I was down at a friends house in South-Central Georgia yesterday and was suprised at what all he was growing in a 8b climate as winter die-backs. He said he can put just about anything outside and if it gets nipped by the cold in the winter it will come back the following spring. Of course he only gets 5-6 frosts/freezes a year (ALOT warmer than most of us) but it can still get pretty cold when it does freeze. He was growing many unusual tropical trees he got from Costa Rica, Ficus elastica, Jatropha spp., Shrimp plants (that were blooming even on Jan. 1), Bromeliads that I would never expected to be so cold hardy including many Vriesea and Aechmea spp., Aloes, Tropical Agaves, King palms, Croton, Calathea, etc etc.
He even had Coral trees that never die back (but lose leaves) that were 12 ft. tall. This winter he is leaving out a few other things like Avocado and more bromeliads to test their hardiness.
Anyone else growing plants like these in a zone 8 climate? I know in zone 8 you would never be able to get most of these things very large, but to be able to plant things like this out, to me, and to have them come back in full force every spring is amazing!
Tropicals as die-backs
michael it sounds like he is pretty warm maybe a zone 9 most of the time? I dont know many people testing things out as tropical as what he has besides a few friends in alabama and that area. Micro climates can make a huge difference to some plants.
I grow a lot of what your friend is growing and like you said, they occasionall die back and pop right up in the spring.
Microclimates are the answer. I am near the coast on a barrier island marsh. Just a few miles inland from my home they have frost often where I get only the occasional mild one.
There is a man in Augusta who has successfully grown tropical palms (in the ground) for many years. If my memory serv es me correctly, a lot of his trees are grown on the grounds of a Catholic high school where he teaches. I can't remember his name but he is well known in the area and you could ask at any Augusta or N. Augusta nursery to direct you to his home or school and view these palms. They are awesome.
Yep.
I'm in 8B, although it feels like 9A most of the time.
Currently, as I type, the following are still blooming in my yard. Note, I saw a zebra longwing butterfly YESTERDAY. (Does that count as the first flutterby of the year, or the last from last year? LOL)
Blooming: my red Pentas, my red shrimp plant, tropical passionflower (loaded), several salvias, most of my cupheas, especially the Mexican Heather, Batface/MickeyMouse Ears and Twinkle Toes. (The cigar plant is not blooming, but that's because I cut it back to about half size in October.)
Still: Outside and not Coming In: Pineapple (a bromeliad), tropical hibiscus, Bird of Paradise, several different elephant ears and alocasias, a majesty palm, my windmill palm, three bananas, most of my herbs and probably a dozen others that I can't think of off the top of my head.
Ardesia....funny you mention the Catholic high school....that is where I graduated from and the teacher there is named Joe Levert. yes the school has lots of cool palms and plants. Back then I wasnt as interested in them but still liked sitting in religion class during the winter when Mr. Levert would bring his most tender plants inside. I have revisited several times since I graduated and many of the smaller palms, eucalyptus and others that were very small then are mature now. His yard, very close to Aquinas High School is also a tropical lovers dream. Giant cycads, palms, tetrapanax, etc etc. Some very rare and unusual.
Brian, I agree. I think by the books it is 8b but plants dont really read books so id say his area is most likely 9a. It kind of suprised me because it is a good ways from the coast which is standard 9a with even warmer microclimates.
Dogzilla, must be warm if you are still seeing zebra-long wings. I tried leaving out a pineapple this year but it is a goner now. Just an experiment, I didnt think it would work but you never know until you try. the thing that got me about this guys place was the Bromeliads he was growing outside. Not any of the ones you normally think of as being super-cold hardy too like Puyas. Amazing!
Yes, that is his name; small world isn't it. I have seen his trees and they are amazing. I have heard Joe LeVert speak on the subject and he talks of how he creates these microclimates with windbreaks and appropriate shade, etc. Quite inspiring!
From a person from the North.
I consider when they lose their leaves, that is their way of falling back. I am not for certain about this, but I have always believed that some plants require this, and rejuvenate in the Spring. A process.
Not all that is in the south can handle the frosts up here in the north, thus die, rather than die back and rejuvenate. We have trees up north that die back, lose leaves, look awful but come back every year - the lilac is a classic example, also the maple trees.
Those of us up north who choose to grow tropicals plan to keep them stored in warmer conditions.
I have always been a firm believer on keeping a plant in conditions that are the norm from their original habitat. We can get alot of that info from the plants database. Poinsettas are a good one, for example to think about.
Right, I agree. I think alot of plants that do die back in winter are ones that come from tropical areas with pronounced dry seasons. They are used to losing thier leaves during the months of no rain. Some Amorphophallus are a good example, or some Caladiums/Xanthosomas.
I grow many of the same things. There are only a few things I keep in pots to move inside for a month or so. Mainly plumeria and such. Everything else stays in the ground. We have occasional freezes, but not sustained.