Tropical-looking deciduous trees are valuable because they are typically large and easy to grow, creating a framework around which other tropical-looking plants can be arranged. The tropical effect may come from large, exotic-looking leaves; palm-like, finely-divided leaves; or some other feature, such as interesting flowers, fruit, bark, or branch structure.

Deciduous Trees

• Albizia julibrissin (Silk tree / Mimosa tree) : Zone 6-9
• Aralia elata (Japanese angelica tree) : Zone 3-8
• Asimina triloba (Pawpaw) : Zone 5-9
• Catalpa bignonioides (Southern catalpa / Indian bean tree) : Zone 5-9
• Cladrastis lutea (Yellowood) : Zone 4-8
• Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin tree) : Zone 6-9
• Gleditsia triacanthos (Honey locust) : Zone 4-9
• Juglans nigra (Black walnut) : Zone 4-9
• Kalopanax pictus (Castor aralia) : Zone 4-8
• Laburnum x watereri ‘Vossii’ (Golden chain tree / Golden rain tree) : Zone 6-8
• Lagerstroemia indica (Crape myrtle) : Zone 6-10
• Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip tree / Tulip poplar / Yellow poplar) : Zone 5-9
• Magnolia macrophylla (Bigleaf magnolia) : Zone 5-9
• Paulownia tomentosa (Royal paulownia / Empress tree) : Zone 5-9
• Quercus fusiformis (Escarpment live oak / Scrub live oak) : Zone 6-10
• Robinia pseudoacacia (Black locust) : Zone 4-9

Common Laburnum