Thank you for the advice. I got two sikki pups off ebay last fall. One developed the red tiger coloration. I planted the pups in the ground this may and they grew like wildfire. really out paced basjoo planted at the same size. the red tiger stripes disappeared as it grew. They are now protected and hope they come back this spring. I got aton of inquiries from passersby. I am in zone six so heres hoping.