Lush Tropical Landscape Ideas

Cold-Hardy Tropical Plants

• What could be more tropical than palms and bananas? For a cold-hardy tropical-look garden, there are palms, such as the windmill palm and dwarf palmetto, that are hardy to temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and even more that are hardy to temperatures from 20 degrees to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. While these palms may suffer leaf damage during extreme temperatures, they are quick to recover when temperatures warm.

  Another cold-hardy tropical is Musa basjoo, a Japanese banana species. It has been reported to survive in USDA zone 4b without winter protection. These bananas can reach 14 feet in height in a single season under proper conditions. Musa basjoo does not produce fruit, but gardeners have been digging up and storing fruit-producing banana trees during the winter for years, making this another possibility to have the tropical look, plus your own bananas.

Large-Leaved Hardy Plants

• Tetrapanax papyriferus "Steroidal Giant," also called "rice paper plant" is hardy to zone 6. Its grayish-green leaves are 2 to 3 feet wide and deeply lobed. Rice paper plant is a dramatic addition to a tropical landscape.

  Acanthus spinosus, commonly called "bear's breeches", is a favorite tropical-esque plant for northern gardens. Its huge, glossy, dark green leaves and tri-colored flower spikes that shoot up to 4 to 5 feet tall in late spring give a landscape a definite tropical look. The plant is happy in full sun or partial shade. It is hardy to USDA zone 7, and can be replanted from seed in spring in colder zones.

Tropical-esque Grass

• Cyperus involucratus, also called "umbrella plant", is a sedge grass with a very tropical look and feel. Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, umbrella sedge can grow to 3 to 5 feet. A relative of papyrus, it likes to be kept wet, and is a perfect marginal pond plant for tropical landscapes.

Hardy Ferns

• Ferns give any landscape a soft, tropical look and feel. Partial to moist, shady spots, ferns are easy to grow and spread rapidly.

  Cyrtomium spp,. or "holly fern," is a large fern that has species which can reach heights of 30 inches or more. They thrive in partial to full shade and need supplemental water during dry periods. Holly fern is hardy to USDA zone 6.

  Dryopteris erythrosora, or "autumn fern," is a standout plant in the landscape due to its striking leaf colors. Leaves emerge a coppery-pink in spring, turn green in summer and rust-colored in fall. Growing 2 to 3 feet tall, it prefers moist locations, but may withstand a short drought. Autumn fern is hardy to USDA zone 6.