I am in the seattle washington area zone 7/8....I know of hardy bananas ...musa basjoo and mussela lasicopra ...Does any one have any suggestions for something on the tropical side that might do well here in the rainy northwest ? Something nice and showey
Chris
Plant suggestions for guy with Zone envy ?
Are you willing to bring plants in and store them or are you looking for stuff you can leave outside over winter?
A lot of the Passifloras from the tacsonia subgenus do well in cool damp conditions...
Also some of the hedychium gingers might survive too.
cool thanks ... for the suggestions ... I am looking for plants that I can iether leave outside to fend for them selves ...Or ... bring into the garage in the form of easily storeable tubers.. bulbs .. or rhizomes ...
chris
Hi Chris, I ordered some tropicals this year that I hope to overwinter as dormant tubers. We are zone 4 and I asked for ones that would do that. These are the ones I have growing now: Musa Zebrina, Colocasias - lime zinger and the black one and a purple stem one, Canna Pretoria, Calla Lily, and dahlias. These might all do well outdoors for you - my mother's neighbor in Mich has a calla lily that is now 5 ft tall that she leaves out for the winter. Mine are all spending the winter in the basement, however!
Chris,
Check out Ensete maurelii, the Plant Delights catalog says that it is hardy in zone 8. I am in 9B, and it does fine for me here, some leaf damage in the winter, that is all. Further south in Florida it does not do well. The main problem is that you need to keep the crown from rotting in cool weather.
It is a truly stunning plant though.
Mary
Wow thanks for all the suggestions ... Ill check them out.. Might anyone have experience with cycads in cooler climates ... ? like the common variety Cycas Revoluta ?
Chris
What are you talking about zone envy?I envy your zone.....just kidding,I do the best with what I have,LMK if I can help.
Fatsia japonica isn't tropical, but looks it... Bears Breeches (Acanthus), Croscosmia will give you color, the "smoke" tree, True Solomons' Seal. There are some palms that will grow there (they grow in the park by the locks). Hosta LOOK tropical... Yes, the Hedychiums will do well in a warm corner with mulching in the winter (check out the Chinese Garden in Portant next time you go)....Brugmansias (you might have to bring them in....
HTH, Carol