Thanks, Kent. Truthfully, we haven't had a real zone 7b winter in at least 10 years, and this definitely wasn't one. The lowest temp we experienced was around 17, and that only briefly. I've been growing cannas for as long as I can remember; no one here would think of digging and storing them, and they're rampant, often naturalized perennials. Within ten feet of the deceased 'Panache' is an enormous clump of 'Australia', and elsewhere in the garden are 'Wyoming', 'Constitution', 'Pretoria' (or 'Bengal Tiger' - this has even wintered over in black plastic pots sitting right out in the open for the last couple of years - just some spare plants for which I never found homes), and a red passalong variety that looks pretty close to a species. Others have come and gone over the years, and there are all of the usual suspects represented in the neighborhood, which I why I'm puzzled about 'Panache'. Drainage is not spectacular anywhere on the property (we're in a coastal area, just on the cusp of the area indicated as a flood zone n topographical maps), so that's always a concern, but also a boon to growing things like cannas and crinums, at least in the summer. Anyway, if I can scare up another plant (part of the reason for my consternation is that it's tough to find - I snagged that one on the sale table at Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria one summer), I'll give it another shot, not that I have room for it, anyway.

Thank you both for your advice. I'm finding them slow to start into growth, despite them being good, healthy rhizomes when purchased (packed in moist newspaper, no sign of rot or dessication). So far, only one of the Cautleya spicata has put up a shoot, and one H. greenii is just beginning to sprout - having been moved back into a heated propagator after being in the greenhouse under cover. I also grew some Cautleya spicata from seed (there's something so dinky about sprouting monocots - that first leaf is a miniature version of their adult foliage)... but stupidly put the seedlings on the top shelf of my greenhouse, where they promptly burned up and died! Oh well, there are some more sprouting in the seed-tray. And yes, it has been a long, cold winter in the UK, here in London also we've had lots of frost. The Hedychium I grew last year from seed (from a mixed pack so I don't know the species) sailed through in a mini-greenhouse positioned against the house wall, staying evergreen.

Hi Amazin , sorry I'm new at this web stuff ( mostly just a lurker) and couldn't find were I wrote to you the 1st time ... me feel so dumb with this puter stuff... but yes I have 9 begonias and 6 are from Logee's, some are named and other are ( pass a along's ) ..... Named ones= Begonia " Richardsiana" B." Snow Capped " B. "Tea Rose" B. "Hot Tamale" B. "Good and Plenty " B, "Tiny Gem " B. " Silver Queen " The Richardsiana has in pass week took a big flop , and so not sure whats up with it , taken it back into house , hope it was just heat stroking from 100 + daze we have been in for pass couple of weeks here in nastyville , so not sure about it. Two other's unknown named ones but pretty just the same and last one I think mite be B. " Sophia Cecile " not sure. I see you have " My Special Angel " have been looking at it in the catalogs . sorry I'm so long winded.... but sure there must be something in your long list that we can work with . P.s. I wont make it to any plant swap so..... not sure how we would do this if we've a mind to ???? But thanks for your time and effort if thats the only way .

If you like the tropical look and fragrance, they are easy to get hooked on. I planted my first hedy about 4 years ago and I've been adding ever since. I think I am up to about 10 kinds. I just added Luna moth last fall so I haven't seen it bloom yet. I try to keep backups inside over the winter, but I haven't lost one yet. I remember checking someones g.w. swap list in Knox. a year or two ago and was surprised to find 15 or 20 so I doubt I am the only one who grows lots of them in zone 6. They generally will not bloom the first year if planted after early spring. I plant mine deep(>6" deep) in the hopes they won't be killed by an unusually cold winter, but the new growth goes right to the top of the ground and doesn't seem to be damaged. Each year some get taller and from the looks of the diameter of the stalks they are going to be 6 feet plus this year. I disagree with the commonly given conditions such as the caution against too much water. In my experience they do extremly well with just less than full sun and plenty of water. I have seen them sold at an Oriental nursery as a water plant submerged in water and clay like lotus. A friend of mine set one in water with some bog plants to get it out of her way and forgot about it. Not only did it survive, but it seems to have thrived. That might not be a wise choice for winter, but it certainly doesn't seem to have hurt it. In Hawaii and various tropical sites they are considered an invasive nuisance plant, but for me they have spread very manageably. Another downside, is that many bloom just weeks ahead of frost------but that tropical fragrance and look in the fall with little else blooming is just wonderful. Over time I have found they continue to bloom a little earlier each year. Some of the taller varieties will bend and lean, so I plant them in the back of beds so they will lean over to the edge of the bed. If you were given a hedychium, consider yourself very fortunate.