Hey, thanks! I didn't provide an update last year as I got sidetracked with other projects.

I'd love to try your suggestion but have run out of planting space in my yard. I planted a nice A. Saccharum six years ago and it's done really well, but just doesn't give me nice fall colour. Oh, well.

I don't have to contend with high elevation issues in northern Alberta, and our growing season is fairly generous and warm. Low winter temps and lack of hardening time are the biggest problems -- many exotics simply can't handle both. My biggest successes over the past few years: catalpa ovata (Chinese Catalpa), which has flowered beautifully for three years; aralia spinosa (almost certainly not a. elata from leaf examination), growing well 4000 km northwest of its native range; cladastris kentuckea, still a sapling (but hanging in); a small but sturdy catlpa speciosa; and my celtis tenufolia (Georgia Hackberry), which doesn't seem to mind the low temps. I'll provide more updates in the Spring, when I'll check to see if the virgilia and my three sumach species survived the winter.

Awesome. Will be interested to see how your plants are doing come spring