I watched this plant thrive and get huge in a four inch pot last season.. only morning sun though and the pot was in the shade of a clump of vinca. It roots easily from cuttings.

I think I'll leave it as a container plant then. Any problems with deer or rabbits??? Thank you.

Not that I have seen and we have both deer and rabbit that hang out.

Cool storage in the winter kicks it into "bloom" mode, which sounds fun but is NOT. The plant barely puts on any new growth and stays wimpy and stunted while in bloom which will be most of the year. So, if you like the purple and the larger leaves it is best to store it somewhere sunny and bright over the winter.

They seem to like rich soil with some strong sun. In full blazing hot sun they wilt but rebound when watered. If you don't want to water it all the time I would place it in the shade. Take cuttings in the heat of summer and store them as houseplants rather then squeeze big mama through the front door.

It's a great plant but I start with a fresh one or two or three....every year interplanted with pink chaos and limon coleus. They all seem to like filtered light or bright light but full sun often burns the persian shield leaves on the curved most parts (like how we sunburn too).
I don't feed my annuals except a month after I plant them and I suspect shield would like another feeding mid-summer.