Not me, Pal, I live in ShoeLess, CA.

I don't know what USDA zi=one San Antonio is, I suspect its 8A or 7B, I know its colder than here where I live now (Florida zone 8B) because I went to college at UT in Austin.

I had a variegated tapioca at my old house that froze to the ground, endured a few nights of low 20's, and came back up as a perennial. I have been looking for another one ever since we moved to our new house but haven't located one.

I have one in a pot that last winter I at first only brought in on freezing nights. It didn't like that at all and almost died, so I brought it inside the house where it was warmer. I know there is a hardy type that Plant Delights offers that will come back. A friend has one of those. But I dunno, the variegated one may come back in San Antonio.
What I would like to know is whether I can cut my rather leggy plant into pieces and root the stems.

"whether I can cut my rather leggy plant into pieces and root the stems."

I'll be trying that myself this weekend, trying to get 10 or so plants well established by Ocotober, using this:

http://www.iita.org/info/trn_mat/rmc_book/51-img.htm

Unautre, I wouldn't have much hope for M. esculenta (esp. the variegated clone) surviving in a typical San Antone winter and I am almost incredulous that Bihai's resprouted from the low 20s. I.e., it is quite tender, unlike the similar but not so beautiful hardy tapioca/cassava (M. carthaginensis/grahamii).

But best of luck. It's gratifying to read again about people with the desire to have such things in marginal regions ....

The kassava, foxtail and majesty palms, etc, will be inside as small greenhouse for the mild winter.

cassava is one of the easiest plants to propagate by stem cuttings. I once grew quite abit of it in the tropics for sale of the edible (poisonous until cooked!) roots. Just cut an 8-12" section of stem from the middle of a stem and stick halfway in the ground at a slight angle. This was with summerlike warm soil conditions, but it didn't require much water or special soil prep.

The tubers begin to rot after 48 hours, and aren't used for propagation.

Even a child can plant cassava. Good luck.
Jay

"cassava is one of the easiest plants to propagate by stem cuttings"

I sacrificed on my stems and got 10 multi-node mini-stems from it, including 3 growing tips. hope to see some growth in next two weeks.

well I guess I lead a charmed life. It made me mad too, because I had wanted to take that plant with me, but we moved in March before it had come back up. I drove by the house in June and there it was, already about 4 feet tall! The new owners hadn't moved in yet and I was tempted to get my shovel and dig that sucker up. ANd wouldhave taken the two 12 ft Ensete maurelli's as well, but was afraid I'd get busted.

Mine has been losing leaves and looks kinda sick,but then it puts out new growth.To much sun maybe and should it have more shade here in the Houston area.They say they freeze to the ground and come back here.I am gona take some cuttings to share with friends.Does anyone know about this?I know that rlriffle wrote a book on tropicals and knows a lots about plants.Thanks Jessie

My plant is still in the very fast draining soil of the original pot. I have to water it every 2 days to keep from staying wilted. I will be re-potting and adding some peat and somewhat heavier mix. Even with water, the kassava wilted in full afternoon sun but unwilted overnight. So I've moved it to a partial shade spot.

Same with my castor plants.

Crazy, these plants can't make through winter without dying to the ground, and they can't make through summer without serious wilting.

For the cuttings, I sacrificed one of my stems and followed this guide:

http://www.iita.org/info/trn_mat/rmc_book/51-img.htm

After 10 days or so, no sign of growth, and the pieces that were planted 1/3 out of the soil have dried out quite bit.

I tried to root some on my old plant without success, but I am not the one to ask, I can't rot diddly. I am a "divider" not "rooter"

I have a Manihot carthaginensis [non-variegated] that is hardy for me in my TX 8a Zone. This plant produces seeds and I've been trying to find out HOW TO GERMINATE THE SEEDS.
Any one know?

I know they germinate because I have babies pop up on seeds that I miss collecting, but can't find a thing on how to tell someone else how to propagate the seeds.

unautre
I have been told by two horticulturists in my area that you can successfully propagate cuttings with HEAT, so you might try this with your Manihot esculenta variegated.

The Manihot esculenta variegated is not tropical in my zone and the only year I grew it, it did not over-winter for me. They are grown here as annuals.

Thanks for any help with germinating seeds.

Emma

anyone wanting this plant can order it in early spring from
Cottage Gardens nursery in Illinois.

I've ordered from them the past two years & have rec'd great plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cottage Gardens