Liberty Lake Zone 6b - Tropical 'like' options?

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by TravisK, Jan 4, 2016.

  1. TravisK

    TravisK New Member

    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Washington
    Dear Fellow Plant Lovers,

    I would like to know if any of you have had success with tropical like palms and other large broad-leaf plants. I am zone 6b and would like some Palms and other tropical and exotic looking plants that will fair the low temps. Any suggestions and experiences are greatly appreciated.

    Kind Regards,
    Travis
     
  2. pmurphy

    pmurphy Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    981
    Likes Received:
    792
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    Finding plants to fit your "wish list" is not easy because by the very definition - plant life that occurs in climates that are warm year-round - there is no such thing as a cold climate tropical. However, there are a lot of bright tropical or exotic looking plants that you can use. Some of these will be as common as the daylily but I find it is the unusual that will really fill this niche and attract the most attention.

    For you wish list, except for the needle palm - Rhapidophyllum hystrix - and possibly the "Waggie" palm - Trachycarpus wagnerianus (there is a lot of debate as to the limit of this palm), I don't think any others have a chance of surviving zone 6 in-ground PlantFiles: Needle Palm ; PlantFiles: Miniature Chusan Palm, Wagner's Windmill Palm, Waggie
    But you can also try the Musa basjoo - hardy Banana - listed as low as zone 6b but iffy PlantFiles: Japanese Fiber Banana, Japanese Hardy Banana

    As for the 'unusual' you can try:
    Ficus carica - 'Chigaco' hardy fig - listed to zone 6 and will bear edible fruit
    Dracunculus vulgaris - dragon's claw arum - and a lot of other arums are zone 5
    Actinidia arguta - hardy kiwi - is listed to zone 4 and will bear edible fruit (there are many other types of edible kiwi such as the Arctic, the Golden and the Fuzzy, all of which have large or colorful leaves.......just remember you need male and female)
    Passiflora incarnate - maypop passion vine - native to eastern North America, zone 6 or possibly lower; they have that lovely exotic looking flower PlantFiles: Apricot Vine, Maypop, Purple Passion Flower, Passionflower, Passionvine, Passion Vine
    Asimina triloba - North America pawpaw, aka the poor man's banana - is a hardy tree to zone 6 and will bear edible fruit

    Cannas, Elephant Ears and giant Calla Lilies can be grown but you will have to lift and store the bulbs for winter

    Then of course you can always find more common plants that look exotic and will "fill space" such as:
    Pampas grass; listed to zone 5
    Yuccas, listed to zone 4
    Trumpet Vines - campsis sp.; listed to zone 4

    If you really want the "real thing" and have the space for winter storage, you can always grow palms in pots outside in the summer (larger palms seem to be okay with disproportionately small pots). And bananas don't mind if you cut them back and store the corms for the winter before re-planting in the spring.
     
  3. Keke

    Keke Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    189
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC CANADA
    The Passiflora may drop all its leaves in the winter if it is in a less-sheltered spot (the species normally lives in the understory). It is also one of the last plants in my garden to re-leaf in the spring, but don't give up on it unless you do the "scratch test" and the stems aren't green underneath. I would in fact not give up on it even then as the ones I grew in zone 6 (previous home) had been known to die to the ground and re-grow from the roots after a hard winter. But watch it -- if it likes your location it can run. I am finding shoots all over my garden now that the leaves are off a lot of the plants, and they are obviously runners.
     
  4. pmurphy

    pmurphy Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    981
    Likes Received:
    792
    Location:
    Vancouver, BC
    Passiflora incarnate - maypop passion vine - got it name from the fact that it usually "pops" out of the ground in May, and it can be very invasive (I not so carefully dug one out of a pot and for every little piece of root I left behind a new plant popped up).

    As for large leafed plants you could also try planting edible rhubarb - not exactly tropical but if you let it flower it will provide interest as well as large leaves.....and you can eat it as a bonus :)
     
  5. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,057
    Likes Received:
    98
    Location:
    Kootenays, BC, Canada
    You could also try Gunnera. People grow it successfully in my hardiness zone which is 5a, so you should not have any problems. It just needs a thick layer of mulch for the winter.
     
  6. woodschmoe

    woodschmoe Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    708
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    gulf island, bc, canada
    Petasites japonicus var. giganteus, Sasa palmata (perhaps...you're right on the edge zone-wise), Paulownia tomentosa kept coppiced....
     
  7. woodschmoe

    woodschmoe Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    708
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    gulf island, bc, canada
    Miscanthus 'Giganteus' for Summer (and Fall) interest, adds a tropical look through sheer size and strapping leaves, and exposed canes are reminiscent of bamboo.
     
  8. TravisK

    TravisK New Member

    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Eastern Washington
    Wow everyone, thank you! I wasn't expecting so many replies. I have some research and online purchasing to do now.
     

Share This Page