This summer, whether you garden in Florida or Michigan, you can enjoy the tropical look in your garden with these 5 leafy plants, which are classified as “foliage annuals” because they are hardy in zones 10-12.

Caricature Plant (Graptophyllum pictum) in its natural tropical habitat grows 6-9 feet tall, typically 4-5 feet tall in zone 7. It is renowned for its colorful variegated foliage.

Elephant Ears (Alocasia/Colocasia), aka taro, are tropical perennial herbs with huge green or purple, heart-shaped, prominent veined leaves (zones 7b-9). Best sited in moist, organically-rich soil and adjacent to pools, ponds, and other water features. Mulch and irrigate during dry periods.

Hardy bananas (Musa basjoo) are rated hardy to northerly zone 6 and tropical Abysinian banana (Musa ensete) are winter hardy in USDA Zones 10-11. ‘Maurelii’ (red Abyssinian banana) is loved for its lush green foliage splashed with maroon-red tints and reddish leaf axils. Both grow 6-10 feet tall in temperate areas. Propagate by division.

Tapioca Plant (Manihot esculenta ‘Variegata’) is grown for its attractive palmately, 3-7 parted lobed, bright green foliage with variegated yellow midrib veins. Also called bitter cassava, this milky-sapped tropical shrub grows 6-10 feet high. Leaf lobes expand to 3-8 inches long. Small, apetalous, greenish-white flowers in short terminal panicles bloom through the summer season. (Zones 8-9). Propagate by stem cuttings.

Canna – many varieties including ‘Pretoria’ (aka ‘Bengal Tiger’) – 4-6 feet tall plant with bright orange flowers atop lush green / gold veined leaves; ‘Australia’ – huge deep red flowers atop long, burgundy-black stalks with lush chocolate brown/ silver banded foliage; ‘Tropicanna’ – tangerine flowers atop striped red, pink, yellow, gold, and green foliage. Shorter seed-produced canna varieties are also available. Deadhead old canna blooms to force reblooming.

General Care: Tropical plants are best grown in organic-rich, moist, well-drained soil in full to partial sun. Some plants tolerate part shade. Fertilize plants regularly during spring and summer. Canna bulbs are extremely heavy nutrient feeders. Site plants to protect from strong winds which can severely tatter the large leafy foliage. No serious insect or disease problems if sited and properly cared for.

Tropical plants can be grown in the ground or in containers. They are overwintered indoors for winter dormancy @cool 40°F or grown inside a heated greenhouse. Vegetative divisions or cuttings may be started in the fall.