I grew one in SW FL, but honestly, they grow slowly and it finally died after a few years. It may do better in your climate in the summer, but I was not impressed and never grew another one.

Thanks much, you two. I like it here too! So dirty, as you probably surmise, this is yet another one of these cases where my usage would be as an "annual". No survivability required nor desired. First hard frost, it's good bye! Still, your words are less than exhilarating! Thanks.

Oh heavens! I know people up north think nothing of using our precious tropicals as summer annuals, but it still makes me sad to think of it. Here I am, rescuing seeds and sprouts from parking lots, and you are treating large, expensive plants as tossaways. Somehow, this makes me glad I don't live up north, because I would need a HUMONGOUS greenhouse to save all my babies in. No offense, Tom, honestly, but being raised in the South, I am completely unaccustomed to the use of perennials as annuals. Also, being so extremely frugal and on a limited budget, I would never consider spending mega bucks on a shrub just to let it die in the winter. I have Zone Denial Disorder as badly as anyone, but I cry when favorite plants die, so I could never be you. Must be nice, though. I would love to see pictures of your yard in the summer.

In truth, frugality in this case does consist of tossing the plants. Can you even begin to imagine the expense for this medium-sized city to somehow overwinter the thousands of items grown as annuals each summer. It would be hugely cost-prohibitive and would not even work in many cases.

Also, not s single plant is "wasted" as all end up as compost somewhere. I really mean this. That's not wasting. Throwing them into a landfill would be waste.

Take just one common item we use in large numbers-the Sunpatiens. These plants start out (for us) as perhaps 4 inch pots. But by the end of the growing season, that little plant may easily cover four square feet or more. Our stuff grows! So no, that would make zero sense to try to "save" these items. Things are not always as they seem.

With the blue Iochroma australe they are a nicely shaped medium blue flowers. But are small and this one won't likely be popular as is unless the cultivar has even more color or strong fragrance.

If we can get the blue genes into an interspecies cross with a Brugmansia or Datura hybrid, that might be popular.

In PNE serious hobbists only overwinter inside only those z9-10 plants that really impress, and they must be expensive or hard to grow. If less than $15-20, many treat them as annuals. At $30 even Star Jasmine vines don't sell well.

Many here in z7a-8b don't even mulch $10 Canna purchases most also pot them to start, enjoy the summer, and fail to plant their pot grown Canna in the ground. If they do ground plant them many don't add compost or water them enough in August. So they do better in deck pots they do water. So we indeed just buy the 80% that don't make it in pots the next year.

A NEW semi-tropical plant niche here for Seattle might be a staged Spring -Summer bulb pair. Paried in a large enough deco pot to get the canna through fall. For instance a late Daffodil or Crocus/Hyacinth with Canna, for $15 - $30. Goal is a front porch greeter to own the spot and create a verbal stir. That's the Sun Set.

A Shade Set is needed too. Third set is a hanging basket set.

Designed success. Stores can water start any that don't dry sell early and get impulse sales with one of the stages. Self cleaning spent flower bulbs is a nice goal for the bulb selection. Higher "early light" requiring plants, such as Freesia, would be risky

I never thought about it like that Tom, but that makes sense.

And ditto Dirty. I really appreciate your comments and would hate to think you didn't feel welcome.