If gardeners want to add some tropical punch to the garden, elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta) and a close botanical cousin (Alocasia) are one of the first plants that I recommend (USDA hardiness zones 7b-10). Also called ornamental taro, plants take off and grow rapidly after spring planting (when all threats of freeze injury have waned). […]
Archive for the ‘Tropical Plants (non-hardy)’ Category
Elephant Ears In The Garden
Posted by Hugh on May 11th, 2021
Posted in acidic soil, Alocasia, Annuals, Colocasia, compost, Container garden, Fall Garden Interest, Flower arrangments, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, mulching, Planting tips, Poisonous or toxic, Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Wind protection, Winter Protection 
Comments Off on Elephant Ears In The GardenPlanting A Tropical Look In Your Temperate Garden
Posted by Hugh on April 26th, 2021
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 […]
Posted in Alocasia, Banana (Ensete spp.), Banana (Musa spp.), Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Canna lily, Canna lily, Caricature Plant (Graptophyllum), Chlorosis (yellowing), Colocasia, Container garden, deadheading, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Elephant ears (Colocasia), Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching, plant nutrition, Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Propagation (dividing), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Tapioca plant (Manihot), Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Planting A Tropical Look In Your Temperate GardenPlant Awards Of 2021
Posted by Hugh on January 10th, 2021
For 2021, the National Garden Bureau (NGB), the non-profit organization promoting gardening in North America, has announced the five (5) plant classes that will be featured in the 2021 “Year of the” program. Annual: Year of the Sunflower Vegetable/edible: Year of the Garden Bean Perennial: Year of the Monarda Bulb: Year of the Hyacinth Flowering Shrub: Year of the Hardy […]
Posted in acidic soil, Annuals, Attracting birds, Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bulb Crops, Butterflies, Calamint, Container garden, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Ferns, Flower Arranging, Flower arrangments, Flowering house plant, Foliage plant, Fruits & Vegetables, Green Beans, Herbs, Hibiscus acetosella, Hosta, Hummingbird, Hyacinth, Landscape ideas, Monarda (Beebalm), Native Plant, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Planting tips, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Sunflowers, Uncategorized, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Plant Awards Of 2021Caring For Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti
Posted by Hugh on December 26th, 2020
Holiday cacti are not true cactus plants. They are native to tropical rainforests of South America and their care is much different than desert cacti. Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti refers to the time that they bloom in Fall. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) and Christmas cactus (S. bridgesii are available in several flower colors: red, salmon, pink, purple, orange and […]
Posted in acidic soil, Autumn flowering, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, Landscape ideas, Mealy bugs, Photoperiod (Daylength), Planting tips, Propagation (Cuttings), Pruning, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Thanksgiving cactus, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Caring For Thanksgiving/Christmas CactiAnthuriums Thrive in Low Light
Posted by Hugh on December 16th, 2020
Anthuriums are easy to grow houseplants. They have become wonderful plant gifts around the holidays and birthdays. First and foremost, anthuriums are low light tropical plants. They grow best in bright, indirect light, but produce fewer flowers in low light. Anthuriums sport long-lasting glossy, deep-green leaves and sturdy flowering bract-like blooms. The flowers of an […]
Posted in acidic soil, Anthurium, Aphids, Evergreen, Fertilizing plants, Flower Arranging, Mealy bugs, Mites, Planting tips, Potting Mix, Propagation (dividing), Scale, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer heat tolerant, Sun scald, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips Comments Off on Anthuriums Thrive in Low LightIs Your Home Ready For Monstera?
Posted by Hugh on December 1st, 2020
Monstera, aka Swiss Cheese Philodendron or Split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) is a climbing evergreen member of the Arum family (Araceae) native to the tropics of Central America. It may also be grown outdoors in (USDA plant hardiness zones 10-12). Monstera is grown for its large cutleaf foliage, sometimes perforated, that may grow up to 3 […]
Posted in acidic soil, Container garden, Disease resistant, Evergreen, Foliage plant, Landscape ideas, Monstera (Split leaf Philo), Philodendron, Purchasing Plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, winter hardiness, Winter Protection Comments Off on Is Your Home Ready For Monstera?Houseplants Improve Your Home Atmosphere
Posted by Hugh on November 26th, 2020
Houseplants decorate as well as clean the air at work and in homes or apartments, particularly when windows are closed over the winter months. Doctors tell us that an environment filled with lots of plants help to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve mind function, particularly our ability to concentrate. Here are six easy […]
Posted in Bromeliads, Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), Dracaena, Ferns, Foliage plant, Fragrant, Interior (house) Plants, Landscape ideas, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, Snake plant (Sanservieria), Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering iris, ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas) Comments Off on Houseplants Improve Your Home AtmosphereGrowing Cyclamen In The Home
Posted by Hugh on November 22nd, 2020
Cyclamens, the non-hardy forms, have become popular gift plants. Cyclamens are incorrectly labelled as tropical houseplants at garden shops. Many people enjoy this flowering plant for long as possible and toss it once blooming has stopped. Cyclamens enjoy a long blooming period indoors in a cool room and are fussy, a bit of a challenge […]
Posted in Autumn flowering, Cold tolerance, Container garden, Cyclamen, Fertilizing plants, Flowering house plant, plant nutrition, Potting Mix, Purchasing Plants, Repotting plants, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Tropical Plants (non-hardy), watering tips, Winter flowering, Winter Garden Interest, winter hardiness Comments Off on Growing Cyclamen In The HomeMarginal Plants For Wet Areas
Posted by Hugh on August 16th, 2020
Most perennials demand well-drained soil. They perform poorly or die out when in ground that is constantly wet and soggy. However, a small number of perennials tolerate and even thrive in moist soils. Most plants listed here are all hardy within zones 5-8, and grow best in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Most are okay getting their feet (roots and crown) wet for […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Attracting birds, Attracting Butterflies, Baneberry (Actaea), Bayberry (Myrica), Bee Favorite, Bees and other pollinators, Bin bluestem (Andropogon), Birch (Betula spp.), Brunnera 'Jack Frost', Butterflies, Calamagrostis, Canna lily, Carex (Sedges), Container garden, Cornus sanguinea, Cornus sericea, Dawn redwood (Metasequoia), Deciduous, Eupatorium 'Gateway', Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate', Farfugium, Ferns, Filipendula, Ground cover, Hakone grass, Hardy begonia (B. grandis), Hellebores, Hibiscus coccineus, Hibiscus moscheutos, Hosta, Hummingbird, Hydrangea arborescens, Ilex (hollies), Iris, Kerria, Landscape ideas, Lobelia (cardnial flower), Magnolia virginiana, Maidenhair fern (Adiantum), Milkweeds (Asclepias), Muhly grass, mulching, Native Plant, Native Plant, Nepeta (catmint), Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium), Obedient plant (Physotegia), Ornamental Grasses, Papyrus, Perennials, Planting tips, Purchasing Plants, river birch, Rodgersia, Sedges (Carex), Shade Gardening, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Spring flowering, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, Summersweet (Clethra), Switchgrass (Panicum), Toadlily (Tricyrtis), Tradescantia (Spiderwort), Trees & Shrubs, Virginia sweetspire, watering tips, Weigela, Winterberry holly Comments Off on Marginal Plants For Wet AreasQueen Of The Prairie Or Meadowsweet
Posted by Hugh on June 6th, 2020
Q “Tall and pretty spectacular” very much describes Queen of the prairie (Filipendula rubra) (USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8). Twelve species comprise this genus of U.S. perennials (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). Best known species are meadowsweet (F. ulmaria).dropwort (F. vulgaris), both native to Europe, and queen-of-the-forest (F. occidentalis) and queen-of-the-prairie (F. rubra), both native […]
Posted in acidic soil, Aggressive grower, alkaline soil, Bees and other pollinators, Butterflies, Deciduous, Disease resistant, Filipendula, Flower Arranging, Foliage plant, Fragrant, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, mulching trees, Native Plant, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Powdery mildew, Propagation (dividing), Propagation (Seed), Purchasing Plants, Rust diseases, Soil drainage, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips, winter hardiness Comments Off on Queen Of The Prairie Or Meadowsweet
