complimentary plants for palm garden?

[trioderob]

any ideas for plants which are highly comlimentary with palms in a garden setting ?

(in my case for a Mediterranean climate, but the topic is, of course, open to anyone)

Edited October 18, 2010 by trioderob

[peachy]

When I still lived in the south, I always thought nothing looks prettier than hydrangeas and tree ferns growing between the palms. I still think it but cant get either of them to survive here in the north. As I have always loved aroids of all descriptions I now use those as companion plants for palms with crotons thrown in here and there for colour and few big ferns to fill in the gaps.(still not as nice as hydrangeas however) If you want a haute couture garden then plant what everybody else does. Otherwise just plant what you think looks pretty, it's your creation, do what suits your taste.

Peachy

[trioderob]

peachy-

I was thinking about tree ferns.

I really like how they look.

the only thing holding me back is that I heard that the "hair/fuzz" on the trunk

is an Irritant and is pretty nasty to deal with.

maybe someone has feedback on this ?

I would love to go to tasmania to see the fern forest !

have you been there ?

nice looking place- no ?

Edited October 18, 2010 by trioderob

[Xenon]

Cordylines are my favorites. Gingers, aroids, and bromeliads are nice too. Too bad I can't grow most of them...

Jonathan

[dogrocket]

elephant ears,cannas,bananas,bamboo.I mix it all in,but I like the jungle look!

[Kailua_Krish]

The only problem with the hydrangeas are the fact that they are deciduous, but I do grow them interspersed with my palms.

Ive never had too much trouble with cyathea hairs. It is very irritating if you inhale them but for me I'd say it wasnt as bad as the rash I get from elephant ear sap.

Personally I really like ferns and aroids, but it really depends on the look you are going for.

-Krishna

[Gonzer]

Doesn't matter really as long as the textures, sizes, and color shades are variable. Don't forget cool hardscape like skulls, wood, rocks, and telephone booths.

[industrio7]

Particularly in our dry subtropical climate, I think aloes and agaves are a nice complement to palms. If you want to go more lush, then heliconias, alocasias, aechmeas, and gingers are great. Bamboo is also nice.

As for the tree fern fuzz, it is a skin irritant. Just don't plant them close to walkways. Eventually, the older parts of the trunks will lose the fuzz but it may take some time for that to happen.

- Wayne

Edited October 21, 2010 by industrio7

[PalmatierMeg]

I got a tree fern years ago when we moved to FL. Those little hairs got all over me whenever I went near its pot and they itched and burned like h***. But I'm highly allergic anyway. Eventually I had to get rid of it and will never get another. It might do better for you planted in the yard. I love their prehistoric look.

[peachy]

Australia has quite a few tree fern species, not all of them cyathea. Those in the photos are Dicksonias. No I havent been to that forest in the photos but I have seen a lot of dicksonias in the rain forests in Victoria. I have also seen them frozen solid and covered in snow. Here in the north, various cyatheas are common rainforest plants, however it seems that only cyathea cooperi is commercially available and those things I cannot get to live here. I am allergic to practically everything on the planet but I have never had problems with tree fern fuzz. Probably because I dont go inhaling it !! Maybe its a specific popular species over your way that causes problems because I havent heard of them being a problem until now.

Peachy

[Jeff Searle]

Here in south Florida, were on the edge of almost being tropical. So, in my yard, I like to mix it up with lots of tropicals. I'm big on crotons to bring out some color amongst all the green in palms, and then aroids, gingers, bromeliads and some scattered unusual stuff mixed in too. And of course orchids on the trees. Delicious!

[sarasota alex]

Bromeliads are my favorite

[ariscott]

What haven't I got??? I mix everything with everything....

Regards, Ari

[AggiePalms]

I agree with most people here: bright cordylines for vertical, tree ferns for softness (along with some cycads), ferms for ground cover, bromeliads and heliconia for color, cactus/euphorbia for ruggedness, and aroids...just because they scream tropical and grow like crazy. That ought to take care of fifteen or so acres of variable palm habitats!

[carver]

Aloes, justicias, and anthuriums are nice.

[Steve Mac]

We have several different tree ferns (C. aust, C. coop, C. med, C. rob, and D. ant,) in with our palms and we hug and kiss those big beautiful suckers

and have never had a sneeze or cold sore and didn't know that anyone might be affected negatively by them.

If I were you I would visit a garden near you with tree ferns, give one a cuddle and see if it does affect you adversly, it probably won't.

And you will know what will grow in your area.

[SubTropicRay]

Agave look great with palms.

[Palm crazy]

If I live in your area I would first grow plants that came from other parts of the world with similar growing condition. Adding exotic like cycads and aloes and exotic succulents can give you lots of color and flowers all year.

There are so many different types of bromeliads for just about every climate condition. Keep the tree ferns to the shady part with other water loving plants. Exotic Gardens in S. D. offers so many choices of unusual specimens you won’t see elsewhere. Just go with what you like and see at nursery or in books or go visit the amazing aloe garden at Lotusland. Use shrubs and plants from Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and subtropical places too, you have a great climate so go for it and mix things up.

Heres a great place to start looking for plant ideas by geography.

http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/region.asp

Edited October 22, 2010 by Palm crazy

[yachtingone]

I agree with most people here: bright cordylines for vertical, tree ferns for softness (along with some cycads), ferms for ground cover, bromeliads and heliconia for color, cactus/euphorbia for ruggedness, and aroids...just because they scream tropical and grow like crazy. That ought to take care of fifteen or so acres of variable palm habitats!

Aggie I like your mix!

Perfect for the tropical, jurrasic look!!!

I think throwing in a climbing vine or two adds alot to the tropical look. Ralph Valdez hooked me on the vine idea.

Staghorn ferns are cool too...

Randy

[Palm crazy]

I agree Randy, using vines add a real tropical look and most have very fragrant exotic flowers. I use mostly Jasmine on my tall palm trunks and I plan on adding Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Ogon Nishiki’asian star jasmine with so much colorful foliage and gives the hummers something to drink from also. I have this one interesting vine that looks like a schefflera but is a vine called Stauntonia hexaphylla, very hardy for me and evergreen.

[Alex-v]

I like bamboo, gunnera, bananas, cannas, phormium, ferns , hydrangeas, hemerocallis, briar , evergreen bush,...and some decidous.

some of my hemerocallis

[Dave-Vero]

Dasylirion wheeleri and other woody lilies. This one looks like a century plant with very thin leaves. Seems easy to grow--Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden has a healthy one, despite it's being native to southern Arizona and New Mexico.

[Alex-v]

One of my bamboo. this sprouting canes now. had not seen other species do to it in the autumn.

chimonobambusa marmorea.

[Justin]

I have a ton of stuff, and it really varies with the type of palm.

With the more lush, full, green palms (e.g. Kentia, Ravenea glauca), I used giant Philodendrons, mini Philodendrons, tree ferns, Blechnums, and some Castanospermums and Hymenosporums.

With some of the less full, more mediterranean palms (e.g. Jubaea, Butia, Parajubaea), I used some Proteaceae (banksia, protea, leucospermum, leucadendron), and some mimosa-type trees (Prosopis chilensis, Enterolobium)

For fan palms, I'd recommend succulents and/or Proteaceae

For my big palm bed that has a lot of different palms, I've mixed in with Bamboo for height, giant Philodendrons for texture, and some flowering trees as well.

[Alex-v]

I am amazed at the beauty of Ensete glaucum. I found also faster than ventricosum.

[Chris]

I would say it depends on the look you want and whether you have sun or shade or a combination. For a tropical lush look, I would use bamboo, bananas, elephant ears, hibiscus, cannas, ginger, philodandrum, monstera, princess flower (Tibouchina), Justicia, tree ferns, Cordylines, bromeliads, Ceratozamias and Cycas. I think that the large leaves on bananas, cannas, philodandrum, etc., or even the smaller roundish leaves on hibiscus and princess flower, are important to balance the sharp spikey look of having many pinnate palms in a garden. If you want a real jungle look then you can plant close to each other and grow some vines up whatever trees will handle it.

For a more desert look, somewhat drought tolerant, but striking and with more masculine appeal, I would use agave, aloes, aechmeas, protea, Encephalartos and Dioon. Bolders give the round look that is needed to balance that type of landscaping.

The most important thing that I would recommend is that you go to gardens and see what you like. If you are thinking about a tropical look then go to the San Diego Zoo; they have a fabulous botanical garden throughout the whole zoo. Quail Gardens (now changed to San Diego Botanical Garden) is also very tropical. Take pictures of whatever you like and then take a picture of the name tag/sign. Wild Animal Park has a more drought tolerant landscape in general. Make sure to go to the Palm Society of Southern California meetings. The next one is this Saturday. Its also a great way to get ideas and see what really appeals to you.