Colder Weather Tropical Plants

[vi lover]

Hi!

Just built a new home in Lexington Kentucky complete with a back yard pool, concrete deck, and firepit area. We'd really like to bring some of our own tropical flair to this area, and were wondering what others in our general geography (you know - gets below freezing in Winter with a couple nights in single-digit) do for outdoor landscaping to bring that Island feel to your home.

Thanks for your ideas!

[pipanale]

If they're in pots, you can get a portable greenhouse. We have one. We got it at algreenhuses.com.

We keep it on the deck with a space heater in there. It's about to snow outside and it's in the 60's in there right now.

[mahobayb]

I have two Rose Mallow bushes in my yard. Hibiscus
flowers that are bigger than x-tra large dinner plates.

I live in ..brrr.. cold Michigan

Breath-taking and very tropical.

Good luck and have fun.

[Schnell]

Queen palms can withstand freezing temps to the lower 20's. Actually quite hardy for a palm. There are also a couple other palms out there that people have as far north as Michigan! Of course they require a bit of help to survive (ie: christmas lights wrapped). Just google cold hardy palms and search away.

[AnyTing]

We have some banana trees that are cold hardy planted in our yard near the pool. They die off in the winter, but grow very quickly (HUGE) in the spring and last through the fall.

[pipanale]

We have some banana trees that are cold hardy planted in our yard near the pool. They die off in the winter, but grow very quickly (HUGE) in the spring and last through the fall.

We bought a banana plant in a pot this winter. it's in the greenhouse and growing. I'm horrified to think what it will do after a summer out in the humidity.

I'm gonna need a bigger greenhouse...or to just chop the SOB down