Outdoor Tropical Plants

Cordyline

• Cordyline is a tropical plant from Southeast Asia, Melanesia and Hawaii. It consists of long, thick leaves that are usually green but can comes in shades of yellow, red, purple, white, pink and orange. Some species, such as the cordyline australis, can grow in cooler temperatures, but most prefer warm temperatures and indirect sunlight. This can be a great patio plant that you can bring indoors if the weather gets too chilly.

Hibiscus

• Hibiscus has some gorgeous blossoms that can vary in color depending on the species. Hibiscus originated from continental Asia and the Pacific islands. This plant can grow very quickly. Some hibiscus species can grow around 1 foot a year with continual blossoms year-round. This plant should not be exposed to frost. If your area has frost, pot this plant and make it the highlight of your patio.

Palm

• With more than 2,000 different species of palm tree in the world, you have many different types of palm tree from which to choose. Most need direct sunlight and warmer temperatures in order to achieve maximum height and harvest potential, but there are some species that do well as houseplants.

  The arenga engleri species is a great option for a potted houseplant. Arenga engleri rarely grows higher than 10 feet and does well in semi-shade. At maturity, arenga engleri can withstand freezing temperatures for short periods of time.

Callistemon or Bottlebrush Trees

• The callistemon species produce a variety of trees and bushes with colorful blossoms that seem to cling to the circumference of part of its branches. The bottlebrush trees come in a range of colors and sizes but need warmer temperatures. The callistemon citrinus can withstand a moderate frost.

Bamboo

• Many types of bamboo can grow in different climates; however, most bamboo species will grow best in warm temperatures. They also need a lot of water and direct sunlight, because most bamboo species grow very quickly. A good rule of thumb is to provide at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to the bamboo plant. You may need to re-pot the bamboo quickly depending on how fast the plant grows.