Too big to live?

This picture suggests it was in a pot? Was it ever successfully left outside in Michigan, or did it die in someplace sheltered like a garage?
Just trying one now I bought at Groff's. Seems happy. A couple past mail order plants never regained vigor, I think for a small minority of plants, even being in a box for a few days to get here from the PNW is too much.

He had lived many, many years in a pot on the patio -- too big to take into the garage (could not carry up those steps). I had re-potted him into an even larger pot early last spring to give him more room to grow.

I believe I killed him. Every year I would push him against the wall and barricade with bags of leaves, and placed bagged leaves over the top to protect. Well, I got pre-occupied with other things last year and didn't do it.

I think what happened is he got hit with too many freeze/thaw cycles or he drowned, not the cold. There was nothing protecting his head and we had so much snow and then rain and then ice and then repeat - it all pooled in the pot.

If he's not woken up by now, it's highly unlikely he ever will. Although perhaps he'll wake from the dead with a measly shoot or two, never know.

Normally I don't pay much mind to plants that don't make it, but Roger was my baby, he was a spectacular potted specimen.

Lesson learned.

what is he???

was he grafted ..

are you absolutely positive.. that the root mass might NOT be dead???

i have a lot of stuff.. in the ground mind you.. that is dead to the ground.. is JUST NOW ... sprouting .... if its not grafted.. that makes me happy ...

with no insult to the root mass... some of these things can grow ridiculous amounts in one season...

ken

i would guess chestnut???

It is a Rodgersia. Definitely not grafted - he is (was) a hardy perennial.

I guess I could dig him out and switch him with another Rodgersia I have on the side of the garage - that way if he does decide to miraculously come back to life he can just grow in that spot, but if he doesn't it won't be an eyesore, I don't often see that area.

I miss him...

I'd say successful gardening with perennials is as much about destroying as creating.

It's lucky the less desirables can't argue their case.

you win... never heard of it ...

ken

you win... never heard of it ...

You gotta get out more often Ken. You do there are many plants beyond hostas and conifers ;)?

(rodgersias are outstanding PS/shade perennials. I think I have "Bronze Peacock" and "Fireworks". Heck discovered them only a couple of seasons ago after reading glowing reports on GW :))

This post was edited by rouge21 on Sat, May 24, 14 at 19:21

Mxk3, I don't see any sign of my rodgersia and it is planted in the ground. I can't remember if they sleep in? I'm still holding out hope since it was such a cold spring start. It's too bad if yours is dead. He really was a beauty.

My deepest sympathies, Roger was such a handsome lad.

No, no, no! The pictures of yours is why I got one. Mine's in the ground and small compared to your beauty. Here's hoping Roger comes back from the dead. A zombie Rodgersia?

I have Rodgersia Fireworks. It is always one of the last pants to emerge in the spring. Rodgersia are beautiful plants.

Looks like Virginia Creeper with a few extra leaves.

Kluttery, not at all. It's a fairly dramatic plant in the garden, bold leaves with a lot of texture.

My own was slow to show up. I had dug up and potted mine when I moved my garden, it spent last year until late Fall in a large pressed paper pot along my baking hot driveway but at least getting regular (hose) water. I planted it when the bed was finally ready late Nov, and two weeks later we had temps in the teens.

I found one lonely shoot mid April and was close to ordering a replacement. I'd planned it as an anchoring plant for that area and needed it to do well. With some warmer weather more stems finally began to break ground and as of this week there are 9 unfolding. I've even put some temporary wire fencing around it so the deer don't walk on it before it's up and strong, I want every stem there is with none tromped or broken.

"Bronze Peacock" came up relatively early for me (for a Rodgersia) with "Fireworks" arising much later.

Here is BP as of May 28, 2014. Many more offshoots this spring than last; looking forward to it being full grown with pink flowers.

This post was edited by rouge21 on Thu, May 29, 14 at 12:59