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Any Unique Tropical Looking Trees For Virginia?


PalmTreeDude

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Does anyone have any recommendations for unique tropical looking trees that could survive a zone 7a winter in Virginia (South of Richmond)? I am in need of a few new trees and I don't want to plant something common. I was going to plant a Bald Cypress (they kind of have a tropical look to them in the summer) but then thoughts of me mowing the lawn around roots coming up (our yard gets pretty wet) made me reconsider. 

Edited by PalmTreeDude
Typos
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PalmTreeDude

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Loquat trees look very tropical. They can take temperatures as low as 10F with no serious damage. 

Edited by Estlander
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If it isn't already something seen in landscapes there,  American Yellowwood, Cladrastis kentukea might fit the bill, though it does drop it's leaves in the fall. 

Big leaves, very fragrant pink or white flowers in Wisteria-like clusters borne in the spring, supposedly a moderate grower so it shouldn't get too big too fast. The Apartment complex i'd lived in when i lived in Ohio ( Milford / Mulberry area, just N.E. of Cincinnati ) had roughly half a dozen planted and they withstood everything the weather there threw at them.. 

On my list of trees id like to try once back in California. Beautiful tree. Not nearly as aggressive as Black locust, which is established in parts of California..

Another possibility ( if it also isn't already a popular landscape subject there) Loblolly Bay, Gordonia lasianthus or the cross made between it and Franklinia alatamaha might be appropriate and add the tropical "look" to your landscape /garden also.. 

While potentially much harder to track down, several, large leaved Oak (Quercus sp.) from Mexico seem to be hardy enough to try there. Clethera pringlei and C. mexicana are two others from Mexico worth looking for that you could try.  

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The Montezuma cypress is not supposed to have the knees that the bald cypress does.  A similar and possibly very unique tree for your area might be Glyptostrobus pensilis.  It appears to be the Asian equivalent of bald cypress and seems to be quite rare. Unfortunately, it may develop knees as well.

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Clay

South Padre Island, Zone 10b until the next vortex.

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I always thought that the Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus) looked vaguely tropical. 

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Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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Firmiana simplex (Parasol Tree), Ilex latifolia (Lusterleaf Holly), Lagerstroemia fauriei (Japanese Crepe Myrtle) and Magnolia macrophylla.

When I go up North the Catalpa speciosa look tropical to me, especially old specimens with a flared buttress. Also, Aesculus hippocastanum, Horse Chestnut. I was in Cape Cod a few years ago over Memorial Day and these were in full bloom. They had a very tropical look to them.

And Albizia julibrissin. I think these look very tropical. But since they are so common and weedy, if you live around them you don't notice. We don't really have them around here so when I go north and start seeing them they really look exotic. But there are purple leaf forms now like 'Summer Chocolate' that are really nice.

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Eric

Orlando, FL

zone 9b/10a

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Thank you all! I looked at every one of the trees mentioned and they all look very cool. I already have Crape Myrtles, they are common here but look very tropical. There is actually an area near me where they have naturalized in tye woods, some pretty big ones are there. 

PalmTreeDude

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a few suggestions  to add to the list that you might like, I can attest that all of these will grow in zone 6, and many can go colder:

Magnolia grandiflora - southern magnolia - maybe too common in your area

Magnolia tripetala - umbrella magnolia - these look like bananas

Magnolia macrophylla - Big leaf Magnolia - need protection from wind

Davidia involucrata - Dove tree

Gleditsia Ruby Lace - Ruby lace honeylocust

Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe'

Laburnum Alpinum - Golden chain tree

Parrotia Persica - Persian ironwood

Rhus typhina - Staghorn Sumac

Liriodendron tulipifera 'aureomarginatum' - variegated Tulip tree

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula' - Weeping nootka - these look pretty tropical as a back drop to trachycarpus.

I think you may be able to get away with a couple of euclayptus species as well.  I see on BocaJoe's youtube channel in VA that they are growing E. neglecta and E pauciflora.  E. Pauciflora either subspecies "niphophila" or "debeuzevillei" will most likely be your best bet.  They're not the fastest growing eucs but still fairly quick.  I have one that went from 12" to 8' in 2 years and has seen lots of snow and freezing rain in its first year.

I even think that black walnut and butternut have a nice tropicalesque look to them as well.
 Bald cypress don't always form knees, and I think they're less likely to if planted on dry land.  I've seen a few big ones around here with no knees.  If they were to form it takes a long time, so I wouldn't be dissuaded from planting one.

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When I used to live in Richmond, I had a bunch of Needle Palms and Bananas (Musa Basjoo.) I always loved the look at the house in the Google view below, so out of place.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.6708649,-77.5350342,3a,65.1y,235.24h,86.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDEQCtYNaT3-zffzNcpKq7A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

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Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) would be a good one to grow too, and produces edible fruit that taste like a banana/mango mix. The Peterson varieties are supposed to taste quite good:

https://www.petersonpawpaws.com

Keep in mind that you have to have 2 different varieties to get good fruit set.

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Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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My suggestion would be Lithocarpus edulis (both normal and varigated, but the varigated form is slow) or Quercus glauca.  Both are hard to find.  They are evergreen with very glossy leaves.  Lithocarpus glaber has smaller glossy leaves, reminds me of ficus benjamina.  There are other japanese quercus sp. that would do as well.  In general any of these would cast very dense shade.  Some japanese oaks also grow attractive surface / buttress roots with age.

Steve

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13 hours ago, paquicuba said:

When I used to live in Richmond, I had a bunch of Needle Palms and Bananas (Musa Basjoo.) I always loved the look at the house in the Google view below, so out of place.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.6708649,-77.5350342,3a,65.1y,235.24h,86.19t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sDEQCtYNaT3-zffzNcpKq7A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 When I lived in the Richmond area I took advantage to drive by that property when I was near. The locals always called it the "Cactus House". I got a chance to tour the property on a Humane Society event back in the day. 

 

Edited by Tampa Scott
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I've never done it myself, but when I was in the Pacific Northwest, I noticed that people would grow Pawlonia tomentosa and cut it down each year at the end of the season. It resprouts in the spring with enormous leaves.

Ailanthus altissima might work for someone who cares to maintain it at a manageable size. You certainly don't need patience for this one.

Both of these trees have the added advantage of back-stories; Pawlonia is the traditional wood for a bride's hope chest in China and Ailanthus is the eponymous Tree That Grows in Brooklyn (and in gutters, and in cracks in the sidewalk...) If you have  guests who linger overlong you can regale them with such trivia in a way that suggests you have many more fun facts to share. ;)

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