Tropical Plants
Posted by in Tropical Plants on September 18, 2011
Tropical plants grow in areas that have hot and humid climate. Such plants are used for decoration and adornment of the garden, patios, and also indoor. Tropical plants are very popular because of their large foliage and their outstanding presence. With just a few pots and creativity, it is possible to give a forest look, with the generous greenery of the tropical plants. Elephant ears, bananas, caladiums, and other foliage plants are all tropical plants that are very popular.
Research seems to prove that they possess characteristics and genes that are unique. Unfortunately this genetic bank has not been exploited enough, to get the benefits of cultivation of tropical plant varieties that are available. It is seen that the loss of plant variety is brought about by, genetic erosion and reduction of the genetic basis of various species.
Elephant ears a favorite tropical plant, is planted in many gardens. They are mostly from the Genus Alocasia, and have large heart-shaped leaves, and have originated from the Asian tropics. There are new varieties that have been recently developed, which have black leaf surfaces with white veins. The leaves are very broad and have a span of 30 inches or more.
Bananas are of great importance in the tropics. They are used for various purposes as vegetables, fruits, and in the tropical region, their big leaves are used traditionally as plates. There are many varieties grown today for their ornamental value. The banana plants grown outdoors, as annuals attain a height of almost 9 feet in a season. There are also dwarf varieties that are specially cultivated. These plants however require frequent watering. They also need to be sheltered from heavy winds as the stems are not strong enough to withstand it. Read the rest of this entry »
Tropical Plants and Plumeria Care in Temperate Climates
Posted by in Tropical Plants on September 18, 2011
When it comes to growing tropical plants, including plumerias, some gardeners will tell you that these plants cannot be grown in temperate climates. Recently, I have been asked how tropical plants and plumerias can be grown in less than ideal conditions meaning outside their native subtropical and tropical climates.
Tropical plant lovers can let their imagination run wild in creating tropical gardens of their own with all the new plants and information that is available to them these days. No longer do they have to listen to all the naysayers telling them it can’t be done. Gardeners can create a tropical garden with banana plants, heliconias, plumerias, and other beautiful exotic tropical plants. Many of these tropical plants have been developed and hybridized for this very reason.
In temperate climates gardeners have to grow their tropical plants in pots, and supplement what is needed to re-create their native conditions. The tropical plant gardener in temperate climate zones has to adjust the plants and growing conditions to fit his or her local garden parameters.
For example, if a gardener wants to include banana plants in the garden design, instead of growing banana plants that grow twelve feet or more, like Musa ‘Ice Cream’ and Musa ‘Monthan’, growing dwarf fruiting banana plants is the available and correct choice.
Excellent dwarf fruiting banana plants include Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Cavendish’, Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Lady Finger’, and Musa acuminata ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’. These dwarf banana plants don’t take up much space and can produce fruits when provided with the correct growing conditions.
Another excellent alternate choice to grow in temperate climates are ornamental banana plants, called Musa ornata. They produce colorful inflorescences, flower stalks, which carry inedible banana fruits. Colors of the inflorescences include red, white, purple and pink. An excellent edible choice is Musa velutina, also called pink flowering banana. The fruit is actually edible if one doesn’t mind the seeds. The bananas actually peel themselves back when ripe. Musa velutina starts flowering and fruiting once it reaches three feet in height.
When traveling to tropical destinations vacationers encounter heliconias growing in the wild. Many heliconias grow so tall that they would not be considered suitable for container growing. Read the rest of this entry »