They can go inground there with no problem.

thanks for your reply :D

really? will they come up from the roots, or will the whole plant weather below freezing nights?

My experience in Austin Texas, 8b, that if left uncovered during frosts would come up from the grownd. I would cut them back and cover with a freeze cloth and then I would get growth coming from the stalks. Ferilize, fertilize fertilize.

I covered mine with leaves but they kept blowing off, lol. I have heard of people wrapping them with bubble wrap to keep the trunks from freezing. Gonna try that next year. I have some trunks that didn't appear to freeze all the way and have new growth at the base of most of them. I would take large cuttings and do the bucket thing so you have a large rooted plant to start with in the spring and then see what happens with the rest that you leave in the ground. That way you have backup just in case.

hmmm... it's probably too much for him to worry about :P I'll probably advise him to just sink the pots in the ground.

thanks so much for your replies! :)

Ria

I'm in 7b. The lady down the street has two brugs that come back from the roots every year. She chops them down before the first frost and mulches heavily. In spring, she uncovers them. They grow 4-6' and have a couple flushes before frost.