tropical recommendations

[dirt hound]

Hello, We are looking to replace our front plantbeds, and I am looking for tropical or semi tropical plant recommendations. I would like something with cold hardiness, as we get colder than the typical "zone 9" (sometimes mid twenties in January). The area gets full to part sun. Thank you!

[zuzu's petals]

Hiya Dirthound, very glad to have you with us.

I am also trying to achieve a tropical appearance in an area (NC) with less-than tropical winter temps.

I have found a couple of varieties of Banana that will tolerate my zone 8 winters.
There are numerous Palms that would work for you in zone 9, as well as Sagos.
I'm adding Hedychiums, hardy Hibiscus and even several varieties of cane Begonias, Brugmansias,
and some Cannas, I love the ones with red or variegated foliage.

[ok_nurse]

Bougainvillea, bromeliads, and amaryllis should also do well. My amaryllis was gorgeous this spring, and I'm in zone 7. If you would like to do a swap a little later in the season, I have some very pretty yellow/orange cannas I could send you. They are in bloom right now and are quite large so I will need to wait a bit to swap them-but I have more than enough. Keep me in mind.
-Donna

[dirt hound]

Thank you for the recommendations. We have bromeliads, and they are doing well in the shade. We have a sago, but it has developed a scale problem, that is common around here. We have a couple of queen palms, also doing well, the small one does brown up after a freeze, but comes back beautifully though.

We do like the cannas, bananas, and hibiscus. We had a hibiscus, but it took a hit in a freeze, and never really came back. Are there diffierent varieties of hibiscus, bananas, and cannas that take the cold better than others? We will check into the others. Thank you again!

[gardeningmom]

Welcome Dirt Hound. Sorry I can't help with the tropicals but there are plenty of folks here that can be of assistance.

[zuzu's petals]

We do like the cannas, bananas, and hibiscus. We had a hibiscus, but it took a hit in a freeze, and never really came back. Are there diffierent varieties of hibiscus, bananas, and cannas that take the cold better than others? We will check into the others. Thank you again!

Here in zone 8a (and some winters it's more like 7b ),
the Banana varieties of choice are Musa basjoo and Musa velutina,
both of which are chiefly ornamental, but Musa 'Orinoco' is another option,
and might very well produce edible fruit for you in zone 9.

I can't winter over any of the tropical Hibiscus (H. rosa sinensis) without protection here,
but I grow Hibiscus mutabilis, Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus coccineus,
all of which are reliable herbaceous perennials for me.

I'm finding that many Hedychiums are hardy for me, and Curcuma as well as
the Elephant ears (Colocasia & Alocasia) lend a very tropical appearance.

Most Cannas should be plenty hardy for your zone.

[ok_nurse]

I have both annual and perennial "hardy" hibiscus. The annuals die out each winter in 7A but the hardies just keep coming bac more beautifully each year! I just drove by a house today that I'd neve seen before. It had eight 12 foot bananas growing in it front yard-unusual here in our zone. I do see an occasional banana but usually not that big. Somebody is doing something right! I also recently saw a 15 foot fan palm in a yard-gave my son alot of hope that maybe we won't need to bring my little 3 footer in for the winter this year. Guess I'll try to wrap it in insulation like I've see them do in New Mexico. What about the crotons too? They look tropical. We were just talking to Deb about them-she got a new one for a houseplant. I got a new black elephant ear this weekend too. All my elephant ears do well over winter but the caladiums-thats another story. They may do well in your zone though-boy would you be lucky-so many beautiful colors for their leaves and to not have to pull them each fall-that's be great.