TROPICAL LOOKING PLANTS - Other Than Palms

11,336 topics in this forum

1. 

   Brazilian Mahogany at Mounts

   March 25 by bubba

   • 1 reply
   • 82 views

   Briefly deciduous during dry season

   

   Last reply by bubba, March 25
3. 

   Tropical plants in zone 6a colorado

   March 24 by COpalms

   • 0 replies
   • 76 views

   I made a post a bit ago talking about some of the tropical plants I was zone pushing here in zone 6a, Colorado. They are Cycas revoluta, Eucalyptus cinerea, and Monstera deliciosa. Starting with the Cycad, sago palm, I have no idea if it's dead or alive. I should apparently not uproot it or do anything with it yet because iits to early to tell whether it will continue growing or not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were dead. There is no spear pull or rot; however, I did not protect it probably as much as I should have, and its leaves died due to snowfall indirectly touching the fronds on the frost cloth. Regarldess I will wait and see what happens. I should also mentio…

   

   Last reply by COpalms, March 24

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4. 

   Zone push cool tolerant piper magnificum

   March 24 by happypalms

   • 0 replies
   • 114 views

   One plant that I definitely thought and read that would not take the cool weather was the piper magnificum. Taking temperatures down to 2 degrees Celsius and sitting in the back part of the greenhouse without much warmth in winter. It came through last winter like it was a spring break. So much so I had to buy another plant, iam quite confident it would live in the ground given enough water in summer in my climate. So don’t believe all you read this plant is cool tolerant! Another zone push winner!

   

   Last reply by happypalms, March 24

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5. 

   Strelitzia hybrids

   March 3, 2007 by Jim in Los Altos

   • 8 replies
   • 1.7k views

   Does anyone have any information regarding the possibility of crossing Strelitzia nicolai with S. reginae or if anyone's already done this? I would think that the result would be beautiful.

   

   Last reply by happypalms, March 24

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6. 

   🚨 POLAR VORTEX TO HIT DEEP SOUTH 🚨

   March 22 by JohnAndSancho

   • 9 replies
   • 276 views

   I planted something. This means it's gonna snow next week. My bad! And yeah I made sure to dig deep, amended the hole with my bokashi compost and some gravel mixed with the clay and dug a few drainage trenches that'll eventually tie into the French drains where my Thai Giant colocasias are gonna go. An hour of work and I'm ready to die. Anyway don't put your flannel sheets away and this is all my fault. Also those are not weeds, those are native plants 😂

   

   Last reply by JohnAndSancho, March 23

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7. 

   Ficus socotrana (vasta) planting 1 2

   August 10, 2020 by Tracy

   • 47 replies
   • 7.3k views

   I finally found this Ficus socotrana which has been lumped in with Ficus vasta I understand, but since it was labeled as socotrana, I'll stick with it. I fell in love with the one at Quail Botanical Garden now San Diego Botanical Garden about a decade ago or perhaps even longer. I never started looking for it until about that time. They had one large specimen for sale at a nursery in Rancho Santa Fe, but when I inquired about purchasing it, was advised it wasn't for sale and would only be used for propagation, and that I should call back the following spring. I did follow up that following spring and a few more, but there were never any available. We just removed a …

   

   Last reply by Tracy, March 23

   • ficus socotrana
   • ficus vasta

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8. 

   Happy vernal equinox (spring in the north, autumn in the south)!!

   March 20 by Hillizard

   • 8 replies
   • 244 views

   Finally seeing some early signs of spring blooms on my Handroanthus (aka Tabebuia), both the dark pink heptaphyllus and the lighter pink impetiginosus.) Even my previously shy blooming Bauhinia x blakeana now has clusters of buds on many of its branch tips. Despite what the winter was like on East Coast of the U.S., here in the West we experienced "relatively" mild temps. It's so dry I've had to start handwatering again! Palms in the top image are Parajubaea (l) and Jubaea (R).

   

   Last reply by bubba, March 22

   • tabebuia
   • hydroanthus
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     • bauhinia x blakeana

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9. 

   Natal Bottlebrush/Honeybush

   March 22 by Hillizard

   • 0 replies
   • 85 views

   First blooms on my Greyia sutherlandii. It was purchased a few year ago from a Bay Area nursery. Tends to drop all its leaves each winter where I live. Hope it will attract hummingbirds.

   

   Last reply by Hillizard, March 22

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10. 

    Puya bloom after 12 years in the ground

    August 30, 2022 by Tracy

    • 15 replies
    • 3.1k views

    I just noticed that my clump of an unknown species of Puya that has been growing for 12 years in the ground is finally pushing up an inflorescence, so flowers will be coming! The first photo shows the paler Puya above a Puya alpestris clump that I had growing in the same area back in 2013. I have since removed the Puya alpestris and what remains of that is in a couple of pots. The unknown Puya is both lighter in color, forms much larger rosettes and each individual leaf is much thicker and longer than with Puya alpestris. So with the flowers to open in the coming weeks, I will hopefully be able to nail down the species as well. The inflorescence pushing up is visible…

    

    Last reply by Hillizard, March 22

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11. 

    Post your Elephant Apples

    March 22 by bubba

    • 3 replies
    • 112 views
    

    Last reply by bubba, March 22

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12. 

    Which amongst your bromeliads deliver on hummingbirds?

    March 24, 2025 by Rivera

    • 1 follower
    • 10 replies
    • 940 views

    We grow many bromeliads in our garden, including those that produce a very short flower stalk, such as any of the various forms of Aechmea recurvata. Though the flowers are more of a Violet color, the flower stalk blushes bright red (often the whole plant gets pretty red), which I think would be a beneficial adaptation to attract hummingbirds. I know for some Aechmea, hummingbirds are their primary pollinators, though I'm not sure for this species. If you have hummingbirds around, which bromeliads attract them when in flower? Do any of the "short-stalked" species deliver? Some photos below, to make things more fun. You'll notice many of our bromeliads are stil…

    

    Last reply by Tracy, March 21

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13. 

    Sowing a few cycas seeds

    March 21 by happypalms

    • 2 replies
    • 79 views

    A couple of nice cycas varieties worth trying to propagate. Half buried horizontally then firmly pushed down. Bottom heating 30 degrees Celsius.

    

    Last reply by happypalms, March 21

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14. 

    Trees and Shrubs for Zone 9a/9b FL + Poor Sandy Soil

    March 18 by Matthew92

    • 1 follower
    • 18 replies
    • 511 views

    I'm going to create a separate post in reference to the one I just made about what palms could grow in Spring Hill, FL (it turns out I might be moving there) https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/93025-what-palms-could-you-grow-in-spring-hill-fl/ This will help keep the discussion centered on palms in the other thread. This is what I have so far for trees I'd like to try if I were in such a 9a/9b borderline area (gets temps in the mid 20's every few years and low 20's (deg F) on rare occasion depending on microclimate) Acacia: probably many species would do well, but I know farnesiana (now in the genus Vachellia) thrives in sandy conditions, has sufficient…

    

    Last reply by Silas_Sancona, March 21

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15. 

    Cibotium glaucum spore germination

    January 29 by John2468

    • 1 follower
    • 9 replies
    • 335 views

    Hello everyone, I received some spores a month ago from @quaman58 and @realarch. This is my process of sowing these spores. First, I put one frond on a piece of paper with the spore side down. I continued this with the other fronds. I left it in a cool, dark place until the spores release from the fronds. Second, I separated the spore casings from the spores with a folded piece of paper. I gently tap the paper until the casing fall off. The spores should have a dust-like appearance. Third, I used a microwaveable food container and filled it with pure peat. I didn’t add drainage holes or ventilation holes to prevent contamination…

    

    Last reply by John2468, March 21

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16. 

    Palm Condo gentrified

    March 21 by JohnAndSancho

    • 0 replies
    • 73 views

    Yeah there's still a palmetto and an Etonia and a couple succulents, but the aroids have taken over. I got the white Monstera for $4.88. I really need to go and label what all is in there, there's a couple Billitae I need to split, a Moonlight and Plowmanii philo, a bunch of alocasias, a baby Jurassic Jellyfish Colocasia, I need to add my last light and space things out.

    

    Last reply by JohnAndSancho, March 21

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17. 

    Cycas ID requested

    March 16 by zero

    • 4 replies
    • 205 views

    I was given this cycad several years ago but don't remember which species. I believe it's one of the cold hardy ones either Cycas panzhihuaensis, taitungensis or guizhouensis. Leaflets are somewhat soft - not stiff like revoluta. I can't tell them apart ...

    

    Last reply by Merlyn, March 21

    • cycas

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18. 

    PACSOA member gifted encephalartos ferox seedlings

    March 20 by happypalms

    • 0 replies
    • 80 views

    A wonderful gift of some Ferox seedlings sent to me by a PACSOA member. They shall be greatly treasured and grown with love. If iam gifted a plant I never forget that gift and will always remember who gifted me that plant, always with great remembrance. Thanks Gary

    

    Last reply by happypalms, March 20

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19. 

    Sago palm - no new leaves - Cycas Revoluta

    March 17 by Honza

    • 1 follower
    • 3 replies
    • 218 views

    Hi all, My Sago palm do doesn't produce new leaves. It hasn't produced any leaves for 2 years and this year it looks like there's no sign of a new leaf. It was transplanted into a new substrate last year and nothing. Is it damaged in any way? Or how can I get it to produce new leaves. The small cycads at its base are producing new leaves. Some of old leaves are burned from sun. I attached photo of my Sago palm. Thank you.

    

    Last reply by Merlyn, March 20

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20. 

    Post your Polyalthia longifolio/Pendula or Mast trees

    March 20 by bubba

    • 0 replies
    • 82 views

    Mounts parking lot

    

    Last reply by bubba, March 20
21. 

    What kind of palm is this

    March 19 by tonyparsons88

    • 3 replies
    • 166 views

    I found this growing in Indiana today, I didn't think I've ever seen any of this type growing here in the wild like this before. Definitely is and out of place. VOD_20260319_160906.mp4

    

    Last reply by tonyparsons88, March 19

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22. 

    Ceratozamia latifolia--please flush

    March 18 by Foggy Paul

    • 1 follower
    • 3 replies
    • 139 views

    Our C. latifolia is a beautiful plant especially when sending out its copper red flush, which lasts for weeks. But it hasn't done so in a couple of years. It did cone last year, which was interesting, but I'd prefer a flush. Now it's coning again! Is there anything I can do to encourage it to flush? I have been feeding with Palmgain occasionally. Thanks for any suggestions.

    

    Last reply by Foggy Paul, March 19

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23. 

    Any thoughts on the ID of this Croton?

    March 16 by metalfan

    • 1 follower
    • 3 replies
    • 131 views

    Bought this yesterday, the vendor did not know the cultivar name. Both Bravo and Fantasy (AFD#5) have been suggested to me.

    

    Last reply by JohnAndSancho, March 18

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24. 

    Sobralia season begins

    March 18 by Tracy

    • 0 replies
    • 83 views

    Sobralia kruskayae opened it's first two flowers overnight. It seems early for Sobralias to be opening here but I only got this species last year, so don't know if this is just an early bloomer or if the warm winter has it confused. I am curious if anyone else has experience with growing this species of Sobralia and if blooming now matches their history with it?

    

    Last reply by Tracy, March 18

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    • sobralia kruskayae
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25. 

    Ceiba insignis growers?

    January 10, 2024 by ExperimentalGrower

    • 2 followers
    • 16 replies
    • 1.6k views

    Hey folks, anyone growing Ceiba insignis? How do they handle cold/frost? Any cultural particularities? Issues with their roost systems? I have a couple, one of which I’d like to put in the ground.

    

    Last reply by Matthew92, March 18

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26. 

    Mountain apple in flower

    March 13 by Brad52

    • 7 replies
    • 198 views
    

    Last reply by Brad52, March 17

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