No. The main problem would be the possibility of losing it in a hard winter. I have seen only a handful of examples here.

I have had quite a bit of experience with this plant. More often than not it will die to the ground every winter. The following spring or early summer it will reappear close to where it has died back. After several years, it's now running all over the place and I have taken many divisions to donate to plant sales. So far it has run about 10 feet from where I originally planted it. If you have a small garden it could be considered a bit of a pest. I also think that disturbing the roots encourages it's romping habit. All this said it seems very easy to dig up. If you are worried, put it in a barrier. The photo shows it in its 3rd or 4th year and it didn't die back that year so was even larger in 2006. It died back that year and left huge stocks that is should have cut back in early spring of 07. It's now coming up in the path and on the back side of the big grasses :-) I love this plant!

Here is a link that might be useful: http://public.fotki.com/BambooMary/my_green_house/my_garden/the-garden-throught/garden-2005/the_garden_in_2005/dscn3349.html

Mary,

The plant in your picture doesn't look like a Tetrapanax papyriferus, it looks like a Tetrapanax papyriferus 'Steroidal Giant'. A completely different plant. The European plant boards also call a look alike, Tetrapanax rex. But to me the Rex and Steroidal Giant look the same.

My experience is that T. papyriferus isn't very hardy in the PNW. I have tried it several times and it has froze out and not returned, but Steroidal Giant is another story. I bought one six years ago from Plant Delight nursery. This plant has never froze. It loses it leaves when temperatures get below twenty degrees for any length of time, but the naked bud stays alive and in the spring it continues on where it left off the year before. Three years ago I bought another Steroidal Giant from Steamboat Island nursery, outside of Olympia. This plant was killed back to the ground in the winter of 06-07. It came back with multiple root suckers. I am still fighting the suckers from this plant. The Plant Delight plant hasn't yet sent up a sucker. It just keeps getting taller.

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Here is the Plant Delight plant from last year.

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And the Steamboat Island plant from last year after recovering from that horrible cold winter.

John

Great info. I agree with John that Mary's plant doesn't look like Tetrapanax papyriferus I saw on the internet, but I'm not an expert:-)
Thanks John for the info on the plant and where to get them.
Winsor

Well now, I am confused. The plant I bought from Cistus was labled Tetrapanax papyriferus not Steroidal Giant. I have come to believe that it is indeed Steroidal Giant. I have just done a search trying to get a good take on the actual difference without much luck. Does anyone know of a reliable reference?

Mary,

There does seem to be much confusion about these plants. Specially between the so called Rex and Steroidal Giant. I have included a link to Plant Delights web page where they sell both the regular and Steroidal Giant. Their pictures were the best I could find doing a Google search of the plants. You can see the difference there.

The British plant boards talk alot about Rex and Steroidal Giant. Growingontheedge.net is one board that I lurk on with a lot of discussions and pictures about these plants. Check them out.

Have fun,
John

Here is a link that might be useful: Plantdelights.com - page 83

I had the non-steroidal one for a while. By comparison it is much smaller, wimpier and un-cooler than the steroidal. The leaves are about 1/3 as long/wide and much flatter with much shallower lobes. It is far less vigorous and for me froze out completely in its first (mild) winter. On the other hand I have often seen the steroidal not freeze, and if it does it comes back. Same experience as John really. I haven't planted mine out yet; it's in a pot - but perhaps I finally will in the spring.

Thanks Ian and John I see a definate difference in the PD photos and in PD's usual optimism they have rated it hardier. The google image search was not very good. I didn't look at every image but none of the ones I checked out looked like the PD Pic... cheers

Someone should try to hybridize it with Oplopanax horridus... muhuhahaha.

Ian,

Last summer Mobak's was selling one gallon sized Oplopanax horridus - Devil's Club for $20 each. This spring they had a ten gallon pot for $65. For an old Northwesterner like me, I LOL when I saw that. I use to curse that plant when hiking or hunting and reaching up to grab a limb when climbing to get a handful of needles from one. But under the right conditions they can look exotic.

John

Thats funny, I just bought one of those from Keeping it Green Nursery. It seems to be a little finicky (SP)and I hope I can keep it alive! I know what you mean about grabbing on to one of those when hiking, not fun! Not sure I would invest in a hybrid cross with Tetrapanax p. S G LOL

Here's a fun picture (showing how invasive it is) that I stole from someone's post on the Growing on the Edge forum.

Steroidal Giant
Hi I have searched for the above plant in the UK but unsuccessfully.
Does any one know where I can order this plant or the seeds for growing in the UK.
Thanking you in anticipation

Billy