Mandrake has an interesting history. I always liked the part where you are warned on pain of death against harvesting it; instead you should tie your dog to the plant and let him uproot it (with fatal consequences for the beast).
I was pleased this spring to see that my Amorphophallus konjac had overwintered. The young shoots look like pale pink fingers covered with splotches of gray-black gangrene.
Very nice.
Mine outside for four years hasn’t made an appearence.
Dracunculus vulgaris had a very brief growing period and did not bloom in Central Arkansas, Zone 7.
I’m partial to Bamboo myself, i just wish “Moso” bamboo (Timber bamboo) was able to grow in Zone 6 (Southern Maine), there’s just something cool about a grass that can grow up to 75 feet tall in a single season and the culms are strong enough to use for building materials
as far as aquatic plants go, Water Lettuce is a great aquarium/pond plant, it has long, feathery roots that aquarium fish (especially bettas) LOVE to swim through and hide in, it’s one of the most efficient nutrient sponges in aquaria, most aquariums have to deal with a Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate buildup in the water, which is removed through water changes, in my Water Lettuce tanks, my Nitrogenous waste levels are always 0/0/less than 5 PPM, i actually have to ADD Nitrate to the tank otherwise the plants suffer from Nitrate deficiency symptoms
I don’t have any plants to add, but I want to send out a recommendation for David Attenborough’s “The Private Life of Plants” which is one of the most remarkable, fascinating and beautifully photographed documentaries I have ever seen. Unfortunately it is not available of DVD in the states. I bought the VHS for it several years ago, but lent them out to a friend who moved away. Sigh.