Thanks for the info! I am west of Novato in the hills, which should be climate zone 16 according to the map and description. What about the temperature range doesn't seem right? I was leaning towards the Bignonia, since it seems like the hardiest option in that list and has very showy flowers, but Distictis buccinatorius also seems like an excellent choice. I also really like the appearance of Gloriosa rothschildiana, so I will try to find another place in the yard to plant a few bulbs of that. I am also trying to find a Bauhinia x blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree) to plant in an empty spot in the yard, which is supposed to bloom in the winter and be cold hardy here in the Bay Area. Do you know the best place to find any of these species? I found a few websites that sell them, but if possible I would like to purchase from a nursery so I can actually see what I'm getting. San Marcos Growers has those plants, but I stopped by Sloat today and they said they don't often order from San Marcos and would not be able to get those species in anytime soon. Perhaps the East Bay Nursery purchases from them more often and can place a special order.

In part shade here in the bay area? It can and will reach 9'. Just be careful on the shade part...too much,too deep, and they will languish and die. They are also very sensitive to being dug up and moved. They are not like the Gingers that die down in winter. The variegated will flower...but they are not as large flowers here as the all green or even the variegated in hot summer climates in soucal.

Don't root prune or tear up roots now. But repot into a slightly larger pot, without disturbing the roots too much. Then when it is dormant next winter you can bare root the plant if you want prune roots if you like and plant in another container. As for its location I think if you water it regularly in your mild summer climate it can handle the sun. Katsura is regarded as one of the more sun / heat tolerant varieties.

I'm sorry you didnt get more responses to this post as it is very interesting and deserves more comment from growers in your area.Many people consider tropical plants grown in temperate zones as "out of zone" and therefore unlikely to succeed. You are quite correct in believing, however, that altitude plays a significant part in this. Plants growing at the equator can be as low as Zone 5 in terms of temperature if they are at sufficient altitude. Light, however, is a crucial and significant factor. Even though equatorial plants may be exposed to considerable cold at altitude, they still receive extremely strong UV light, which they may not at higher latitudes. This may explain why some "tropical" seed is difficult to germinate. Another factor is the diurnal range. Whereas in the SF area the diurnal range may be on average say 10-15C (50-60F). A high altitude tropical plant may get 0-21C (32-70F). In other words not all high altitude tropical plants are suitable for "out of zone" growing. Having said this, local weather conditions do have a significant effect and it IS possible for SF conditions to be reproduced within the tropics at altitude, given the right location, which is obviously the case here. Common sense is the best guide. If the plant has similar physical characteristics to what grows locally, ie broad leaves, lush growth it is far more likely to succeed, than one that is very different ie. narrow leaves, stunted appearance, which is much more characteristic of plants growing in extreme conditions.