Cold winter weather doesn't necessarily mean you must give up your dreams of having a tropical garden at home. There are several varieties of cold-hardy tropical plants you can grow in the ground or in containers to bring the atmosphere of the tropics anywhere you are. Here are some suggestions for tropical plants that grow well in colder climates:
It doesn't get much more tropical than the banana plant. While the varieties of banana plants you can grow at home aren't likely to produce edible fruit, they still make stunning additions to a tropical garden. Though technically a herbaceous plant rather than an actual tree, some bananas can grow upwards of 12 feet tall in the right conditions. Luckily, this is the case even for colder climates.
The best option for a cold weather winter garden is either the Japanese banana or the Dwarf Cavendish banana. Trimming it down to a stump and mulching heavily during the winter will help it survive in temperatures well below freezing and allow it to bounce back in the spring.
Bamboo is an extremely resilient and fast-growing plant. While some species can be invasive, clumping varieties won't spread, making them an excellent choice for cold-hardy tropical plants. Some of the biggest advantages of bamboo are its utility and low-maintenance needs. You can plant clumping bamboo around the edges of your yard to create a natural privacy fence. Besides the occasional trimming, bamboo doesn't need much regular maintenance to thrive, and will last through snowy winters with ease.
For a colorful addition to your tropical garden, consider planting canna lilies. These cold hardy plants have foliage as bright and aesthetically pleasing as their blooms. Some produce large, variegated leaves in red, pink, orange and even dark purple.
While technically cold-hardy, canna lilies should be dug up from the ground before the first frost. You can save the bulbs inside until it's time to replant them in warmer weather.
While these suggestions are all suitable for colder temperatures, it's always a good idea to research specific plant needs before adding them to your garden. Knowing how best to care for plants will help them thrive and keep your garden lush all year long.
Susan Shuxian Hu has been a dedicated realtor serving in Silicon Valley since 2010. With great passion, outstanding negotiation skills and due diligence, she has helped many buyers and sellers in their real estate needs. Living in West San Jose for more than 14 years, she has broad knowledge in Cupertino, West San Jose, Los Altos and Saratoga. She has enormous patience working with buyers and never tired of showing all possible properties that may fit client’s needs. Clients appreciate her best service to their satisfaction. She specialized in luxurious real estate purchase in Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga and Palo Alto. She also helped friend and past client’s referral working in San Francisco, Foster City and far reached Bay Area.
Susan Shuxian Hu was graduated in East China Normal University in Shanghai with bachelor and master degrees in Bio science. She came to US in 1989 and earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics in Texas A&M University in 1996. After one year of postdoc in Southern Florida University in Tampa, she moved back to Orlando with her family and started working in Lucent Technologies. In 2002, Susan moved to California, Silicon Valley joined a start-up company. Since then she worked in high tech Corporation till 2009. Driven by her dream job pursuing, she found her passion working in sales by helping people in real estate after one year of education in De Anza business and real estate law study. Since then, she has been serving many people in Bay Area for their real estate needs.
With bilingual advantage, she has been actively working with Chinese immigrants as well as local engineers and residents. With rich high tech background and connection with Chinese community, Susan has served in luxurious real estate in last a couple of years.