TROPICAL LOOKING PLANTS - Other Than Palms

9,800 topics in this forum

1. best palms for socal public food forest?

   Topic was moved to forum DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

3. 

   ID needed

   April 8 by amazonman

   • 2 replies
   • 110 views

   This is a giant bird of paradise right? Was listed as a travelers palm which I highly doubt.

   

   Last reply by amazonman, April 8

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4. 

   Z9 hardy Calathea/Goeppertia

   April 8 by Keys6505

   • 2 replies
   • 130 views

   So my plant addiction rabbit hole has most recently taken me into the world of Calathea. One post on FB last spring regarding a "hardy" Calathea led me down a path that took me to the illustration below and then onto the hunt for the not-so-common varieties that could overwinter in my zone 9BS which actually behaves like a 9A. I found 4 of the varieties last year and am happy to report all 4 have come back after a winter low of 19.8 degrees. In the sadder of the photos below, #1 is Goeppertia Villosa, #2 G. Albertii (sold as Louisae but wrong), #3 is Maui Queen, and #4 is Zebrina. The plant above the Zebrina sprout is a Misto that I just added post-winter and from wha…

   

   Last reply by gerald6006, Friday at 10:16 AM

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5. 

   Microzamia Communis sun requirements in TX

   April 7 by Keys6505

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   I have a small 3g-ish Communis I bought from TCHP a few years back. I had read at one point that it wanted shade so that's where it's been for the last 3 or 4 years and it really hasn't grown much. I decided I want to try it out in ground so I started reading up again to figure out the best spot for it and this time I found sites that said full sun and others that say part sun. So now that I have the full gauntlet of conflicting information, I was hoping someone with experience could chime in. It will be planted in Houston so full sun doesn't always mean full sun here. Thanks

   

   Last reply by Keys6505, April 7
6. 

   Cycas debaoensis

   April 7 by Plantking165

   • 1 follower
   • 3 replies
   • 158 views

   Does anyone know where to buy a cycas debaoensis? New to cycads and would like to find one of these.

   

   Last reply by Scott W, April 9

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7. 

   20 YO Musa basjoo issues

   April 7 by Hardypalms

   • 1 follower
   • 0 replies
   • 51 views

   I have 4 Musa basoo. 2 are humongus, the other 2 are their 3 YO pups but big already. One in the back has been having 3-4 flowers yearly. I also have sikkimensis, ornata and itinerans. The basoos always come out first, this year the other 3 beat them. The huge one in the front should have 4 stalks 3 feet high by now and it has a 2 inch pup. Anyway you get the picture. 1) It’s not the cold, they have taken 15 for a week at times and down to 6 before. 2) 3 are far away in my backyard and 1 in the front yard. So it’s not a localized issue. I have not seen rodents or moles or animals. 3) The one in the front has 3-4 small mushroom…

   

   Last reply by Hardypalms, April 7
8. 

   Large tree ID requested

   April 7 by Zeeth

   • 2 replies
   • 93 views

   A friend recently bought a large property in Mayyaka and we're trying to ID this tree planted around the perimeter of his property. These are large trees, about 40-50 feet overall. They have a reddish bark that is very soft and large, glossy leaves. What do you guys think?

   

   Last reply by Zeeth, April 7

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9. 

   SOS - last seedling left and looking bad

   April 7 by Than

   • 2 replies
   • 100 views

   I bought some Mussaenda frondosa and about 5 seeds sprouted two months ago. The seedlings are tiny, the kind of seedlings that look like they could perish if you just blow on them. Yesterday I had 3, in two pots and suddenly the two in one pot died. Now I am left with just one. This one too looks poorly. I put them out under shade and sun during the day recently, temperatures are warm and there is no wind. Back indoors at night. I guess the few hours of direct sunlight wasnt a good idea.. Is there anything I can do to save this one? The medium is coco coir so I added some iron and a very diluted fertilizer.

   

   Last reply by Than, April 8
10. 

    Do longan trees even grow?

    April 7 by Than

    • 4 replies
    • 115 views

    How slow are they? I've got a small one in a pot for two months now and despite an incredibly warm and sunny winter and spring so far with highs of around 70-74F (20-22C) it hasn't grown at all. I read they are slow but are they really that slow? The Inga edulis right next to it which I bought on the same day does grow, albeit slowly.

    

    Last reply by happypalms, Sunday at 10:07 AM

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11. 

    Mucuna bennettii

    April 6 by metalfan

    • 0 replies
    • 64 views

    Is anyone growing this anymore? You almost NEVER see anyone who actually has one, and never see them actually for sale.

    

    Last reply by metalfan, April 6
12. 

    Black/White Sapote and Canistel in SoCal

    April 6 by Sabal Steve

    • 11 replies
    • 221 views

    I’ve been having trouble finding a good info on the size, growth, culture, etc. of these in Southern California. Pictures or experiences?

    

    Last reply by rprimbs, Thursday at 06:13 PM

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13. 

    Nolina longifolia first flower

    April 5 by akaranus

    • 0 replies
    • 94 views

    Very fast grower, in just few yrs from small plant to first flowering..great specie for dry garden

    

    Last reply by akaranus, April 5

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14. 

    Outdoor Tropical/Winter Gardening Tips in Tennessee? - strapped for cash and needing other things just as April rolls around

    April 5 by L.A.M.

    • 1 follower
    • 3 replies
    • 124 views

    I really, really, REALLY wanted to get southern wax myrtles, sand laurel oaks, swamp laurel oaks, sweetbay magnolias and Brazoria palmettos this April. Given that my southern magnolia, Carolina cherry laurels (at least at the stumps), needle palm and dwarf palmetto all survived the -13 degrees Fahrenheit cold wave in January 2024 with no unnatural protection and other southern magnolias here were consistently OK too, I'm feeling confident that I'll eventually be able to grow the other things I'd been planning to get this April prior to an unexpected financial blow. I'm terrified of being set back yet another year on the plant farm, though, especially given that I get craz…

    

    Last reply by L.A.M., April 9

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15. 

    Which common houseplants are harder than stated/thought?

    April 4 by Urkern

    • 6 replies
    • 233 views

    Hello, Who doesn't know it: you go to the hardware store or a gardening store and there are all sorts of great things lined up inside that you almost always think can't withstand a single degree of frost. Then you are sad and ask yourself about winter-hardy replacement plants that sometimes fill the gap more, sometimes less. It rarely comes to the idea of simply planting out one of these plants and seeing whether it is really as tropical as it looks? In my hardware store you usually see candidates like Dieffenbachia, Alocasia, Caryota, Yucca elephantipes/gigantea, Dracaena reflexa, fragrans, Livistonia, Clivia, Chlorophytum, spathiphyllum, Anthurium, Ficus …

    

    Last reply by metalfan, April 5

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16. 

    Schismatoglottis

    April 4 by happypalms

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    • 99 views

    One very cute plant that is very temperamental it has died back every winter and it keeps on growing in spring so a deciduous plant in my climate it loves the cool wet humid area in my greenhouse I would like to bring it inside this winter not sure what the actual variety is all I know is it’s very temperamental and a challenge to grow

    

    Last reply by happypalms, April 4
17. 

    Unsure on what these “Trees” are?

    April 3 by Dean the Gardener

    • 1 follower
    • 6 replies
    • 241 views

    Hi Guys, Having recently moved to a new home and inherited a garden wonder if anyone can help with some trees that we believe resemble a palm tree or sorts? could anyone help advise how we should maintain there shape - should I cut the arms (branches) short or off to help the tree continue to grow in better shape? The branches appear to just keep growing longer and wider without stability should o cut them back and encourage regrowth? thanks for any help !!

    

    Last reply by Merlyn, April 7

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18. 

    Plants in flowers

    April 1 by PaPalmTrees

    • 0 replies
    • 73 views

    here's some of my plants that are in flower in my garden right now please feel free to share some of your plants in flower I would love to see them

    

    Last reply by PaPalmTrees, April 1

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19. 

    Pandanus vandermeeschii

    April 1 by happypalms

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    • 99 views

    One tough pandanus the vandermeeschii I have about 30 large specimens around my garden drought tolerant fire tolerance they have caught on fire previously while back burning my property and they absolutely explode in flames once alight so not recommended for planting around the house in fire prone areas but they lived only to recover even stronger they certainly do make a large display in the garden given enough room to grow in an open space

    

    Last reply by happypalms, April 1

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20. 

    Repotting my browneopsis disepala

    April 1 by happypalms

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    • 73 views

    Purchased this browneopsis last autumn so it was time to repot before it gets to cold it will get planted in the garden once it has developed enough roots for the container it’s in

    

    Last reply by happypalms, April 1

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21. 

    Picking some pineapples 🍍

    April 1 by happypalms

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    • 71 views

    Pineapple season certainly one bromeliad I don’t mind growing I just have to beat the possums to pick them before they eat them

    

    Last reply by happypalms, April 1

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22. 

    cactus Cactus id

    March 31 by Valtroep

    • 2 replies
    • 118 views

    Can someone give me the name of this cactus?

    

    Last reply by Valtroep, March 31

    • cactus id
    • plant

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23. 

    Two great Australian native trees to plant

    March 30 by happypalms

    • 2 replies
    • 101 views

    Two must have Australian trees for your garden are the dorrigo Waratah alloxylon pinnatum and the Atherton oak Athertonia diversifolia both spectacular in flower so these ones will make a great addition to the garden my only wish is that I should have planted them 20 years ago like the old saying goes when is the best time to plant a tree well 20 years ago I guess so my gardening advice to any new gardener is start planting for the future now

    

    Last reply by happypalms, March 30

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24. 

    Planting my begonia plum paisley

    March 30 by happypalms

    • 0 replies
    • 46 views

    I Propagated this begonia from a leaf cutting a winner in any little place where it can be viewed by a pathway

    

    Last reply by happypalms, March 30
25. 

    Cactus ID

    March 29 by DTS

    • 1 follower
    • 1 reply
    • 59 views

    Can someone ID this cactus? Thanks!

    

    Last reply by John2468, March 29
26. 

    Blue Flag Stone

    March 29 by Paradise Found

    • 1 follower
    • 8 replies
    • 246 views

    This has to be the brightest flag stone I have ever seen it may be wet to bring out the color. Photo is from landscaper Laura Eubanks Design for Serenity in sunny San Diego.

    

    Last reply by Silas_Sancona, March 31

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