Susan, by all means avoid ordering from TyTy. Im not talking from experience but from what I have seen and heard here and elsewhere about them. Actually, Im very suprised to see they are still in business. From what I had heard I thought the state of Georgia was taking some legal actions against them...but not sure. This is probably the ONLY place I would warn someone 100% about ordering from. Just dont do it. As far as hardiness of Xanthosoma, my mother has had some in the ground for nearly 15 years and they never miss a beat in her 8a Georgia climate. Im borderline 8a/7b and they come back fine usually but we havent had a bad winter in a while where I live now. It wouldnt harm to try it, as they arent very expensive and easily replaced.

Susan, I agree with raymikematt. I've not ordered from them, but have read the horrible feedback on gardenwatchdog. It's unbelievable that these folks are still in business.

I also know what you mean by being put off on their advertising "innuendo". My first thought was , "now why would they need to do that?" A sucker is born every minute, so it is said.

GH

I didn't realize that Dave's had dropped the feedback regarding Ty Ty - that is really disappointing to see. However if memory serves there was quite a volume of bad feedback and several positive feedback that had been indicated by Dave's that were comming from the same IP address and likely were some form of manipulation of the ranking system. Some of the earlier posts on GW regarding Ty Ty were quite humorous. I remember the thread with the photoshopped plant commando....that was halarious! If someone can post a link to that post I could use a laugh again!

Although there are lots of sources for xanthosoma on the web, I would recommend Central Florida Farms and A&B as honest sellers.

I have a friend here in FL who drives to AL regularly. Her route takes her right by the Nursery at TyTy. Knowing I am a "plant fanatic", she asked me if I knew anything about them, because she was considering stopping to look for fruit trees. This was her take on the nursery:

(Paraphrased, but quoted from memory as close as I can come):

"MAN I was driving by that Ty Ty nursery the other day and there were all these HUNKY DUDES out there shirtless working in the hot sun, all muscular and looking really HOT. I thought maybe I would stop and look to see if they had some fruit trees I could bring back, but I didn't have time that trip, maybe next time. GOSH they were cute, it'd be worth it to stop and just check out the gys up close! Have you ever heard anything about them?"

And of course, having heard all the negative feedback on GW and at other net sites, I told her that while the guys might be to die for, I had heard that the plants defintely were NOT, but that she might stop anyway and take a look and bring back a firsthand opinion about the plants (and the guys). But she never did.

All right, all right, you guys, I get the point about not buying from them, and I wasn't really thinking about it, but wanted to know about the hardiness of xanthosoma in their opinion versus other opinions I've read that they are hardy to zone 7. Now, any comments in regard to that, in direct contrast to the shirtless, muscally guys? I steer clear of shirtless, too tan, muscally, hunks - they are usually no-brainers. LOL!

Susan

Susan, they are probably borderline in your area. Depending on winter. I would say probably more of a zone 8 plant. Like I said Im 7b/8a and I havent had any problems, but when and if we ever have a true 7b winter....that might be the end of them. BTW, we used to get the TyTy commercials VERY early in the morning here via a local Georgia station. Almost as silly as the website but not quite. Check out the Amorphophallus page...it is hilarious and scary at the same time!
Michael M.