Planting Dwarf Poinciana trees/tropicals in Delaware

Hello to my fellow Mid-Atlantians!

I received some dwarf Poinciana seeds from a Texas member last year and have planted them indoors. Two have sprouted. I carry the pot outdoors during the day and bring it indoors at night since Delaware will be getting cold nights very soon.

My plan is to raise the dwarf Poinciana seedlings under fluorescent lighting over the winter and then plant them outdoors next spring.

Has anyone had success with such a tropical tree in Delaware, either indoors or out? It's probably foolish, but I like pushing the envelope to see what tropicals we can actually grow up here in 7a.

Banana trees grow outdoors in Milford, Delaware under the watchful eye and skilled hands of experienced gardeners. I pass by the trees often and marvel.

Palm trees can be found at the resort beaches of Rehoboth, Delaware and in Ocean City, Maryland, but I heard that the business owners must have new palms shipped in each spring as the old ones don't fare too well with our winters.

Any thoughts? Any seeds? I try everything! If you were born and raised here as I was (or perhaps you are an import), you will agree that our summers can be as tropical as can be, hot, humid, and in the 100's ... It's just that the summers give way to cold autumns and winters.

Yes, tropicals can do quite well here. Mine loved this summer as long as I kept them watered.

timmijo,stop and ask those banana growers near you how they do it and which variety they find hardy. Here I grow musa basajoo, hardy banana in the ground in a sheltered location, mostly sheltered from the wind!

I also grow encete but bring it in for the winter to an unheated porch where it goes 'dormant'. I do the same with various colocasia/alocasia.

Have never tried Poinciana. Good luck..

Her's a pic of tropical plantings here in 7b.

and another

coleup, what is encete?

And aren't we in the same zones? Maybe I've been wrong about my zone all this time ....

Thanks for the info.

TJ

Encete ventricosum is a false banana that is very beautiful with a reddish tint to leaves and a red mid vein. It's the large one in second photo above They can grow up to 18' Mine is in a very large container which I bring in to my unheated porch each winter. This pic is from two summers ago. Mine is now 12' tall! It will have to lean on the porch this year

Oh, I'm in zone 7b so just a lillte warmer/longer season FWIW

This message was edited Sep 14, 2010 7:28 PM

If you have a garage/basement/porch space that does not freeze you could grow non-hardy bananas in containers or in the ground and then just bring them in for the winter (trim off leaves) This method makes for larger and larger plants as opposed to cutting the down to one or two feet high.
Also, first year bananas are less "hardy" than older ones

I suggested talking to banana growers in your area to see what method they use if any to keep plants alive if our temps really dip here. Also, you may come home with a banana as the hardy bananas produce lots of 'shoots' or 'pups' !

Tj, I had to look up the Dwarf Poinciana they sure are pretty no wonder you want to grow them. You guys in Zone 7 can push it a bit farther toward the Tropicals than I can in Zone 6. I have quite a growing collection of Tropicals and the question of what to do with them come fall is always an issue. You can push your Zone a bit farther by taking advantage of any Micro Climes you may have in your garden. If you are growing them from seeds you could put some in the ground to see how they do and some in big pots, too.
I just picked up this little guy a month ago. The height on this will only get 6 to 8 ft high and it's about 2 ft now so it should be a happy house plant this winter. If I can overwinter it suscessfully it should be a nice looking plant next summer.
Siam Ruby Musa

Holly, I love your Siam Ruby! Where ever did you get it?

Yes, zone 7 does allow me to get my huge bananas and colocasias/alocasias outside and out of dormancy quite a bit earlier than you. Makes for larger plants! I'll try to have some to share at the 2011 swap because all of mine will need potting up this year. (Really, they needed it this year but I was just not motivated)

o you have any recent pics of your 'troughs'? They are so lovely.

TJ Hope your poinciana do well this winter. How big do the need to be to flower? What kind of 'soil' did you start your seeds in?

Holly, just a quick question...With all of your travels how did you keep your tropicals watered this summer?

My son only lives a few miles away and they usually come and just live at my house while we are away. It's a lot of work but my DIL decided that it is less work running over to her place for a few hours and staying here. The dog Buddy needs more care than her cat does. I think she may bring the cat over while we are gone, and in the summer the pool is a big draw.
That Siam Ruby was a great deal one of the local nurseries was having a big end of summer sale. Got it for $5 and it was nice size. The trough is working out pretty well the water lettuce is doing well as a fill between the pots the plants haven't really grown much since I put it together. Here are my Port Adoras I'll have to dig these up.