Transport Your Garden to the Tropics
Make your mild-climate garden feel like a backyard escape to Fiji or Hawaii with these 10 cool-winter-hardy plants
Picture your dream tropical destination. Perhaps you hear palm fronds rustling overhead and smell the sweet fragrance of jasmine drifting through the garden. For those of us who don’t live in tropical climates (we’re jealous of you who do), it’s still possible to evoke the beauty of an island-style garden with plants that thrive in temperate climates.
Take a look at these 10 plants for a tropical-style garden, including a vine with an intoxicating fragrance and colorful plants for containers.
Take a look at these 10 plants for a tropical-style garden, including a vine with an intoxicating fragrance and colorful plants for containers.
1. Palms
Palm trees are synonymous with the tropics, and planting one or more gives a garden a tropical-island theme. Grow a large Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis, zones 9 to 11) as a specimen tree for the backyard, or plant smaller pygmy date palms (P. roebelenii, zones 9 to 11) in pots on the patio. For cold-winter regions, look for hardy palms such as needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix, zones 8 to 10), windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei and T. takil, zones 7 to 11), California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera, zones 8 to 11) and European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis, zones 9 to 11).
Where they will grow: Hardiness varies by species; many cold-tolerant palms are hardy to 8 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 13.3 to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius; windmill palms are some of the toughest and can be cold-hardy down to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.6 degrees Celsius.
Water requirement: Moderate; some varieties drought-tolerant once established
Light requirement: Varies by species, from full sun to light shade
Palm trees are synonymous with the tropics, and planting one or more gives a garden a tropical-island theme. Grow a large Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis, zones 9 to 11) as a specimen tree for the backyard, or plant smaller pygmy date palms (P. roebelenii, zones 9 to 11) in pots on the patio. For cold-winter regions, look for hardy palms such as needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix, zones 8 to 10), windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei and T. takil, zones 7 to 11), California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera, zones 8 to 11) and European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis, zones 9 to 11).
Where they will grow: Hardiness varies by species; many cold-tolerant palms are hardy to 8 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 13.3 to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius; windmill palms are some of the toughest and can be cold-hardy down to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.6 degrees Celsius.
Water requirement: Moderate; some varieties drought-tolerant once established
Light requirement: Varies by species, from full sun to light shade
2. Angel’s Trumpet
(Brugmansia spp.)
With dramatic nodding flowers in white, pink or yellow, angel’s trumpet makes a beautiful accent plant in tropical-style gardens. Plants grow as small shrub-trees, reaching 5 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. In cold-winter regions, grow angel’s trumpet in a large container, where it will thrive all summer with regular fertilizing and water. Then bring containers to overwinter in a greenhouse or by a sunny window indoors. If grown in the ground in cold-winter climates, plan on lifting angel’s trumpet in fall and overwintering it in a greenhouse.
Caution: The flowers, leaves and seeds of angel’s trumpet are toxic if ingested.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
(Brugmansia spp.)
With dramatic nodding flowers in white, pink or yellow, angel’s trumpet makes a beautiful accent plant in tropical-style gardens. Plants grow as small shrub-trees, reaching 5 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. In cold-winter regions, grow angel’s trumpet in a large container, where it will thrive all summer with regular fertilizing and water. Then bring containers to overwinter in a greenhouse or by a sunny window indoors. If grown in the ground in cold-winter climates, plan on lifting angel’s trumpet in fall and overwintering it in a greenhouse.
Caution: The flowers, leaves and seeds of angel’s trumpet are toxic if ingested.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
‘Golden Goddess’ bamboo (Bambusa multiplex ‘Golden Goddess’) mixes with pygmy date palms (Phoenix roebelenii, zones 9 to 11) and others in a San Francisco backyard.
3. Bamboo
Excellent for quick-growing screening, bamboo fills in to make a backyard or city patio feel like a green oasis. Plant clumping varieties, such as ‘Golden Goddess’ bamboo (Bambusa multiplex ‘Golden Goddess’, zones 8 to 10), shown in this garden, and Mexican weeping bamboo (Otatea acuminata, zones 9 to 11), to avoid spreading by underground runners.
Many bamboos thrive in warm, tropical climates, but there are plenty of cold-hardy varieties that tolerate USDA zones down to 5 or 6. Here are a few cold-hardy clumping varieties to try: fountain bamboo (Fargesia nitida, Zone 5), large-leaved Sasa oshidensis (Zone 6) or low-growing kuma bamboo grass (Sasa veitchii, Zone 6).
Tip: If you’re considering planting bamboo, aim for a clumping variety. Clumping bamboo is a noninvasive grower with clumps of compact, nonspreading culms (stems) that won’t take over like a running bamboo.
Where it will grow: Varies by species; cold-hardy varieties can grow down to minus 15 to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 to minus 20.6 degrees Celsius, zones 5 or 6.
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Varies by species, from full sun to partial shade
3. Bamboo
Excellent for quick-growing screening, bamboo fills in to make a backyard or city patio feel like a green oasis. Plant clumping varieties, such as ‘Golden Goddess’ bamboo (Bambusa multiplex ‘Golden Goddess’, zones 8 to 10), shown in this garden, and Mexican weeping bamboo (Otatea acuminata, zones 9 to 11), to avoid spreading by underground runners.
Many bamboos thrive in warm, tropical climates, but there are plenty of cold-hardy varieties that tolerate USDA zones down to 5 or 6. Here are a few cold-hardy clumping varieties to try: fountain bamboo (Fargesia nitida, Zone 5), large-leaved Sasa oshidensis (Zone 6) or low-growing kuma bamboo grass (Sasa veitchii, Zone 6).
Tip: If you’re considering planting bamboo, aim for a clumping variety. Clumping bamboo is a noninvasive grower with clumps of compact, nonspreading culms (stems) that won’t take over like a running bamboo.
Where it will grow: Varies by species; cold-hardy varieties can grow down to minus 15 to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 to minus 20.6 degrees Celsius, zones 5 or 6.
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Varies by species, from full sun to partial shade
Photo by Lydia Liu
4. Rose of Sharon
(Hibiscus syriacus)
Easy to grow and winter-hardy to zones 5 to 8, rose of Sharon is one of the most popular tropical plants for mild-climate gardens. Select for flower color, choosing among white, peach, orange, red and pink blooms. Plant as a colorful hedge or as part of a mixed border. Mature plants reach 8 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, but they are easily kept smaller with pruning. The edible flowers can be used as a garnish for drinks or seeped in water to flavor iced tea or cocktails. In cold-winter areas, grow rose of Sharon in containers that can be moved indoors.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
4. Rose of Sharon
(Hibiscus syriacus)
Easy to grow and winter-hardy to zones 5 to 8, rose of Sharon is one of the most popular tropical plants for mild-climate gardens. Select for flower color, choosing among white, peach, orange, red and pink blooms. Plant as a colorful hedge or as part of a mixed border. Mature plants reach 8 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, but they are easily kept smaller with pruning. The edible flowers can be used as a garnish for drinks or seeped in water to flavor iced tea or cocktails. In cold-winter areas, grow rose of Sharon in containers that can be moved indoors.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
5. Bird of Paradise
(Strelitzia reginae)
Bold, structural bird of paradise is useful as a specimen plant in tropical-style gardens. Plant it in front of a wall where the upright, arching form and jaunty birdlike flowers can be appreciated without distraction. Typically, the plant grows to about 4 feet tall and wide but can be larger with regular water and fertilizing. Bird of paradise thrives in temperate climates and suffers in frost and extreme heat. In cold-winter areas, grow it in pots in sunny windows. The blooms make long-lasting cut flowers.
Caution: Bird of paradise is toxic if ingested.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.7 degrees Celsius (zones 10 to 12)
Water requirement: Moderate; light water in winter
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
(Strelitzia reginae)
Bold, structural bird of paradise is useful as a specimen plant in tropical-style gardens. Plant it in front of a wall where the upright, arching form and jaunty birdlike flowers can be appreciated without distraction. Typically, the plant grows to about 4 feet tall and wide but can be larger with regular water and fertilizing. Bird of paradise thrives in temperate climates and suffers in frost and extreme heat. In cold-winter areas, grow it in pots in sunny windows. The blooms make long-lasting cut flowers.
Caution: Bird of paradise is toxic if ingested.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.7 degrees Celsius (zones 10 to 12)
Water requirement: Moderate; light water in winter
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
6. Canna
(Canna spp.)
In mild-winter gardens, plant canna in the ground or in containers wherever you’d like a dramatic hit of color. Both the large, upright leaves and the flowers are brightly colored, with hybrids available in a rainbow of hues. Canna thrives in moist soil and full sun, reaching 1½ to 8 feet tall and 1½ to 6 feet wide, depending on variety. All cannas are frost-tender. Protect bulbs from freezing in the ground by covering them with mulch or lifting them to store in a cool area indoors.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 15 degrees Celsius (zones 7 to 10)
Water requirement: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun
(Canna spp.)
In mild-winter gardens, plant canna in the ground or in containers wherever you’d like a dramatic hit of color. Both the large, upright leaves and the flowers are brightly colored, with hybrids available in a rainbow of hues. Canna thrives in moist soil and full sun, reaching 1½ to 8 feet tall and 1½ to 6 feet wide, depending on variety. All cannas are frost-tender. Protect bulbs from freezing in the ground by covering them with mulch or lifting them to store in a cool area indoors.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 15 degrees Celsius (zones 7 to 10)
Water requirement: Regular
Light requirement: Full sun
7. Paperplant
(Fatsia japonica)
Showy paperplant shrubs have a useful niche in the landscape: They’re tropical-looking, fairly cold-tolerant and shade-loving, which can be a difficult combination to find. Planted under tree canopies, in shadowy corners and in shaded side yards, paperplant quickly fills in with its luxurious, glossy foliage.
The plants produce white flowers in fall, followed by clusters of black berries, but the foliage is the real star. The tropical-looking palmate leaves can reach up to 16 inches wide. Garden plants typically reach 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, although they can reach 16 feet tall in tropical climates.
In cold-winter regions, grow paperplant as a houseplant and set it out on a shaded patio in summer.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Regular
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
(Fatsia japonica)
Showy paperplant shrubs have a useful niche in the landscape: They’re tropical-looking, fairly cold-tolerant and shade-loving, which can be a difficult combination to find. Planted under tree canopies, in shadowy corners and in shaded side yards, paperplant quickly fills in with its luxurious, glossy foliage.
The plants produce white flowers in fall, followed by clusters of black berries, but the foliage is the real star. The tropical-looking palmate leaves can reach up to 16 inches wide. Garden plants typically reach 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, although they can reach 16 feet tall in tropical climates.
In cold-winter regions, grow paperplant as a houseplant and set it out on a shaded patio in summer.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Regular
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
8. Bougainvillea
(Bougainvillea spp.)
Bougainvillea makes a colorful addition to sunny tropical or Mediterranean-style gardens. These tough vine-like shrubs thrive on neglect and pump out an exuberant display of magenta, purple, red or white blooms. Plant along a south-facing wall, and the shrubs will ultimately reach 15 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. Bougainvilleas are frost-tender. In cold-winter areas, plant them in pots and bring them to a sheltered location to overwinter; in mild climates, cover plants with frost blankets and wait to prune frost-burned leaves and stems until the end of the season.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 1.1 degrees Celsius (zones 9 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
(Bougainvillea spp.)
Bougainvillea makes a colorful addition to sunny tropical or Mediterranean-style gardens. These tough vine-like shrubs thrive on neglect and pump out an exuberant display of magenta, purple, red or white blooms. Plant along a south-facing wall, and the shrubs will ultimately reach 15 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. Bougainvilleas are frost-tender. In cold-winter areas, plant them in pots and bring them to a sheltered location to overwinter; in mild climates, cover plants with frost blankets and wait to prune frost-burned leaves and stems until the end of the season.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 1.1 degrees Celsius (zones 9 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
9. Madagascar Jasmine
(Stephanotis floribunda)
With a sweet, fresh scent like jasmine mixed with tuberose, Madagascar jasmine is one of the most deliciously fragrant vines. Grow it in the ground and over a shade pergola or window, so the fragrance can drift indoors. Grown outside, the plant can reach 12 to 20 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Madagascar jasmine thrives in mild tropical temperatures with plenty of moisture — humid air and moist soil. Grow the vine as a houseplant in all regions but Zone 12, where it can be kept outdoors.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or 12.8 degrees Celsius (Zone 12); grows as a houseplant in colder climates
Water requirement: Moderate; low water in winter
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade in hot inland areas
(Stephanotis floribunda)
With a sweet, fresh scent like jasmine mixed with tuberose, Madagascar jasmine is one of the most deliciously fragrant vines. Grow it in the ground and over a shade pergola or window, so the fragrance can drift indoors. Grown outside, the plant can reach 12 to 20 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. Madagascar jasmine thrives in mild tropical temperatures with plenty of moisture — humid air and moist soil. Grow the vine as a houseplant in all regions but Zone 12, where it can be kept outdoors.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or 12.8 degrees Celsius (Zone 12); grows as a houseplant in colder climates
Water requirement: Moderate; low water in winter
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade in hot inland areas
10. Kahili Garland-Lily
(Hedychium gardnerianum)
A member of the ginger family, Kahili garland-lily, also called Kahili ginger, makes a stunning addition to tropical and tropical-style gardens in mild climates. The plants grow to 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, with stalks often leaning with the weight of the showy flower heads. The creamy yellow blossoms grow in whorled flower spikes and have a wonderfully fresh, citrusy fragrance. A single blooming stalk is enough to perfume a walkway. Kahili ginger are winter-hardy to zones 8 to 10; in colder-winter regions, move plants grown in large containers to the shelter of a greenhouse over winter.
Caution: Kahili garland-lily is invasive in some areas.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Regular; thrives in moist soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
More
These 5 Gardens Offer an Escape to the Tropics
Learn more about gardening on Houzz
(Hedychium gardnerianum)
A member of the ginger family, Kahili garland-lily, also called Kahili ginger, makes a stunning addition to tropical and tropical-style gardens in mild climates. The plants grow to 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, with stalks often leaning with the weight of the showy flower heads. The creamy yellow blossoms grow in whorled flower spikes and have a wonderfully fresh, citrusy fragrance. A single blooming stalk is enough to perfume a walkway. Kahili ginger are winter-hardy to zones 8 to 10; in colder-winter regions, move plants grown in large containers to the shelter of a greenhouse over winter.
Caution: Kahili garland-lily is invasive in some areas.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Regular; thrives in moist soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
More
These 5 Gardens Offer an Escape to the Tropics
Learn more about gardening on Houzz
General growing tips. The plants described below grow best in temperate, cool-winter climates, such as coastal areas of California, parts of the Pacific Northwest, and the south and southeastern U.S. Many are frost-tender and should be planted in sheltered areas of the garden or covered in frost blankets if a freeze is predicted.
For regions with cold winters, you can still grow tropical-style plants, but it takes a bit of extra care. Many gardeners in cold-winter climates treat tender tropicals as annuals — growing them in the spring and summer and tossing them at the end of the season. Otherwise, plan on lifting smaller cold-tender plants in fall and storing them indoors, or growing tropical plants in containers that can be moved to the shelter of a greenhouse to overwinter.