How many tropicals, other then basjoo are hardy here, and where can I find them? I'm really interested in pink china, and I have contacted the seller, but haven't gotten a response yet... so I was wondering what other tropicals, especially larger leafed ones, are hardy here? Even if they need some extra mulch.
Thanks
John
Hardy tropicals, zone 6-7?
John I live In Kentucky zone 6 and I have grown just about everything that can take this weather to date. Here is just a run down of what I grow. Some will grow better in different areas. I have two areas I am working on this year. One is a full sun area this is a good area to grow many of the bananas and cannas. The other area is in shade under trees senes this area gets less light the plants usually take a bit longer to sprout up but still do. In the sun I try to go for a hawaiian type colorful look but in the shade I go for a more prehistoric dinosaur look. Contact me if you need any help. THANKS
Bananas
basjoo
itinerans
sikkimensis
velutina
orinaco
I am testing three others out of china.
Colocasias
Pink china by far the hardiest
Gigantea
Big dipper
miranda sometimes ok
Common form
Cannas just about all of them will survive if mulched a few are weaker than others though.
Tetrapanax
acanthus forms specially the new hybrids
petasites zone3 I grow 5 forms
A few ferns are nice tropical looking and hardy I grow most
Pineapple lily I have about 7 forms
Arisaema most forms
skunk cabbage three forms likes cool summers
ornamental rubuarb
their are a few huge grasses that look tropical
Bamboos a few froms are hardy
crinums I grow about 9 forms most are hardy if mulched
spider lily hardy if mulched
Gingers hydechiums are usually hardy as are a few curcumas
Yuccas specially rostrata
Palms windmill forms and sabal minors we grow a few thousand of these my fathers favorite
cast iron plant
ligularias
I could go on and on but these are some I enjoy.
Elephant ears - both black and regular green - live outdoors year around in my area, and come back in late May/early June. I have a Carolina jessemine growing in the ground on the north side of my house - it never lost its leaves this winter. I have a tropical Abutilon, growing in a pot in a sheltered area on the southeast side of my house, and it is starting to leaf out again. I will have to wait and see what others come back - too soon to know at this early date.
Thanks Brian for the list... please check your 'mail' on this sight, The I had PM'd you about the pink china, also, the canna... I have tried to mulch some over, and it didn't work to well, do you have any tips on having them NOT rot, maybe plant them in some gravel to increase drainage?
Thanks!
John