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Tropical Gardens with Hardy Plants |
pablus
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2003
Posts: 2156
From: www.crazedmugs.com
|  Posted: 2010-02-11 7:51 pm Permalink
Yeah, thanks JT. That's good advice. I know you're a plant man too and feel my pain.
Almost all of my stuff is under a massive canopy of oaks, but it didn't matter this freeze as it has in the past ones. I hate all this global warming, it's killing my tropicals.
[ This Message was edited by: pablus 2010-02-11 19:52 ]
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7908
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2010-02-11 8:52 pm Permalink
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 8498
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2013-01-13 2:18 pm Permalink
Today I saw a field of Swiss Chard and it would make a beautiful faux tropical plant; big bright green glossy leaves and vibrant red stalks and veins. Add a couple of silk tropical flowers and you're set! I picked up some seed today and I'll see how it works.
(edit) DOH! I just used the search feature and found out I'm about 8 years late with that suggestion, it was already posted in this very thread 
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[ This Message was edited by: MadDogMike 2013-01-13 14:23 ]
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nui 'umi 'umi
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 21, 2011
Posts: 2301
From: La Mirada Atoll
| Posted: 2013-01-13 8:07 pm Permalink
This post will twist off in a slightly different direction and then I'll attempt to bring it back on track.
This first pic shows the tops of 3 queen palms all planted at the same time. They were all approx. of equal size 2 years ago. They are sorta the canopy in my current "jungle "area. I planted it 2 years ago right next to my outdoor stand alone tiki bar. The plan was that those sitting at the bar would have a "view" of bunch of tropical and semi-tropical plants.
The long broad leaf in the foreground is from an Amaryllis I stuck in the earth last Christmas after forcing the bulb to bloom. Surprise to me-It's doing well.
Worked okay til we built a new patio which is were we now hang out more often.
This is lookin towards the new patio-the new jungle will be directly left (north)
I cut the cactus (peruvian red apple) down to a foot every year or so. The Mexican weeping bamboo in the center will go into the new jungle area.
View from dining area in new patio towards new jungle area (unplanted). Was a bare cinder block wall before I erected the dog eared fence trimmed with 3" bamboo. This area was ideal for my tomato's (lottsa heat). The wood should make it a little cooler and it also affords us some privacy from the church parking lot on the other side.
new jungle area east to west followed by opposite view.
now to get back on track, these are some of the plant's that are going into the new jungle are.
Colacosia (will get very big in the ground), flamethrower palm, Fern "Court Jester",and Philodendron "Xanadu" (dwarf).
Australian sword fern and an arrowhead that I may not put in the ground. In certain places they tend to takeover.
Mexican weeping bamboo. !0-15' tall
Monstera, foreground
Green striped bamboo.12-15', clumper
Chamaedora (bamboo palm, 8-10'.
Australian tree fern. probably won't put into ground til I see how much shade I'll have come summer.
This Red banana was left outside unprotected during our recent california cold snap. It will probably recover with no ill effect.
This dwarf banana was also left outside unprotected. I have no doubt that it will fully recover.
A plumaria that surprisingly still has it's leaves although they're suffered some leaf burn.
The last two pix are some plants that may or may not be used.
The new area is ready for planting. I'm hopeful that I can get em in the ground this month and give em an early start so they'll burst forth in the spring and fill the area quickly. I also have a Bottle palm ( Hyophobe Lagenicaulis) that will be the focal point in this jungle garden-Google this palm,it's a real exotic looker. I'm a member of the Los Angeles International Fern Society so I'm gonna fill any bare areas with ferns of various kinds. I'm open to any suggestions and appreciate any and all tips and recommendations.
Cheers
[ This Message was edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2013-01-13 20:57 ]
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nui 'umi 'umi
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 21, 2011
Posts: 2301
From: La Mirada Atoll
| Posted: 2013-02-08 1:28 pm Permalink
Got my "jungle area" planted in January. Finally snagged a Giant timber bamboo and put it in the ground a couple of days ago, Had two episodes of Hail this morning. We'll see how things progress come spring.
Cheers
newly planted bamboo
other plants not liking the cold
Cheers
[ This Message was edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2013-02-08 13:30 ]
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Atomic Tiki Punk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 19, 2009
Posts: 7048
From: Costa Misery
| Posted: 2013-02-08 4:31 pm Permalink
I feel you David (not in a creepy way,man!) this unusual cold snap, here in Cali
is wreaking havoc on my Cannas, Banana plants, plumaria's etc.
I usually have flowering Canna's all year round here & I am going to have to cut them low
for the first time ever.
Thank God Global Warming isn't real 
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Big Kahuna
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2007
Posts: 2482
From: SoMass
| Posted: 2013-02-08 5:04 pm Permalink
Check the forecast for Boston, ATP! 2+ feet of snow, hurricane force winds, "Be prepared to stay in for 48 hours." This sucks! I'll be in The Mauna Kai Lounge experimenting, 'til further notice!
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Atomic Tiki Punk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 19, 2009
Posts: 7048
From: Costa Misery
| Posted: 2013-02-08 5:23 pm Permalink
Not to diminish your impending Hella-Storm Big K, but I expect
Boston to have real weather, especially in the winter
But us Californians never get used to real weather here, because it happens so rarely
Stay safe & warm, my friend !
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MaiTaiMe
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Apr 02, 2013
Posts: 44 | Posted: 2013-04-14 10:20 am Permalink
This question goes out to BambooBen...or anyone else with experience in apple bananas.
We've been thinking about planting an apple banana tree. We are in Huntington Beach, CA. We've got a space that's about 4'x4' to put it. But we are worried about how invasive the roots are because it'd be near the house and a concrete slab. It would get direct sun for about 6 hours. We've been really successful at growing tropical plants(which is surprising cuz I don't have much of a green thumb). Trying to figure out how hard they are to grow, maintain and if its possible in our space.
Here's to hoping for bananas in my own yard! I'll have banana bread for everyone if it works out!
thanks for any help!
MaiTaiMe
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Atomic Tiki Punk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 19, 2009
Posts: 7048
From: Costa Misery
| Posted: 2013-04-14 11:55 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2013-04-14 10:20, MaiTaiMe wrote:
This question goes out to BambooBen...or anyone else with experience in apple bananas.
We've been thinking about planting an apple banana tree. We are in Huntington Beach, CA. We've got a space that's about 4'x4' to put it. But we are worried about how invasive the roots are because it'd be near the house and a concrete slab. It would get direct sun for about 6 hours. We've been really successful at growing tropical plants(which is surprising cuz I don't have much of a green thumb). Trying to figure out how hard they are to grow, maintain and if its possible in our space.
Here's to hoping for bananas in my own yard! I'll have banana bread for everyone if it works out!
thanks for any help!
MaiTaiMe
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Not to speak for Ben, But this does not sound like the best location for a Banana Plant
The base can get thick & they usually need a bit of water which can be problematic to the slab
they also need more light (12 hours a day is preferred)
also you will need plenty of clearance for the leaves of the plant which can get very large
and one last thing, Banana Plants attract Ants.
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hiltiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 10, 2004
Posts: 3867
From: Reseda, calif.
| Posted: 2013-04-14 1:09 pm Permalink
Mai tai me, I have several kinds of bananas growing in the backyard and bananas are real easy to take care of and maintain. Make sure you grow them next to a concrete wall or something like it, they like protection from the wind and they like warm places in order to grow. The roots are not invasive and your 4 by 4 space should be enough for the plant to grow. the amount of sun you have is fine the plant can grow up to 10 to 12 feet so maybe it can get even more sunlight as it grows. Make sure it gets plenty of water and fertilizer at first until the plant is established. It is a beautiful tropical plant and it is a perfect background for other plants or potted plants that you might want to put around it.. the only danger really is the strong winds that we get at times, make sure you are watching the plant and you might need to attach the plant by a rope to the wall or something so it doesn't brake. Hope this helps.
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8FT Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 30, 2003
Posts: 1392
From: Kansas City, MO
| Posted: 2015-06-23 3:44 pm Permalink
We have one of these Sapphire Skies Yucca plants and have now had it 2-3 years. It is doing great here in zone 5B (Mid Missouri)
It is a columnar yucca which forms a stalk as it grows and gets taller as opposed to other yuccas that stay the same height and do not form a stalk.
From the nursery tag: "Truly one of the most beautiful yuccas for the garden, and certainly the most cold hardy of the trunk forms. A short needled selection with striking baby-blue foliage that radiates out of the central stalk. In 10 years you can expect a 4-5' specimen. Dry Winter soils a must." This is the first year I have trimmed the brown lower needles and this revealed our trunk. It made the plant look much more impressive! The photo below is not our plant but shows what you can expect. I think we will have to find some more of these.
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8FT Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 30, 2003
Posts: 1392
From: Kansas City, MO
| Posted: 2016-03-27 3:29 pm Permalink
With a milder than average Winter here I have uncovered the banana stumps already and most are shooting up new stalks. Still had to cover them a couple of times due to low overnight temps but they are happy. I used to cut the stalks off at or near ground level when they died in the freezing fall temps but have learned that I do not have to do that and by leaving them 12-18 inches or so, they return better next Spring. If you thought you could not grow banana plants where you are, you should try this one.
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I once was lost.....but now I'm found.....
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Overproof Mike
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 12, 2014
Posts: 25 | Posted: 2016-05-13 8:01 pm Permalink
I'm surprised no one brought up the book _Palms Won't Grow Here and Other Myths_. Great book on growing tropical plants in temperate gardens. With the advice in that book I've grown an Ice Cream banana to fruit, eaten a pineapple I grew myself, and sniffed plumeria on my deck. All of this in Pittsburgh. I'd post pictures, but I'm moving and don't have my plants right now.
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fatuhiva
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 636
From: Melbourne Beach, FL
| Posted: 2016-05-15 12:31 pm Permalink
Unusual Philodendrons work quite well for both Polynesian (tropical) and Modernist looks.
The upside is they can be overwintered (and even grown full time) quite easily indoors, and in many cases can get enormous for the jungle appearance.
I run a nursery in Brevard County, Florida that specializes in rare an unusual tropical plants, with a collector's emphasis on Philodendron.
I ship nationwide- every week there's something interesting for sale online:
http://www.ExoticaTropicals.com
some other plants we carry for those in warmer areas are Heliconia (Lobster Claws) Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees, Alocasia, Anthurium, Ginger etc etc
Cool Philodendrons make excellent Tiki Room additions..
[ This Message was edited by: fatuhiva 2016-05-15 12:34 ]
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