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A Rainforest Look – Gardening in the Coastal Southeast

A Rainforest Look

Picture

In the Coastal Southeast, it is possible to grow several cold-hardy members of tropical plant families in the landscape. The addition of some bold textured hardy plants and a few fast-growing tropical plants as annuals can create a tropical rainforest look despite our relatively cold winters.

Cold hardy species that grow into zone 8 can be found in the following plant groups.
aroid
bamboo 
banana 
begonia
bromeliad 

cycad 
ginger 
hibiscus 
palm 
pandanus 

Other tropicals with some cold hardiness
Acacia 
Bauhinia – orchid tree

Bletilla
Brugmansia – angel’s trumpet
Caesalpinia
Calliandra 
Cordia 
Cordyline 
Cyathea
Cymbidium
Epidendrum 
Erythrina 
Excoecaria
Galphimia 
Hamelia 
Havardia 
Jacaranda 
Lysiloma 
Megaskepasma 
Montanoa
Musella 

Mussaenda
Odontonema 

Phaius 
Philodendron
Pseudobombax
Schefflera 

Solanum
Sophora 

Stachytarpheta – porterweed
Strelitzia 
Tabebuia 
Tacca – bat flower
Thysanolaena 
Tibouchina 
Tithonia diversifolia – giant daisy
Zanthoxylon 

Cold hardy plants (into zone 8) with bold, tropical-looking foliage. 
Aspidistra
Canna
Crinum 

Cold tender tropical plants that serve well as annuals
Acalypha hispida (in the photo at the top of the page) 
Acalypha armenatacea 
Allamanda 

Breynia – snow bush
Carica – papaya
Codieaum variegatum – croton

Euphorbia cotinifolia – Caribbean copperleaf
Holmskioldia 
Leea 
Mahinot 
Pachystachys
Pentas 
Plumbago 
Sanchezia
Spathoglottis
Thunbergia grandiflora

useful references:
Creating the Tropical Look by Texas A&M University

 

a young Bismarckia nobilis