They do very well in a greenhouse but can be made to go dormant, same as a brug, over the winter. I used to keep my iochromas in the greenhouse over the winter because I was under the impression that they couldn't go dormant. They can and they quickly put out new growth when it warms up. I keep mine at about 40 over the winter. I don't find them nearly as easy as brugs to propagate from cuttings.

I usually bring mine in and keep them in a sunny window.. They will usually bloom off and on over the Winter..

Kylie

Mine is cut down and put in the greenhouse which is kept no lower than 40'.

Ya, I've had a hard time started them with cuttings too...Just lucky with this one from karyn years ago.

knotz

I live in zone 8b, NW Florida - I have my purple one planted in the ground and it's about 6' tall, but didn't bloom this year. I want a RED one!

Karyn, what is the best way to get these to root, mine are so tall, I will need to trim them down before I bring them in for the winter. I would love to start cuttings for the swap for Albert, and Shirley. Barbra

I just put the cuttings in water. Surprisingly they seem to root better when the temps are in the upper 60's to low 70's instead of 80's-90's like most others. I've also used straight perlite which works about the same as water but I had terrible results rooting in soil. I could get about 60% of the cuttings to root and once transplanted in soil they'd grow just fine for a few months but would all of a sudden die for unknown reasons. The same thing has happened to a few others that I know and we can't figure out what killed them.

Thanks Karyn, I am going to try rooting some cuttings of my larger Iochroma. I only saw one cluster of bloom on it this year, while a smaller plant from Kylie, blooms its head off! If I get the cuttings to root, I might just try sinking the pot in the ground with the bottom cut off and see if that helps from disturbing its roots. Of course I have all these grand ideas about what I want to do, but then, I didn't do very well this summer with the heat and fleas from strays that kept me indoors!

This is veido that Liz made.. I'm sure she won't mind me sharing it..

Kylie

Here is a link that might be useful: How To Propagate Iochroma

Eloise your iochromas should do great inground in your zone. I'd go ahead and plant them now. Even if you got a freak frost they'll be fine.

Kylie, thank you for posting the video. Should I take cuttings now or wait until the spring. I want to take these plants to our plant swap in April. I got 3 of the new ones that were introduced this year, they do much better, than the others did in our heat. Barbra

I was complaining that my larger plant of Iochroma really didn't bloom, but here in November it decides to give me several clusters of beautiful blooms!

BTW Karyn, the main issue with wanting to sink the pot in the ground is not the weather -- it's the darn gophers that have killed some of my other plants! I don't know if they would chew on the Iochroma's roots, but I don't want to take a chance.
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If you sink the pot are their teeth strong enough to chew thru the plastic? The plant would probably be ok even if they munch on the roots that grow out of the drainage holes. I don't have gophers at the house but we do have them at the farm. I've twisted my ankle enough times when taking a step and having my foot crash into one of their %^&@ tunnels!

Karyn, I haven't noticed if the gophers chew on the hard plastic. All I know is that planting with the pots keeps the plants safe, at least for a while. I've lost bananas, figs, roses and other plants to these underground rats! I know exactly what you mean about twisting your ankle when their tunnel collapses.