I am about to choose a site for my newly aquired Tetrapanex (thanks LPN!) but am wondering how much room I should allow. I have seen remarkable specimens on the UKOasis forum gallery but I don't know if those have died down for the winter or not. My garden offers a mixture of mostly sunny with partly shaded spots and very good, composted soil. I realize it can be a runner but I am willing to deal with it. My garden is quite full (you can ALWAYS find a spot), so I am hoping it would grow more upright than outward. So...three questions...How wide can I anticipate it to get? Should I choose the sunniest, shadiest, or does it matter, location? and How many years for it to become large and full? I'd love to see photos if any of you have large, mature ones.
I have a barrier around mine, like a bamboo. It is planted in a bed with everything else, I just prune back any branches that go where I don't want them. The leaves can get quite big. Mine isn't that old yet, one day though. They require a fair amount of watering or you will quickly realise it isn't happy. You'll have to go back to the UKO site for really mature ones. Most of those folks wrap them in winter, so they have taller plants. Couple of years at the most to get to a fair size. Basically once the roots are established, get out of the way.
