 14, 2022 11:18 AM CST
Name: Gheri
Merritt Island Fl zone 9b (Zone 9b)
Aroids The WITWIT Badge Tropicals Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Orchids Region: Florida
Dog Lover Critters Allowed Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
Yes, it may get into the 30's here at night briefly. I have to laugh at myself. When I first moved to New England from Mississippi, I thought I was going to freeze to death when it hit 40. Literally teeth chattering and feeling frozen. Rolling on the floor laughing Then after 25 years, I would walk around outside in seriously freezing weather with wool socks and birkenstocks on with a flannel shirt and Jean's over long underwear. Then, I moved to Florida and was shocked when I saw people wearing coats, hats, gloves, scarves when it was in the 50's. Now, I'm one of them! I really can understand why the plants would freak out with serious temperature changes.
Since I joined NGA, I have acquired many new plants that I had not been aware of previously. I am getting concerned about what to do with some of them if we do get a cold snap. My home came with a wooden pergola. So, I'm considering turning it into a greenhouse.
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Aug 14, 2022 4:13 PM CST
Name: Alice
Flat Rock, NC (Zone 7a)
The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Birds Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Region: North Carolina Hydrangeas Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Butterflies Tropicals Ponds
I have used seedling heat mats on my patio to set pots on during freak cold spells. For my favorite and enormous Ti I use Christmas lights.
Minds are like parachutes; they work better when they are open.
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Aug 14, 2022 5:43 PM CST
Name: Gina
Florida (Zone 9a)
Tropical plant collector 40 years
Aroids Region: Florida Greenhouse Tropicals
Gheri I consider ANYTHING under 70F cold. My husband laughs at me so much. When we lived in Los Angeles, we lived in a part called Culver City. It was 6 miles from Venice and Santa Monica Beach. The daytime temps on summer rarely exceeded 80. But even in summer, the nighttime temp dropped in to the upper 50's. In Winter, it dropped to the 40's. It only actually froze one single time in the years we were there. Its like it was an extremely rare event there. But I always had to wear a coat at night in LA.
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Aug 21, 2022 10:03 AM CST
Name: Sherri
Central Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Birds Bee Lover Hummingbirder Tropicals Bromeliad
Foliage Fan Aroids Orchids Native Plants and Wildflowers Salvias Container Gardener
I'm the same way, I'm putting on leggings and a jacket when it is under 70F.

Over two decades ago we had a lot more below freezing temps here in FL Z9b, I even stopped trying to grow many tropical plants. Like Gina said, one dang night each year would take it down, by the time it even started to look good if it did survive it would freeze back again. The past decade we've not had as many freezes in my zone, and been 12 years since we dropped into the 20's, which used to happen almost every winter. So I am back to a garden full of tender tropicals again. Whistling
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Aug 21, 2022 2:41 PM CST
Name: Alice
Flat Rock, NC (Zone 7a)
The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Birds Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Region: North Carolina Hydrangeas Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Butterflies Tropicals Ponds
My son who lives in Asheville, NC wants us to move closer and the thought of living full time in a climate where it is not only cold but gray during the winter is not appealing at all. I love the sun and warmth where we are now.
Minds are like parachutes; they work better when they are open.
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Aug 21, 2022 2:57 PM CST
Name: Ginger
Fountain, Florida (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Plays in the sandbox Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: Gulf Coast Tip Photographer The WITWIT Badge
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Native Plants and Wildflowers Birds Plumerias Hummingbirder Dog Lover
I hear that , Alice! I have to admit though growing up in Yankee Land I do miss the fall leaves.
Each cloud has a silver lineing if only you look for it.
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Aug 22, 2022 1:07 PM CST
Name: Sherri
Central Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Birds Bee Lover Hummingbirder Tropicals Bromeliad
Foliage Fan Aroids Orchids Native Plants and Wildflowers Salvias Container Gardener
Alice, I know that has to be a hard decision, doesn't seem that long ago you moved here to FL. Ashville can get cold, but on a HOT day like today it sounds kind of nice. LOL. If I lived in a colder climate, I'd have to find a house with a huge greenhouse. Green Grin!
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Aug 22, 2022 2:13 PM CST
Name: Alice
Flat Rock, NC (Zone 7a)
The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Birds Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Region: North Carolina Hydrangeas Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Butterflies Tropicals Ponds
HaHa, a GH would be under consideration. We moved here 4 years ago to be closer to family and they promptly moved to AZ. It was nothing personal Thinking Hilarious!
Hilarious! Hilarious! Hilarious!
Arizona is sunny and warm but I hate the dry air so we won't be joining them out there.
Minds are like parachutes; they work better when they are open.
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Aug 22, 2022 3:38 PM CST
Name: Sherri
Central Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Birds Bee Lover Hummingbirder Tropicals Bromeliad
Foliage Fan Aroids Orchids Native Plants and Wildflowers Salvias Container Gardener
If you moved to Arizona you'd have to get into succulents and cacti, and you don't like the spiky stuff. Hilarious!
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Aug 22, 2022 4:28 PM CST
Name: Alice
Flat Rock, NC (Zone 7a)
The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Birds Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Region: North Carolina Hydrangeas Hummingbirder Dog Lover
Container Gardener Charter ATP Member Garden Photography Butterflies Tropicals Ponds
So true! Hilarious! I would need a transfusion every time I went outdoors. DH is worse than me, his skin is so thin now the slightest brush with a shrub and he starts bleeding.
Minds are like parachutes; they work better when they are open.
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Aug 23, 2022 6:59 AM CST
Name: Sherri
Central Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Birds Bee Lover Hummingbirder Tropicals Bromeliad
Foliage Fan Aroids Orchids Native Plants and Wildflowers Salvias Container Gardener
Yeah my husband is like that too, gets blood all over the place. ugh.

I do like the desert xeriscape gardens I see from some of our NGA folks, so interesting how they create such beauty with rocks and succulents.
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Feb 10, 2023 6:07 AM CST
Name: Sherri
Central Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Birds Bee Lover Hummingbirder Tropicals Bromeliad
Foliage Fan Aroids Orchids Native Plants and Wildflowers Salvias Container Gardener
Croton Franklin Roosevelt Croton and Eleanor in the background, made it through temps below freezing.

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Feb 10, 2023 8:13 AM CST
Name: Tiffany purpleinopp
Opp, AL @--`--,----- 🌹 (Zone 8b)
Region: United States of America Houseplants Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Garden Sages Plant Identifier Garden Ideas: Level 2
Organic Gardener Composter Miniature Gardening Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Tender Perennials Butterflies
Wow! The whole pic is a collage of gorgeous leaves. A great example of how actual blooms are completely unnecessary for a colorful garden.
The golden rule: Do to others only that which you would have done to you.
👀😁😂 - SMILE! -☺😎☻☮👌✌∞☯
The only way to succeed is to try!
🐣🐦🐔🍯🐾🌺🌻🌸🌼🌹
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now. (-Unknown)
👒🎄👣🏡🍃🍂🌾🌿🍁❦❧🍁🍂🌽❀☀ ☕👓🐝
Try to be more valuable than a bad example.
Image
Feb 11, 2023 9:39 AM CST
Name: Sherri
Central Florida (Zone 9b)
Butterflies Birds Bee Lover Hummingbirder Tropicals Bromeliad
Foliage Fan Aroids Orchids Native Plants and Wildflowers Salvias Container Gardener
Eleanor (Sloppy Painter) dropped a lot of lower leaves a week after the second freeze, but is getting some new growth now, so all is good. Franklin only lost a few leaves.
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Mar 18, 2023 10:24 AM CST
Name: Gheri
Merritt Island Fl zone 9b (Zone 9b)
Aroids The WITWIT Badge Tropicals Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Orchids Region: Florida
Dog Lover Critters Allowed Cactus and Succulents Butterflies Birds Bee Lover
I love my Sloppy Painter, it's my favorite croton! Mine looks just like yours and I have a puppy I can't bring in the front yard without a leash, so it makes it a trying time to take any pics. Rolling on the floor laughing
But, in back I've got some spots and dots going on.
I'm in love with this Dracaena 'Malachite'

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This fittonia is growing from seeds thrown off from the mother plant which is nearby. There are little plantlets all over that area growing in every nook and cranny Rolling on the floor laughing

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This Dracaena isn't looking so great, but considering I thought it was a goner, I'm happy to see it coming back Hurray!

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Aloe rauhii isn't looking so good since transplanting it to a sunnier location, so moving it is now on my list of things to do, to a less sunny place.
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Basketball cactus

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Astrophytum asterias

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This cactus looks like its giving me the finger since I've really neglected it Rolling on the floor laughing
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Haworthias
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There are more, but I've got worked to do, so no more goofing off Rolling on the floor laughing

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