How to Grow Tropical Plants in Cool Climates and Frost

It is a fact of life that most people want something different, not just in the way of their looks, but in the way of their garden. No one wants to have the same plants as the neighbours, and wants their garden to stand out from the crowd. This does however often mean growing plants which do not grow easily in your climate. People in the tropics often wish to grow cottage plants in a cottage or formal style garden, whereas people in temperate and cool climates love growing tropical plants in a tropical, or Bali style garden.

Your aim is to provide a climate as close to the tropical plant's natural climate, that is, the climate it originates from. Many plants come from places close to the equator for example, where the weather is always warm, and very humid. There are many things you can do to produce an artificial climate for the plants you want to grow. These frost protection methods range from very simple, temporary solutions, to permanent structures such as shade houses. The purpose of all the available frost protection methods listed below is to stimulate the natural needs of each plant so they grow well regardless of their position.

Often, when you live in a fairly mild climate where you do not experience a lot of frost, and when you do get frost it is very mild; you may not be prepared to protect your plants from frost. Most of the plants you are growing in your garden are probably semi hardy to frost, and would survive many winters without any damage. Until, one day, a hard frost strikes your garden.... This frost may only be a few degrees colder than the frosts you received the other years, but it's enough to kill some of your semi-hardy plants if they are not protected from the frost.

You will usually get some warning about when a hard frost is about to strike. There will most likely be a few nights of mild frost preceding the really serious frost. You may also see some very mild damage on the foliage of the plants, or some frosted stretches of lawn or soil. Some places are more susceptible to frost; these places are known are 'frost pockets'. Frost occurs more readily in stretches of open ground exposed to the sky (as frost settles from above), in hollows in the ground, and in valleys where the frost settles on the bottom and can't escape easily.

Some simple ways of protecting your tropical plants from frost include a cardboard box placed around the plant, of which you can open the top ('lid') in the morning, and close it at night for protection. You can also pile up leaves or palm fronds around the plant to create a frost barrier, or use bamboo stakes to create a simple tent frame around the plant, which plastic covering. Hessian bags are a great way of covering plants to keep the cold out, and small greenhouses can be purchased very affordably these days!

( Elle M )

Artificial plants for home decoration

If you like beauty and elegance plants bring to your home but don't have time to maintain the flora learn how artificial plants can inspire your living space adding harmony to your life.

What are artificial trees and plants?

High-quality artificial plants are made from reformed barks and printed silks.

Artificial plants are 100% maintenance and watering free except occasional dusting and can adapt to anywhere in your home, from the extreme environments in the conservatory to the hustle and bustles of the living or dinning room.

Artificial plants leaves are manufactured with a UV coating to ensure the lasting colour when in direct sun light.

Artificial plants are Pollen free for asthma and allergy sufferers.

Most popular artificial plants

How to select artificial plants for your home decoration? Learn more about most popular aptificial plants to decide which one better suits your needs.

Phoenix Palm

A beautiful Variety of the Areca Family of Palm trees, This tree has been meticulously reproduced, with its stunning foliage tapering from foot to top, this tree will create a stunning focal point for any room. Ideal for conservatories, around the home or office.

Mawai Palm Tree

This palm tree is a really adaptable due to its size and foliage and is extremely popular, with its mid green finger leaves and beautiful stems, finished with a twist of Real palm crape at the foot of the tree. Looks fantastic free standing in the middle of a room or positioned anywhere within your home or business.

Brazillian Cross Flower Tree

This is a sensational Tree. The Size, the Colours of the beautiful flowers and the Texture, of the foliage have been meticulously reproduced to the finest detail, This rare tree stands over 5 1/2 feet tall, you will not find it anywhere else in the UK. Superb for any room in the home or around the office.

Giant Bracenea Tree

An amazing tree that is extremely difficult to maintain if real. A stunning example of this rare tree that stands over 5 feet tall and with its spider foliage and beautiful yellow and greens makes this an eye catching tree that will take center stage in any room. Would look great in any room around the office or home.

Oblong Topiary Tree

A tree of Stature, with its extensive foliage rising in parallel lines, your room is brought to life. The beautifully crafted tree makes it a focal point of any room, standing in dining rooms, living rooms or conservatories; this topiary will bring something different to your home.

Triangle Topiary tree

A fantastic looking tree made with a stunning life like foliage and cut with to an amazing triangle shape, this truly gives your home a modern feel, ideal for entrances, decking and around the home.

Affection Grass

Pure elegance is the only way to describe this stunning tree. The single stem crookedly rises with an explosion of green foliage. With such harmony and attention to detail you have an ideal lifestyle tree for the indoor or outdoor environment, decking, patios, exterior door placing or living room, dining rooms.

Topiary Balls

The most agile of Topiary Trees, Just pick it up and place it anywhere goes the saying, easy on the eye, this adaptable lifestyle variety will be a perfect accessory to any room in the home or for outdoors in the garden.

Conical Topiary Tree

Placed anywhere in the home this dual shaped topiary tree gives the center focus it deserves, from dinner parties to family entertaining this Topiary tree is always the topic of conversation.

Melon Grass Topiary tree

A Superb Topiary tree that has been meticulously, reproduced to the finest detail, with genuine bark and the finest lifestyle foliage, this tree is truly a contemporary focal point for any room, or Garden.

Tropical Lotus Plants

The tropical lotus is growing in popularity in many people's homes. They are amazing to look at, superb to touch, so if you are looking for a tropical touch of class to your decoration, a plant that looks amazing year in year out, then this plant is for you. It has been reproduced to the finest detail and like all our products, totally maintenance free.

Chrysanthemum Plant

Chrysanthemums have a long history, but although the Chinese where growing them 2500 years ago, they did not reach Europe until 1789. Nowadays they are immensely popular, so splash an injection of colour around the home, this fantastic life like plant will bring your dull corners to life. No watering no sunlight just a beautiful foliage season after season, year after year.

Ginger Water Lily Plant

An amazing plant that is extremely difficult to maintain if real. It stands over 3 feet tall and with its large foliage and beautiful yellow flowers makes this an eye catching plant that will take center stage in any room. A real alternative to a medium sized tree, where colour is needed.

Kiwi Yucca Plant

This is a sensational plant, The Size, the Colour, the Texture, have been meticulously reproduced to the finest detail, this plant is so lifelike you would not know it was artificial "Fact" This plant is exclusive to easyplants, you will not find it anywhere else in the UK. Superb for any room in the home or office or outdoors on the decking.

Thai Yucca Plant

A plant of Grandeur and scale, this popular plant has been gracing homes and offices across the UK for generations. It has been meticulously reproduced to offer a maintenance free alternative to the real Yucca plant. Why spend your time and effort nurturing a Yucca when Modern day alternatives are just a phone call away. Perfect for homes and businesses.

Mediterranean Lotus Plant

This tropical lotus is now appearing in many homes and offices homes. They are amazing to look at, so if you are looking for a Mediterranean touch of class to your decoration, a plant that looks amazing year in year out, then this plant is for you. It has been reproduced to the finest detail and like all our products, totally maintenance free.

Chilean Lotus Plant

This is a Lotus plant of fantastic colour and texture. They originated from Chile but are now found throughout south America. This plant has been meticulously reproduced to the finest detail and will look amazing year in year out, don't forget this plant is totally maintenance free. Superb for homes and offices, add a touch of class to your room.

Aloe Plant

For Generations this futuristic looking plant has been used as a supplement to care for your body. This unusual Tropical plant has been reproduced to the finest detail, this is an immensely difficult plant to keep in this continent, but now you have the chance to show off an aloe plant in the comfort of your home or office.

Hydrangea Plant

Many people remember Hydrangeas from their childhood; today we are falling in love with them all over again. This plant is so beautiful it can easily blend in with any interior and lives up to it billing as one of the most adaptable plants in the world. Great for anywhere in the home, no watering and no sunlight needed, just stunning all year round.

Tiger Lily

For Centuries the lily has ranked as one of the most popular flowers in the World. 

Unlike a real tiger lily that begins growth in the spring, blooms in early summer and then goes dormant for the long winter months, our sensational Lily will look superb all year round in any environment, season after season.

Crouch Grass

The Crouch grass is growing more in popularity due to its adaptability, this display of foliage will look great anywhere around the home or office. The varied mixtures of exotic grasses, tropical ferns portrays a natural looking display, superb to look at, so if you are looking for a tropical touch of Grass to your decoration, a plant that looks amazing year in year out, then this plant is for you. It has been reproduced to the finest detail and totally maintenance free. 

All artificial plants are amazing, elegant, and stylish, you it's difficult to choose the best one, however now you know from what to choose.

Peter Drinkell

Give in to Exotic Pleasures with Tropical Landscaping

There is little point in paying exorbitant amounts for exotic holidays very year, when they offer just a few days of entertainment. Instead try something ingenious that won't come to an end after a week or so. Try your hands at tropical landscaping and fulfill your dream of a Hawaiian vacation...for free!

Getting started

It doesn't matter if you could never make it to any of the tropical paradises such as Hawaii or Phuket. To create a tropical landscape just out of your backdoor, you need two things: imagination and right kind of visualization.

What conjures up the image of a tropical garden as you close your eyes? Well, it is a riot of color on the backdrop of lush greenery and gushing water bodies that immediately cross our mind as we dream about a tropical holiday.

So this leads us to three major points:

Lavish sprinkling of vibrant hues

Plants and shrubs with rich foliage

Water body

While designing your tropical landscape, don't forget these three primary elements; these will do the job of creating a tropical illusion. Weave your dream landscape around these three major elements.

Tips on using tropical plants

The major part of your landscaping effort will involve the right selection of plants.

Cover the floor area in the thick carpet of grasses and border it with the plants that bear colorful flowers.

Choose the plant varieties that come with deep green hues to emulate the effects of dense tropical rain forest.

To add to the ambience, grow creepers along the light poles that give an illusion of tropical vines.

Adding a water body is a must

Just recall the scenes from any movie depicting tropical rain forests! One unforgettable element is the inclusion of water-sounds in the background.... It may be the tickling of a narrow waterfall, the gushing sound of a rocky river or just the faint humming of stream finding its course through the dense rain forests.

Thus to complete the tropical ambience to perfection, you should include some water body in your landscape designing.

If it is a pool, border it with rocks and stones in different sizes and shapes. The best option is to add an artificial waterfall featuring large rocks.

To get the maximum feel, add to it some colorful fishes and water plants.

Points of caution

Plenty of sunlight goes to create those splendid hues in tropical plants and flowers. Naturally, you must make sure, that your plot gets enough sunlight to let these tropical plants live and thrive.

Also make sure of the other requirements of the plants.

You can apply one trick---instead of planting them directly on the ground, first let them grow in the containers and then transfer them to the actual spot. Use decorative planters to contain the plants.

Bring the final touch with proper accessories

It may not be possible for most of us to soak the sun in the Waikiki beach while a Plumeria scented sea breeze calms our senses; but you can get the same experience right at your home by sparing little imagination. 

Simple accessories such as rope hammocks can create magic. To add to the comfort factor, visit the furniture stores for tropical themed furniture in cane or bamboo.

Scented candles add to the ambience by filling up the air with fruity scents.

If you want to absorb the ambience long after dusk, make imaginative use of landscape lights that will bring alive a beautiful moonlit garden of some faraway exotic land.

Tania Penwell

Musa, Musella, Ensete: The Hardy Banana Tree - History and Background

The Banana Tree is a tropical herbaceous perennial (and not actually a real tree) in the family Musaceae. They are native to Southeast Asia, China, Madagascar and Africa. Forty million years ago, bananas were also native to North America as far north as Oregon. There are 3 genera of bananas; Ensete, Musa, and Musella. These genera are widely cultivated in hot, wet regions between the equator and 30N/S. The cold tolerant taxa come from high altitude locations in the tropics. The family Musaceae is closely related to other well known ornamental tropicals such as Bird-of-Paradise (Strelitziaceae), Canna Lily (Cannaceae), the tropical gingers (Zingiberaceae) and Heliconia (Heliconaceae).

Bananas have been cultivated as a food for 4,000-10,000 years in tropical areas. However, Europeans were not aware of the fruit until they started exploring the world during the Age of Discovery in the 1500's. Edible bananas were not introduced to America until 1876 during the Philadelphia World Exposition. Today there are several hundred cultivars of edible bananas grown around the world. However, since the 1960's, only one cultivar has been used to produce the yellow dessert bananas eaten in the U.S. and Europe; Musa acuminata 'Cavendish'. The 'Cavendish' banana is a sterile triploid. It produces fruit in the absence of pollination (parthenocarpy) and therefore does not have any seeds. Most edible bananas belong to Musa acuminata or to Musa balbisiana (or are hybrids between). Hybrids are given the species name Musa paradisiaca. In addition to the sweet dessert varieties, there are starchy, unsweet cooking bananas that are used in a manner similar to how Americans use potatoes. These cooking bananas are sometimes known as plantains and are commonly boiled, baked, or fried. In America, we generally call the sweet fruits (that are eaten raw) bananas, and the starchy fruits (that must be cooked) plantains. Musa and Ensete may be eaten in other ways too. The Chinese eat the immature male flower and many cultures use the rhizomes and the stem as food or fodder. Bananas may also be dried and eaten as a chip or ground into flour. Bananas are the 4th largest fruit crop in the world behind apples, citrus, and grapes and are a staple food in some parts of the world.

The era of the 'Cavendish' banana may be coming to an end. Over the last few years a fungal pathogen called Panama disease (Fusarum oxysporum f. sp. cubense) Tropical Race 4 has evolved that attacks and kills 'Cavendish' plants. It has wiped out 'Cavendish' in almost all of Asia. There is no known preventative or cure for it and it spreads extremely quickly. If the fungus ever reaches Central America, the monoculture 'Cavendish' farms that supply the U.S. will be decimated. Ironically it was a different race of the same disease that allowed the 'Cavendish' to become so popular in the first place. 'Cavendish' replaced the sweeter and larger 'Gros Michael' banana in the 1950's which was also wiped out by a race of Panama disease. There is currently no replacement for the 'Cavendish' banana that is tolerant of Panama disease and has the all the traits that American consumers demand. The next best choice is a cultivar called 'Goldfinger' which is not as sweet and has a slight tart-apple flavor. However, the best long term solution is not to replace a single monoculture crop with another monoculture crop, but rather to adopt the sustainable practice of growing and eating multiple cultivars of banana.

Bananas also have non-food uses. Ensete and Musa banana stems and leaves are used for their fibers. The course fibers are called manilla hemp and are used to make paper and rope. The fine fibers are used to make high quality cloth called banana cloth. Banana leaves are waterproof and are often used to wrap food for storage or cooking. The Fehi group of bananas. grown in Polynesia are used to make a red dye (that will also turn your urine red if you eat them). Bananas are used by certain cultures to treat medical disorders such as bronchitis, ulcers, diabetes, hemorrhoids (don't ask me how!), and diarrhea among other things. Central Americans collect the sap of the red banana and take it as an aphrodisiac (although this may be a fallacy...or is it 'phallacy') while the Hindus regard the plant as a symbol of fertility and place the leaves and fruits on the doorstep of newlyweds. In the 60's it was popular to smoke banana peel for its alleged hallucinogenic affects (what didn't they smoke back then?) but the original newspaper story (The Berkeley Barb, March 1967) that reported this fad was a hoax that fooled the nation.

Bananas are such an important and profitable food crop that the companies that produce them (primarily United Fruit Company, known today as Chiquita and the Standard Fruit Company, known today as Dole) have grown extremely powerful. Their influence on Central American politics has lead to the term 'Banana Republic' (coined by the author O'Henry in his 1904 book Cabbages and Kings) which is a pejorative term for a small, unstable, country run by wealthy, corrupt elites who support the exploitation of people and land for cheap banana production by taking bribes and kickbacks from the banana companies. Hmmm...Large companies influencing public policy. Good thing that could never happen in the U.S.

Tony Avent 

About Cold Hardy Palm Trees

A cold hardy palm tree is determined by many factors, three of which are discussed in this article: The way the palm acclimates or responds to the cold weather. The mid-winter hardiness of the palm. And lastly, the way the palm de-acclimates when the weather starts to warm up. The acclimation process is activated as the temperature starts to decrease. These environmental changes trigger physiological and biochemical changes in the palm tree that result in greater cold tolerance. After the acclimation process the palm tree will be in a stage of mid-winter hardiness, where it has reached its maximum hardiness level with out injury. Lastly the De-acclimation process is exactly the opposite of the acclimating process. It refers to the response to warming temperatures in late winter and early spring.

The solution to the success of a cold hardy palm or tropical palm relies on many factors, some of which are: the overall health of the palm tree, the maturity, when it was transplanted, how long has it been stationary, the environment in which it has been grown in, and the species of palm.

Overall Health

The overall health of palm trees plays an important role on how well the palm will survive. A much healthier palm is proven to survive with minimal damages to the fronds and trunk. Making sure the palm has adequate nutrients in the soil is key for the well being of the palm. Studies show that adding fertilizer and other nutrients during winter will have no affect on the survival of the palm tree. When the palm tree starts the acclimation phase, it will start to enter a phase of hibernation. Biochemical changes occur, photosynthesis process decreases, therefore, less sunlight is needed and less nutrients is required. The palm tree stops absorbing nutrients and stores the nutrients it previously absorbed in late summer, early fall. Thus, making it very important to keep a healthy palm tree, all year round. However, there are preventative measures that may ensure the survival of your cold hardy or tropical palm; please refer to our winter protection article.

One solution is to fertilize your palm in mid-summer. This will to help the palm tree during the de-acclimation phase as well as during winter months. This will give the palm tree ample time to gather the nutrients provided and boost their health as winter arrives and will also provide the nutrients it will need to start its growth when spring comes.

The Maturity of The Palm

The maturity of the palm is also another key factor in determining the survival of the palm. When an immature palm tree is introduced to cold weather the chances of survival with out damage is much less of that of a mature palm tree. A mature palm will have extra leaves to give off heat to protect the inner bud or the new arising spear. This spear is more or less the life line of any palm tree.

A mature palms will also have more of an extensive root system which will allow the palm tree to recover faster by absorbing the water and other nutrients needed when damaged. As for an immature root system, the roots may freeze or may not tolerate cold weather and start to rot or decay.

The maturity of the trunk can also help with the protection of the palm tree. Some cold hardy palms have developed a husk to protect the trunk from frost or other unseen events given them an advantage when the natural elements come forth. The husk acts as an outer layer of protection, some examples of palms that have a outer fiber husk are the European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis), Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), Miniature Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus wagnerianus), Stone Gate Palm (Trachycarpus princeps), and other related species of the Trachycarpus family. Some examples of cold hardy palms with out the fiber husk are the Bismarck Palm (Bismarckia nobilis), Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto), Blue Hesper Palm Tree (Brahea armata), Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) and the Pindo Palm (Butia Capitata). Many of these palm trees can with stand freezing temperatures for days or even weeks with out any damage.

One solution to assist in the survival of a palm tree during the duration of cold months, is to only plant mature palm trees outside and keep the little ones indoors and inside containers. Once, the weather starts to warm up in spring and the palm tree is mature, than transplant outside. You can refer to our transplanting article.

When The Palm Was Planted?

When the palm tree was planted is important, because this will indicate how long the palm had to establish its root system. If the palm tree was planted close to winter, this might lower the chances of survival because sufficient time was not given for the palm tree to pass the transplant shock and to establish its roots. All palm trees go through a transplant shock, some for a few days and some for a month or two. Deciding to plant around winter could prove to be a challenge.

One solution to planting a palm tree, is to plant it during spring or when the weather is warming up. For other tips and preventative measure please refer to our winter protection article.

How Long The Palm Has Been Stationary?

How long the palm has been stationary plays an important role in the palm trees survival. The time the palm tree is planted in a specific area without being disturbed is critical, not only to cold hardy palms, but to plants in general. Cold hardy palms, as well as tropical palms, also have a high tendency to die slowly, because they were transplanted to many times. Palm trees in general, do well when they are transplanted once; from a container to the ground. When a palm tree has been stationary for a long period of time, their root system will be more extensive. This will help during times of drought, cold, or lack of nutrition in the surrounding soil. By having more time to settle, the palm tree can be ready for winter season.

One solution is, once the palm is safely transplanted in the ground, the palm tree must not be disturbed for at least 2 to 3 years. During these years the location of the palm should not be relocated for any reason. This is the rule of thumb for most palm species, including cold hardy palms.

The Environment The Palm Has Been Grown in

The environment the palm tree has been grown in, is some times overlooked by many people. Many commercial growers will have hundreds if not thousands of palm trees growing all different species at one time. Most in green houses and some outside in fields. Most of which are in the south, where weather will hardly ever reach below freezing. A palm tree that has never experienced weather of its natural habitat will be affected by the cold more so than a palm that has been winterized or has been growing in their natural habitat. Winterizing is another word for acclimating palm trees.

Some nurseries will acclimate the palm before selling them to northern customers to ensure their survival when the harsh winters arrive. Some nurseries will refer to this as either, winterizing a palm or acclimating a palm. The reason for choosing palm trees which have been acclimated to the weather is because the palm trees will better resist cold temperatures. Many palm trees even cold hardy palm trees when introduced to the cold weather will go into a state of shock because it is not adapted. This process may also be done first hand. It is not necessary to do this, but the reward is much greater. This is especially true if it is during the coldest part of the year. Do not test the limitations of the palm, acclimate it slowly into the cold or full sun.

The altitude of the environment the palm tree is grown is just one more environmental factor which influences cold hardy palms. For instance, queen palm trees are found growing naturally throughout Florida which is completely flat and of low altitude levels. But, they are also found growing naturally throughout South America, which consist of many altitude variances with many lusciuos and colorful landscapes; unforgiving mountains, monster rivers, wet swamps, and many more of mother nature's lab experiments. Some, queen palms which grow in these regions are considered to be coldly hardy, and winterized by mother nature with her harsh climates consisting of gail winds, fat hail, merciless snow, and many more natural occurrences.

The safe and stable solution to winterizing a palm tree, is to winterize only palm trees which have already stood the test of time with mother nature, i.e. cold hardy palms. You don't want to winterize a Fiji Fan Palm, because it would take many decades, if not centuries to shape the biological structure. It's also, important to note that hybrids made of cold hardy and tropical flavors, have successfully endured cold months and have been winterized, but the results all vary with each species. So, mixing species is not a stable solution, but nevertheless it is stilled considered a solution.

The Species of Palm

The species of palm is the most important in determining the cold hardiness of a palm. Over the years many palm tree botanist and palm tree enthusiasts have studied the hardiness of many plants and palms. The hardiness of palm trees is due to hundreds, thousands even millions of years of the same natural reoccurring weather. This is called their natural habitat. The natural habitat of a palm will usually indicate the lowest temperature the palm tree can withstand. Every species of palm has a country of origin or a location where they grow naturally with out human intervention. Those thousands and millions of years have let certain species adapt to their environment. Some examples are a European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) from the cold chilly Mediterranean, Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) from the foot hills of the Himalayas, and the Blue Hesper Palm (Brahea armata) from the desert canyons of northwestern Mexico. These species of palm tree will inevitably be more cold tolerant than those of such places as Fiji, Philippines, or the Amazon.

To compare locality of a palm to its cold hardiness, is as follows A European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) native to the Mediterranean is more of cold hardy palm then to a Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) from the Canary Islands. As a Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum Hystrix) from Central United States is more cold hardy then to a European Fan Palm. Studies have indicated leaf damage to the European Fan Palm at temperatures below that of 13 degrees F, on the other hand, the Needle Palm have shown little to no damage at temperatures of 5 degrees F and below.

This is why it is most important when choosing a palm, to not only look at the zone temperature it may be tolerant, but also the minimum temperature it can tolerate and also it's natural habitat.

Summary

A cold hardy palm tree is determined by many factors, three of which factors are: The way the palm acclimates or responds to the cold weather. The mid-winter hardiness of the palm and the way the palm de-acclimates when the weather starts to warm up. Which is also contingent on the following: the over all health of the palm tree, the maturity, when it was transplanted, how long has it been stationary, the environment in which it has been grown in and most importantly the species of palm tree.

Joey G