Cold Hardy Tropicals » trees

Tropical-Looking Deciduous Trees

admin — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:29:42 +0000

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

Tropical-Looking Broadleaf Evergreen Trees and Shrubs

admin — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 04:32:54 +0000

Many varieties of trees and shrubs are valuable in a tropicalesque garden for their tropical-looking foliage, flowers, or general habit. Some trees and shrubs are fully hardy, yet add a tropical aura to a landscape. Certain trees and shrubs that have been traditionally grown in warmer areas, such as the southern United States, are hardier than commonly thought, and are worth trying in a colder climate to achieve a tropical look.

Some of these plants may be valuable for their glossy foliage; others for their large, jungle-like leaves. Others may have finely-divided palm-like leaves, tropical-looking flowers, a unique bark texture, or an interesting trunking habit.

Tropical-looking broadleaf evergreens are notable for glossy evergreen foliage that can extend the garden’s tropical look past the prime season of many deciduous plants.

Broadleaf Evergreen Trees and Shrubs

Camellia (Camellias)
Gardenia augusta ‘Grif’s Select’ (‘Grif’s Select’ gardenia) : Zone 6-10
Magnolia grandiflora (Southern magnolia)
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape / Holly-leaved barberry) : Zone 5-9
Nandina domestica (Heavenly bamboo) : Zone 6-11
Pieris japonica (Japanese pieris) : Zone 5-8
Rhododendron (Rhododendrons)
Rhododendron (Azaleas)

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Edith Bogue’