Tropicaholic!

Ok, I live in Zone 6, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE anything tropical and I just can't get enough of them! Any suggestions of some that are similar in nature that would survive here? I know Cannas will survive here, even though most are not meant for this zone, but curious as to what others might be out there that could take our weather. The coldest we have had so far was down into the teens, but its usually not that cold. Any help is greatly appreciated for my Addiction! LOL

Hi tropicaholic!!
There are quite a few people growing tropicals in climates that are not suited for them so I would think you'd get some good suggestions. I know there are some palms that are cold hardy; I grew some in England.
The best bet is of course to go with plants in containers that you can protect from the most severe cold by pulling them inside at the coldest time. Or get a greenhouse....
Good luck!

Thanks Dutchlady! Already got the Green House and DH says he will build me another, much larger, one come Spring! So I am prepared for those that won't hold up under our cold, just gotta fill the urge! LOL I love Palms and I didn't know there were any hardy ones, YIPPPPEEEEEEE for me! LOL

I have plumeria galore and they will happily overwinter in a greenhouse, if the thought appeals to you! Drop me a d-mail if you're interested.
You're a lucky lady with your greenhouse, not to mention the agreeable DH :-)

You got mail! LOL

What an agreeable DH? LOL I am going to keep and eye out on this thread too, because I've been bitten by the tropicals, too. I've been searching all the different sites for anything that will work here. I am a border line 6a-6b. but went with the a to be on the safe side. Mitsy you are about 50 to the northeast of me so maybe we can get together and compare notes on what we find. I'm so glad you brought this subject up.
Robin

Dutchlady that Plummie is beautiful, which one is it?

I know just about where Stoutland is actually. I used to work for MOCA and was in Richland all the time. It would be cool to get together this Spring and share stories, and plants! :) I had to come up with something to fill my 'void'! HA HA HA I started off with Cannas. then Brugs, now just about any other 'tropical' I can get my hands on! I will have some Hardy Banana next year that I hope will grow enough to share!
My DH is awesome about my plants as it is his fault in the first place! He is the one who got me started on flowers! HA HA HA Although, I think he regrets it sometimes! He just said, "I just wanted a few trees"! Well, what are Brugs! HE HE HE

Exactly, Brugs are trees. My DH is getting to the point it's him or the plants. I'll miss him.

OMG ROTFLMAO! Gotta let him have puter for a while! :)

The variety of which I posted a picture is a seedling which I intend to register this coming season. I have named it 'Ventiquattro' (which is Italian for 24... my DH (also very agreeable) gave it to me as a present for our 24th anniversary!!).

Wow that is fantastic, I love that name. Congrats on both the anniversary and the plummie. How exciting is that! it's just unimaginable for me to do something like that. I still have a long way to go just to learn all the terminology and to get my first plummie. I can hardly wait til spring when I can go shopping for one.

Ahhhh another Tropical dreamer Hi M ...sucked in mate! yep we love to pretend we are in the tropics, have you looked at Tm's threads? he is the Master in this regard ...Also Lily_love , Rj too is unbelievable but your climate is more like the first two, so I suggest you explore the gardens of the tropical dreamers, here as they have wonderful suggestions and wonderful gardens, hello to D,R and any shy Tropical dreamers lurking out there ... come join the fun and the fantasy :)

Sure Chrissy, go ahead and post those beautiful pics and make out mouths water! LOL
How do I locate the ones you mentioned? I know I have seen Lily_love, but not sure about the others? And I agree, don't be bashful cause tropicals are way too much fun and way too perty to be that!
Ducthlady-I wish I had your talents to do the things you do! And I LOVE the name you have chosen, so special and unique!

ha ha ha m just click The Tropical Gardening Forum ... look at the Thread names and click onto their names, that takes you to the home page of the person and you click onto threads that they have started. Or just browse around the forum,warning though best leave until after christmas because you will get nothing done!
good luck and have fun
chrissy

LOL Chrissy! You are probably right about waiting til after Christmas! Terrible time to be getting all these addictions, huh?!

Merry Christmas! :)

Thanks, You too! :)

Merry Christmas Chrissy and thanks for the heads up on Tm and all. Oh heck, I can't wait til after Christmas, if I find anything I can tell DH he has an IOU in my stocking he has to get.

(or he's sleeping with the dogs and the brugs in the garage.)

Merry Christmas Misty.

You too Robyn!
Go ahead and put an You Owe Me in your stocking now! HA HA HA

With all the IOU's he owes me my stocking isn't big enough.

Then you need a bigger stocking! LOL

Guess it's time to pull out the sewing machine.

That, or you can put up more stockings so he can see how many IOU's there are! LOL

I'll start with tacking one to his forehead.

ROTFLMAO!

Y'all are too funny!

Tropicman would definately be a good mentor as he lives in a very cold climate and has an absolutely gorgeous Tropical Garden in the Spring up to the Fall.

RJuddHarrison also has a fabulous Tropical Garden. He is here in Houston. We are much warmer (Z9) than Tropicman!

Tropicman has several greenhouses, a sunroom, garage....and a lot to protect. I think he said over 500 plants. Can you imagine carrying in that many plants?????

Merry Christmas to all, and, well, I was going to say "Good Night", but it is now a "Good Morning" LOL!

LOL Texasgal. I will have to look these people up, for sure! :) I tried to look, but I was looking for something different. :( I am told I will have another Green House come Spring, so will have lots more room for tropicals! I am really kicking myself for not buying them when they were on clearance!
Merry Christmas and Good Morning to you, too! :)

First thread about Tropicman's plants.

www.davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/793653/

The second thread. www.davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/796407/

The third and current thread. www.davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/798833/

Lots of good and helpful info in there and you can always d-mail him too for help. And don't be afraid to try plants that are in zone 7 since you are close to that zone. Just use extra mulch.



This message was edited Dec 23, 2007 11:47 AM

This message was edited Dec 23, 2007 11:49 AM

Thanks Pepper! Happy Holidays!
Tammy

Cannot imagine the joy of TWO GREENHOUSES. I still don't have the first one.
Lots of tropicals in the house but they struggle to live inside. Guess it is the gas heat even though I seldom get it warmer than 70. Have a lot more in the shed/greenhouse with a heater. 24 degrees last night, coldest so far, will have to get out there soon and see if everything survived. My EE's and bananas are all brown and layed over on the ground. They are root hardy and will come back, in fact, they usually multiply. Duranta is covered, datura is brown, hoja santa is brown. Already cut the cannas and added to lasagna bed. Roses are really mixed up, they are blooming their hearts out. Of course, it was 70 degrees yesterday morning. Tammy, I'd say like, pepper, if you mulch heavily the banana and EE will probably be root hardy like mine. However, I forgot that our ground almost never freezes, that would be a consideration for you.

Just found this thread. Wherever have I been?

Organizing DAVE'S GARDEN PARTY!!! Of course.

Merry Christmas
LouC

It seems that no matter how much I mulch I can never get EE to overwinter in the ground. Cannas, no problem. I think this summer when I plant them I will change the location and only put them in a southern exposure that gets winter (north) protection.

Lou, here is to wishing you luck with your first, and hopefully not last, green house! :)
My Bananas are hardy to 20 degrees, so will still have to give them some protection. They will stay in the green house until no more worry of frost. That is if they don't outgrow it before then! I am planning on being a zone pusher and like to experiment, but of course I will be sure to keep some babies just in case! My neighbor keeps his Cannas alive by layering the foliage over his and they come back every year, so I have HIGH hopes! LOL
So glad you come across the thread, and Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Tammy

I have kicked myself over and over for not buying the Hardy EE when Lowe's had them on Clearance!!!!!!!

I am always late for those clearance sales. Dang I need to pay more attention.

My DH is usually the one that finds the bargains! He bought 19 or 20 evergreens late summer for a buck a piece! But was I ever not being nice to him by the time they were all planted! It was miserably hot, and several went along the driveway, so we had tons of rocks to deal with! I have plenty of pansy pots that I can share with you! LOL

Pansies are so cute. Thanks.

Come and get em, there are only 40 some out there! :)

hahaha lol

gotta go hubby want puter time.