hardy tropical plants

Hello,

I'd like to create a tropical corner in my garden.

Any tips for hardy tropical plants / bushes that grow all right in the UK?

I was thinking of maybe short growing palm trees and fatsia japonica.

 

The classic small palm is Chamaerops humilis GL. It is very hardy and you can buy smallish ones at Wilko's or Morrison's at this time of year for about �£4. You could also get a Phoenix canariensis which would eventually grow into a large palm but you would have it small for quite a few years. There are so many others. One of my favourites is the Australian Myrtus communis (common myrtle) which once grown up is hardy. I suggest you do some looking round eBay (you don't have to buy on there if you don't like) but their exotics and tropicals sections under gardening will give you some ideas.

 

Hi GL, A couple more ideas to chuck into the mix,

Trachycarpus fortunei - very hardy fan palm
Phormiums - can look very tropical with large strap like leaves. The bigger varieties can take up a lot of space, so plan carefully.
Fatsia Japonica is often sold as a houseplant but very hardy, small plants soon bulk up.
Tree ferns - dicksonia antarctica - you can get small ones from Wilkinsons for a tenner. Slow growing so buy the size you want it to eventually be. The best price online is about �£20 a foot, but Tescos and Wilkos sometimes have better prices for 3' ones.
Musa Basjoo is the hardy banana - B+Q have sold this fo rthe last few years for a tenner for a small plant. This is reasonably root hardy and in manchester in a sheltered spot you will probably get the stem through winter with a little protection.
Tetrapanax rex - this is one of my favourite tropical looking plants. Not always easily available and ebay plants sell for silly money. However once people have them they send up suckers so its usually possible to get one from another gardener. If your keen on one and stuck trying to find one send me a pm, as i can probably help find one for you.

The trouble with Phoenix canariensis is the small ones sold by B+Q etc for 3.99 are not going to be hardy in most conditions. However in a very sheltered spot the bigger b+q ones may get through a winter. The very small ones should be regarded as an annual which may make it through winter.
The big ones can cost upwards of �£200 and even they are only borderline hardy at best in your part of the world. It is generally reported that they will survive -8C once of reasonable size.

Bamboo's will help give the tropical look, but be careful which you buy as some can be very invasive. look in particular for fargesia or borinda species. Despite the labels all phyllostachys species of bamboo can and will eventually run, but can usually be controlled by a sharp spade or by using a root barrier. Avoid sasa species as these tend to be the most invasive. Pseudosasa japonica is one you will see a lot in garden centres but this also can take over, and should be planted with care.

Another way to get tropical plants without spending big money is to buy some of the root crops from asian green-grocers, is you look out for veg sold as 'taro' or 'eddoes' you are probably buying colocasia escolenta, which i have grown this way many times. Nice big heart shaped leaves.

The tropical look is very popular of late and there are a lot of dedicated websites and specialist nurseries. The nearest specialist nursery to you is probably Easy Tropicals which is now in Macclesfield. Its worth checking out the prices of what you plan to buy in a few places as there can be some big differences in price.

There are lots of plants which can add to the exotic look but are not exotic, such as hosta's (if you can keep the slugs off) and ferns.

[ 10. April 2008, 10:06 AM: Message edited by: Tropical_Gaz ]

 

Couple of points Gaz (not arguing just adding). I just bought a couple of small M basjoos on eBay for �£7. They've arrived and look OK. So it pays to shop around.

I've had a couple of �£3.99 canaries in my garden for 2 winters. Last year was very mild but this year's weather more usual. I just threw some hessian over them when hard frost was forecast and have had no problems.

 

The Musa were �£7 for the 2 by the way, including shipping

 

Hi John,

Ive also got a few small canarys, 1 in a pot sailed through, 1 looks very scruffy and one died. My larger one sailed through with some fleece round it. My lowest temperature this winter was -6C. The small ones are good value, but one cant assume they will survive, a harsh winter will probably kill the small ones. In a more sheltered spot they stand the best chance especially with protection.

I agree that it really does pay to shop about and thats half of the fun for me. A couple of years back it was rather windy in mid August near me and all the nana's at my B+Q fell over and the leaves got torn/snapped. The lovely chaps at B+Q then marked them all down to 50p. I bought quite a few!

 

Hi all,

There is a place called Easy Tropicals that I love going to, the guy who runs it is really friendly. He has done some pdfs of care for some of his tropicals over winter - most of the common "hardy" tropicals are covered:

http://www.easytropicals.com/sitepage/Care_details.html

Gardenlearner, they are down in Nantwich now, not a million miles from you in Manchester. Takes us less than an hour to get there! Worth having a look, even just to get ideas!

Cheers,

Dave

 

My larger canary has been through the winter with no lagging at all And it's not very big, not even trunking yet.

I don't think my garden ever goes down to -6C. I am right on the sea but sheltered. I am in USDA zone 8b but 5 miles inland is 8a. 5 miles inland and 20 miles north is 7b. Wonderfully diverse country this.

 

Although Easy Tropicals still have the site in Nantwich this is no longer open to the public. They recently opened a new site between Holmes Chapel and Alderley Edge. (http://www.easytropicals.com/) see the news section.

They sell stuff on ebay as well. Ive had quite a few things from them at reasonable prices.

As John says, this country can have very diverse conditions. What works in one place might not work only a few miles away.

 

Gaz - they just keep moving don't they?! They're like the tropical witness protection programme! Should have checked the website a bit more closely!

Everything I have had off them has been great - my olive tree survived the winter with the minimum of protection. Pleeeeeease let's have a hot summer!

 

I have never visited them, but very pleased with what i have bought from ebay.

Slightly further afield in North Wales is Crug which has some very unusal plants (but many of these are incredibly expensive). I have had some plants from them in the past by mail order and was again very happy with the quality.

 

Hi Gaz,

Just had a look at the Crug PDF - I am sure it is a great collection, but the PDF is soooo dull. I want pictures dammit!

May be worth a drive along the coast one day, although if the prices are as you say, it might just be for a specimen!

 

The schefflera's are great looking plants, some of which are prooving quite hardy. But as there are not many suppliers and interest is rising, the prices have gone up.

I have three scheffleras in the garden, S. alpinia, S. taiwaniana and S. aff. enneaphylla and they are stunning plants, all of which have gone through 2 winters with no problems so far. I'd love some more but the taiwaniana for example has jumped from about �£20 up to �£60-�£80. I had heard that Pan-Global-Plants may be getting some in, so with any luck a bit of competition will bring prices back to more sensible levels! :D

[ 10. April 2008, 03:00 PM: Message edited by: Tropical_Gaz ]

 

Those schefflera look too tender to survive outside - I would be very interested in having a look at them! Do they die back in the winter? They look so much like a houseplant, I can't believe they survive! One for the wish list I think! :D

 

They are related to a very common house plant. The ones i have are totally hardy and dont die back. They are even evergreen!