red bird of paradise shrub - root hardy in zone 6b?

[dukeofdoom]

Just wanted to share that this plant (below) is apparently root hardy in this zone 6b



Its been here in a local park for the last two years. Photos of it from earlier this year below, coming back from -18C this winter.
Sadly, it's been sprayed with some type of herbicide, so I think this it's the last year of its life.
Its near a public parking lot, who ever sprayed it must have mistaken it for a weed.







Anyone try growing this plant?

[seedscanada]

I have one outside since last spring. It had no supplemental heat this past winter and kept its stem. It did however have the trachycarpus a few inches away from it and therefore it was covered with the insulated box through the thick of winter.... experienced around -13c.
I think somehow, some seeds ended up in the trachy pot before i planted it last spring.
Also known as:
Pride of Barbados, Red Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, Peacock Flower, flamboyan-de-jardin
Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Read more: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2247/#ixzz2ZQs06sFd