Manihot grahamii

This amazing "hardy tropical" was shared by our friend, the late Alan Galloway, who found this plant completely hardy for many years in his Raleigh, NC, garden. Related to the more tropical and edible Manihot esculenta, the South American native Manihot grahamii dies to the ground in winter, but quickly resprouts and will reach 8-10' tall by the end of the season. This woody perennial is topped with artistically cut green leaves that remain only near the top of the plant. Manihot grahamii does reseed a bit if allowed to mature. Because of the potential seed-dispersing nature of this plant, I would recommend against using it anywhere south of Zone 8, but it makes a perfect large container plant for gardeners in the northern states.