Just make sure you really want this plant in the garden before you let one loose, as it is very difficult to get rid of once you have it. It can be a great plant, but tends to be late summer deciduous if you don't keep it well watered. In fact, once established it can pretty much survive just on winter rainfall, but won't look that good outside the rainy season as it starts to dry out. In my opinion, it looks best in light to deep shade, and should be cut back to the ground as the leaves start to yellow in summer. If you give it irrigation at this time, it will quickly send up new shoots.

Any piece of the roots which are left in the ground when trying to remove it will start new plants, similar to Calla Lilies, so it can be very difficult to eliminate.

Thanks Bahia, sounds like a bit much for me at this time.

I was going to put it in until I read it is rather invasive.

Pat, that stuff was planted when my folks moved into their house up there in Redding 20-some-odd years ago. They tried to remove it....they still have it. :D It pops up EVERYwhere, and they don't even irrigate it...wittingly, anyway.

So, to answer your question, it would definitely be a good "filler in-ner." LOL But yeah, I don't think you'd like it THAT much. :)

Brenda

Okey dokey, it's back to the drawing board for me...No Bear Breeches! Thanks to all of you that responded, Pat

There was a beautiful specimen growing wild underneath a Sycamore at the park I worked in. I always admired it.

I read that it was hard to get rid of, but I wanted a filler for a back corner in partial shade and it seemed perfect, plus I liked the looks of the plant. With some trepidation, I planted one 6 years ago. It hasn't spread from it's original spot (course it doesn't have a lot of room to spread from plant competition), so it's stayed put. It does look a bit ratty right now, but I just whack the yellowed leaves off and deadhead it.
I still admire the plant and haven't regretted my decision to plant it, but then again, I haven't tried to get rid of it either....

I have been a year of spraying brush be gone on a garden site with about a ten year growth that creped into everything and so the whole area had to be replanted. Every week I still find a few new shoots emerging and hoe it out. I tried roundup on it first but it was very resistant and I switched to brush killer. Al

It is a good foundation plant (up next to the house), but often too invasive for most uses and trouble in a small yard. It is gorgeous though and after the leaves die back you have the tall flower stalks standing there for a while. They're pretty attractive too. Try it in a big pot, but don't let the pot touch the ground or it will escape out of the drainage holes. Yes, it is that clever.