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Funky Tropicals to Grow?

Nepenthesis

Formerly known as Pineapple
I love tropical plants. Anything tropical is awesome to me. I'm looking for tropicals all sizes, from rosettes to trees. I ordered two banana trees on eBay, and the variety gets about 5-7ft tall. They'll eventually end up outside my greenhouse. I am wanting any tropical fruits or cool tropical plants.

They'll be going into highland nepenthes conditions. The bigger plants that get to tree size or smaller plants that are cold hardy may go around the perimeter of the greenhouse.

What I'm looking for...

- Easy to keep
- Cold hardy
- Forgiving
- Any size
- Edible plants or fruits are a bonus

Any suggestions?
 
Where are you located and how much frost do you normally get each winter? Some tropicals I have growing in my yard are Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana), Queens Tears bromeliads (Billbergia nutans), a Hong Kong Orchid Tree (Bauhinia blakeana), a Pink Hollyhock Tree (Hibiscus splendens), and Porcupine Tomatoes (Solanum pyracanthum). I get light frosts (30-32°F) maybe a couple times a year, and these plants have handled it fine.

---------- Post added at 08:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 PM ----------

If you live in a cool but completely frost-free location, you might also try Deppea splendens too.
 
Yes it's importantto know where you are to know your conditions. Which state are you in? I have a Loquat tree. It does very well and holds up nicely on those few days (about 4 times a year) when we get frost and temps in the 20's. Lychee is a neat one too. I don't care for the taste of the fruits but they are popular for some reason. The fruits are pretty and I think they can handle temps in the 30's.
 
I live on the west coast, climate zone 9... It gets down to about 25F here at the absolute lowest at night, but this year we haven't had anything that cold. It's usually around 50F-70F during the day in winter, and 30F-50F at night. In the summer, it is around 80F-100F in the day (usually mid eighties) and 50-60F at night. Never snows, but occasionally it frosts a bit at night.

Any suggestions based on that? I'll look into the guavas and look into pineapples as well.
 
Pineapples should do great in spring. They'll probably grow as an annual. I still recommend a loquat tree. They provide nice shade too and stay green even in winter. I have one and just from my own experience know they are hardy.
 
Where are you located and how much frost do you normally get each winter? Some tropicals I have growing in my yard are Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana), Queens Tears bromeliads (Billbergia nutans), a Hong Kong Orchid Tree (Bauhinia blakeana), a Pink Hollyhock Tree (Hibiscus splendens), and . I get light frosts (30-32°F) maybe a couple times a year, and these plants have handled it fine.

---------- Post added at 08:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 PM ----------

If you live in a cool but completely frost-free location, you might also try Deppea splendens too.

I wouldn't go for Porcupine Tomatoes (Solanum pyracanthum,) they turn into a weed and are super poisonous
 
Pineapples should do great in spring. They'll probably grow as an annual. I still recommend a loquat tree. They provide nice shade too and stay green even in winter. I have one and just from my own experience know they are hardy.

I'll probably end up buying a few pineapples (I actually rooted my own from a fruit as well), but I don't have enough room for a loquat tree. I need something more compact. I'm more interested in small trees, like my dwarf cavendish banana trees.

I wouldn't go for Porcupine Tomatoes (Solanum pyracanthum,) they turn into a weed and are super poisonous

Good to know, lol... I wouldn't want to poison my dog -- she eats everything! :jester:
 
The banana trees aren't going to be shipped until everywhere along the shipping route is above 30F... Good precaution to take, though not sure its necessary. I'll probably get them around the 5th or April.

I'm doing some ebay shopping and I'm going to order some plumeria, the Hawaiian lei flower. :)
 
Keep in mind Plumerias won't survive a 25°F (or even 30°F) cold snap. True tropicals, they are.
 
  • #10
I'll have a heater by the time winter comes around. :)
 
  • #11
I just came from searching ebay for banans myself..want small cold hearty ones that I can over winter cut back under mulch..problem is the best for that are the basjoo and they get ******* hugh..I don't care about the fruit
 
  • #12
I got dwarf cavendish... Climate zone 8-10. The basjoo I was looking at, but I was more into the fruit. I want those regular grocery store bananas, which is the cavendish I believe.

---------- Post added at 07:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 AM ----------

Just remembered... I got mine from here: http://www.ebay.com/sch/oasistropicalplantsandtrees/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686

They have a HUGE selection of bananas, from cold hardy to rare to anything else. Wait until they upload more if you're looking for banana trees. :)
 
  • #13
Coffee plants are really fun, but they might not be hardy.
 
  • #14
Now that I'll have banana trees outside the greenhouse, I'm more interested in smaller tropicals that will be easy to keep, basically forgiving ones. I believe Trade Joe's has coffee plants, I'll check there. :)
 
  • #15
Dicksonia antarctica or another tree fern species would make a nice addition.
 
  • #16
Ive got some seed pods from this tropical plant outside that likes to make these big big leaves...really good for shading a greenhouse...if you can send me a SASE I can send you some of pods...the plant can take freezes.
 
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