Hey all, I still have some hardy agave pups, mostly parryi. They can really take the winter here in WV. A few odd balls I'm looking for are: Red banana, like Siam Gunnera or any other garden giant. I already have petasites Japanese red maples from a colder zone like mine, so I'll know they're tough/ used to it Hostas other than the usuals. Looking for giants, dwarf, or neat leaf or color OR... You think you have something a little odd, let me know. Also, back I n the fall I was trying to arrange a trade with someone in CA but my house was broken into and my world turned upside down, so if you see this, please let me know. You gave me a web page with your trade list in picture form and I was going to send you agave as well Send email if interested Thanks everyone! Chris

K, I will share with you which of my plants took the weather in stride. We share the same neighborhood so that factor alone may be extremely helpful in some of your decision making. My yard is full sun, south facing. All plants are on drip system, and I will hand water new plants as needed. The area is rather small compared to most GW people, but we know what lots are like in our town. These are my favorite and most successful. Easy to find at Annies or HD. Abelia "Kaleidoscope". Gorgeous small shrub with green/yellow/red leaves. Penstemon "BOP" Favorite shade of purple, blooms much of year. Cuphea "mickey mouse". From Annies, this shrub is huge (4x5) and blooms all year. Cold knocked it out, I cut it way back, and now regenerating like crazy. Lobelia laxiflora "Mexican Cardinal flower" Mine get huge, tons of flowers/hummers. Cut back in winter to control size. Uruguyan Firecracker plant. Mentioned earlier, this one is a winner. Fortnight lily. I know, a parking lot plant, but in the right setting, it is like an iris that blooms all summer. Others that work so well: Yellow lantana, gaillardia, bidens, camomile, phormium, daylily, gaura, pineapple sage, variegated hebe, lavender, coreopsis.

They are available, for a very reasonable price, here: http://mkfarmsofms.weebly.com/buy-sarracenia-north-american-pitcher-plants.html Here is a link that might be useful: Purchase red Pitcher plants

I have tried growing cacti and succulents in Minnesota and some have made it while others didn't. 1. Pediocactus simpsonii( Mountain Cactus) had 3 plants and lost two during one summer, then lost the other one the following summer. I know it wasn't the cold that killed them since they grow high in the mountains and most of the growth is during the spring when it is still cold. I don't think they received enough water in the summer and/ or it could of been the heat. They are known to despise heat especially humid heat. They didn't look dead after the winter so I doubt it was the cold. Im guessing they require more rain than other cacti and in the mountains there is a sufficient amount of rain for good growth. 2. Opuntia imbricata- Survived one winter here but that was it. It could be because all my cacti arn't planted in a raised/elevated bed. The soil is amended though and there is a 1 foot layer of just rock at the bottom of where they are planted. 3. Opuntia polyacantha " Alberta, Canada" - These have survived 2 or 3 winters now and im suprized since Alberta, Canada is a much drier climate than Twin Cities, Minnesota. 4. Opuntia compressa(O. humifusa) These have also survived although one plant it either rotted or a snowstorm or rainstorm damaged one of them during the winter. I took a pad which broke off and was laying on the ground in early march and replanted it indoors in a pot. I put the plant outdoors in May. Now I have two plants rather than only one (I originally started with 2 before the damage). They are said to like cold and wet but O.polycantha has done alot better. 5.Echinocereus viridiflorus - collected from Hot Springs South Dakota. Has survived 2 or 3 winters now and is very small still. 6. Agave utahensis- Peach springs, AZ. It didn't even make it 1 winter. Im not sure if it was the cold or the fact that it got wet when it was cold. It may of survived if planted on a slope or raised bed in rocks. All of my plants are on the south side of the house next to the house so it is warmer and they get alot of sunlight during the summer and winter. They arn't planted in the middle of the yard! So it is kind of a microclimate. I started all of these from seed and didn't plant them outdoors the first winter. I am thinking of trying Yucca glauca , Agave parryi, and Escobaria vivipara. I will have to make an elevated planting area or cover the Agave in the winter. I think Agaves dont mind cold it is the combination of wet and cold that usually kills them. New mexico can get very cold but at the same time it is dry. Florida can get very wet but usually it is warm. Agave americana can grow in Florida and Cuba despite alot of rain but you have to remember it is usually not very cold in those places. Agave americana can also grow in the Southwest where it gets very cold but it stays dry through the winter there.