In regards to indoor plants, what other plants have large foliage besides the White (Giant) Bird of Paradise, Monstera, EE, or Pothos?
We really enjoy the tropicals with the largest foliage, which usually include most any philodendron. Since our pothos can't climb much we've been unable to get very large leaves with them. We've had a few peace lilies get rather large, but nothing comes close to the monstera or White BOP.
We've considered getting a "baby" Traveler's Palm, but haven't found many other plants that have the large foliage we enjoy.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
John
Tropicals with large foliage
How about a variegated dieffenbachia. My friend has one with huge leaves. It is beautiful, but I have always been partial to these. Dieffenbachia maculata which is the one I think she has, has leaves 10", but I think the plant she has has larger leaves than that. D. amoena has 18 inch leaves, maybe that's what she has, it is variegated too.
How about bananas, would they get too tall for you? Of course there are some palms that should fit the bill. Agave attenuata is a very striking succulent with large leaves. Do you have the large leaved split-leaf philodendron that's not a vine? I love those. How about ficus carica (edible fig) or ficus lyrata (fiddleleaf fig)?
My staghorn fern has fronds 3-4 feet long. It is a massive group of plants now. A tree fern would be beautiful too.
Hope this helps you a little.
We've been considering the Dumb Cane's, I think they'd make a nice addition to our collection. I just started looking at Banana plants on eBay too. I honestly hadn't previously considered them, but now that I see the variety, I'm intrigued to perhaps give them a try.
Our split leaf philos (monstera's) technically do vine, but they haven't much so far. We have one very large plant that has a leaf over 2.5' - but most of the leaves on the other plants are still 1-2' or under. I would love to grown them outside, but we're much to cold for them in the winter. That's my problem with being a tropical plant lover.
I had never heard of the Crinum lily before, but wow those leaves are huge. That definitely be an outdoor plant I imagine. How hardy are they?
how about Canna musifolia? it's called the banana canna. Fatsia japonica also gets a huge leaf. Gunnera and Acanthus are two more.
I hadn't even thought about Cannas. I've had those indoors before and outside they grow like crazy. I'll definitely have to add them back on the list.
Dutch we're in 8a, so it'd definitely be an inside plant for the winter :)
Crinums will do well outdoors in Columbia. Check out Lush Life nurseries; I think they are in the N. Augusta area(Beech Island maybe), they grow some with huge 12' leaves. Jenks Farmer owns Lush Life and he is really into unusual plants. He is doing a program at Riverbanks next month, check it out.
Also, Eclipse just gave me this website; they have some amazing Aspidestras. I am contemplating "investing" in a couple; they are beautiful but pricey. http://www.asiaticanursery.com/
OMG, I wish I had not looked at that Asiatic Nursery site! I want all of the plants there.
another i thought of. Musella lasiocarpa.
Now that's neat. Musella lasiocarpa looks a lot like the Banana.
That website is crazy, talk about some amazing plants. You know, I honestly have never been into the whole variegated plant thing, but the more I see some of those, the more I like them.
Most of the time I guess I'm just happy with the big green leafy ones, LOL.
here is a place i get a lot of plants. i love them. http://www.plantdelights.com/
If you ever want to completely lose your mind (and your good credit rating) visit one of the open house weekends at Plant Delights.
omg, i'd have to hire a semi to get back home! their catalogue is temptation enough, besides being the funniest!
Try this plant, does well in containers and it gets big, Anthurium sp http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/67468/
Check out petasites at Brians Botanicals. Here is a link:
http://briansbotanicals.net/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=petasites&osCsid=d4686cb447dcaec9b0bae82a4a3ec3b9
Jeri
Would petasites make a good indoor plant? If so you might check on gunnera, astilboides, darmera, rheum palmatum, crambe as well.
Acanthus (bear's breeches or Grecian pattern plant) is fairly decorative but not sure if it would make a good houseplant. The Romans used its leaf as a pattern for a lot of their motifs.
A large leaf plant sold at HD from time to time is pandanus (screw pine) but I wonder how they'd do as houseplants. In the ground they are medium sized trees but the leaf is probably 3 to 4 foot in diameter.
Some begonias get huge leaves as well and make great houseplants.
Philodendrons and dieffenbachias probably are your best bet since they tolerate lower light and adapt well to indoors.
Here is begonia nelumbiifolia at Fairchild Tropical Gardens with my meathook for comparison. This one was in the conservatory so it was larger than the ones outdoors.
Now that's a plant with big leaves. Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I've been looking them up as we go and making notes on the ones that appealed the most. I especially like the large (not so much long, but wide) leafy types.
Have any of you ever tried growing a Traveler's Palm inside? Our White BOP does very well indoors, but I'm concerned the palm might require much more light than we can provide indoors.
Petasides would be hardy in Columbia. Are you primarily interested in indoor or outdoor plants?
John,
I suggest Norfold Island Pine, certain columnar Euphorbias (such as Euphorbia trigona or lots of others ), and the Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata). All of these, in time, have outgrown my nine-foot ceilings and had to be given away.
Susan in Minneapolis
Rhubarb is rheum. Rheum palmatum (Chinese rhubarb) is quite a striking plant.
http://botany.cs.tamu.edu/FLORA/schoepke/rhe_pa_2.jpg
http://www.bethchatto.co.uk/plant%20portraits%20r/rheum%20palmatum%20'tanguticum'.jpg
http://www.cambridge2000.com/gallery/html/P4176073.html
ardesia, mostly indoor plants for now. Until we've settled in the new house, and I can get a fence installed in the back, I'm not sure I'll be ready to tackle the back yard yet. But when I do, this thread will come in handy.
Large leafs? How about Elephant Ears? Look at Xanthosoma Sagittifolia, Alocasia macrorrhizos, Alocasia plumbea, Colocasia Fontanesii.
They don't get much larger than that.
Steve
I had an awesome palm once that might do well indoors if there was enough humidity, It was a Licuala grandis or pleated palm. I found out the hard way it was verrrrrrry tender and the slightes cool weather did mine in.
I need to take picture, but you guys wouldn't believe the size of the Golden Pothos I bought from Lowes last night. It has the largest leaves I've ever seen for a potten Pothos. If any one in our local area is interested, it's the Lowes in Lexington.
keonikale, please post a photo. I think I saw the same plants on my side of town but they didn't look very good. They did have huge leaves and huge stems with (whatever you call the things that hold it to the support). I would love one and may have to take a trip to Lexington. There is one other Lowes nearer to me, I might check that one out first.
keonkale, have you checked at Jarrett's Jungle for your indoor tropicals? They are small but I have found some unusual plants there. I love the orange stems on this one.
What is the orange-leafed one, I saw some at Lowes in bloom and they were really weird and neat. As usual, the tag said simply"Tropical Foliage"
It is a Chlorophytum 'Fire Flash'. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/62897/index.html
I am so envious that your Lowe's carries unusual plants, our's never does.
That's it, ardesia, thanks! You have to get those "weird" plants when they come in, cause they're not well cared for at the store. Of course, it's rare they have something I really want, but did find a Ti plant this weekend, that I'm pretty sure is Kiwi. They were trying awful hard to kill it-there was only one. I rescued it in total disbeleif. I'll have to get pics to get it IDed for sure. I've also found silk pothos, bamboo, different palms there, too. However, I'm going to try more to order plants from vendors, I feel better about that.....but if I just happen to be in Lowe's for mulch or something for the house...
I do go to Lowe's (no HD here) for all my mulch and I always buy the half price (broken) bags. Someday I will take my camera and show you what the store in my town calls live plants.
Oh yes I fount one for sale ' CHLOROPHYTUM ORCHIDANTEROIDES 'FIRE FLASH' ' Hope they have some in stock.
It's the same Genus as Spider Plant .
The seller has this info ' A great new Chlorophytum with broad leaves with orange leaf petioles with color extending into the leaf with age. Does not form stolons like the 'Spider Plant'.
So glad you posted this . Her picture looks a lot like your pretty plant. May I ask what they cost at your local store and size of pot please ?
Thanks for sharing your plant,
Allison
I think (if you're asking me) that it was a 6 inch pot for @$15.00 at Lowe's
Gosh, I saw the same one at my Lowes for $ 8.00. Thought about getting one-but someone had dropped something large and heavy on all of them and smashed the tops lol that helped me decide!
Dang, ya'll in Raleigh get the good stuff too! I'm jealous, and to think, Plant Delights is not even that far way!
I have found the FL Lowe's get much better plants than we do here. Jacsonville is less than 3 hours and it sounds like time for a road trip.
The large pothos we saw I think was $23 at Lowes in Lexington. 8" pot I think. I still need to take a picture, we just got done moving this weekend.
ardesia, I love Jarrett's. I have three monstera's from them and a really nice spath I keep at work. I need to stop by again, especially since I'll now pass it every day on my way to/from work, it's been a few months since I popped in.
I'll also let you guys know how the banana plant turns out. We ordered 2 dwarf banana plants and a 30" Basjoo off eBay, the later bc it's so hardy in our area.
We've also gotten a hold of two Australian tree ferns (baby ones). So I'm hoping they'll make a nice addition to our collection. I still need to check out more of the suggestions above too.
Conratulations on the new digs; by the time you unpack it will be spring and you will be ready to plant!!!!!
Check out this banana. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/979/index.html
I first saw this one growing at the Daniel Stowe BG outside of Charlotte; it makes an awesome background plant.