Caladium overwintering in zone 7b South Carolina?
 

I tend to like perennial plants that I can leave in the soil over winter, but I recently broke down
and bought some Caladium tubers that were on clearance for $1.00 per 6 pack. I'm wondering if
anyone has any hands-on experience with them surviving over winter outside in zone 7b, especially in
South Carolina.

I know that the "expert" sites say that they must be dug up and replanted to survive, but they say
the same thing about other plants that I have that DO reliably come back year after year, like
canas, elephant ears, and gladiolus. The "experts" even say that the "Christmas Cherry" Solanum
pseudocapsicum is killed by zone 7 temperatures when mine are evergreen even in the dead of winter.
So I don't put TOO much weight on the "official" zone hardiness. Anyone know for sure if they
REALLY can or can't overwinter in 7b?

(Photo of my "not hardy, dig up and take inside in winter" Solanum pseudocapsicum covered in snow):
http://webpages.charter.net/garrison...nuary_2003.jpg

They have been winter hardy for me in zone 7a, north of Memphis.


"Darren Garrison" wrote in message
...
I tend to like perennial plants that I can leave in the soil over winter,
but I recently broke down
and bought some Caladium tubers that were on clearance for $1.00 per 6 pack.
I'm wondering if
anyone has any hands-on experience with them surviving over winter outside
in zone 7b, especially in
South Carolina.

I know that the "expert" sites say that they must be dug up and replanted to
survive, but they say
the same thing about other plants that I have that DO reliably come back
year after year, like
canas, elephant ears, and gladiolus. The "experts" even say that the
"Christmas Cherry" Solanum
pseudocapsicum is killed by zone 7 temperatures when mine are evergreen even
in the dead of winter.
So I don't put TOO much weight on the "official" zone hardiness. Anyone
know for sure if they
REALLY can or can't overwinter in 7b?

(Photo of my "not hardy, dig up and take inside in winter" Solanum
pseudocapsicum covered in snow):
http://webpages.charter.net/garrison...nuary_2003.jpg