Tropical plants as dieback perennials

[NC_Palms]

What are some good tropical plants to grow as dieback perennials in zone 8a? I already know that some people are growing philodendron and bird of paradise here as diebacks. 

 

Edited October 4, 2018 by NC_Palms

[sgvcns]

try a coconut 

[PalmTreeDude]

Elephant Ears, Musa Basjoo Bananas (very popular one here), I would do a Washingtonia robusta with protection on the coldest nights because they grow fronds back crazy fast if kept alive. 

[NC_Palms]

  On 10/4/2018 at 11:26 PM, sgvcns said:

try a coconut 

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I low key am considering a coconut. Some grocery stores here sell them here as houseplants. 

  On 10/5/2018 at 1:25 AM, PalmTreeDude said:

Elephant Ears, Musa Basjoo Bananas (very popular one here), I would do a Washingtonia robusta with protection on the coldest nights because they grow fronds back crazy fast if kept alive. 

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I was thinking of bananas but I find the musa basjoos unattractive, I wonder what other varieties would work here. Also, I already did plant a few washingtonias this past summer. Hopefully, they will last.

[Really full garden]

Acoelorraphe wrightii is a good root hardy palm that survives hard freezes and comes back fairly fast. Angel Trumpets (Brugmansias), there are many interesting colocasias and alocasias that are great looking half hardy tropicals that reliably come back.

[Brad Mondel]

Philodendron hope, Ensete, Musella, Alocasia/Calocasia, Musa Saba is a huge banana that's more attractive than basjoo. Livistona chinensis always comes back for me, foxtail fern...there's many...Look on plant delights website for ideas. 

[sgvcns]

yeah I was trying to limit to palms given the forum post.

And coconuts seem so alluring on this forum for whatever reason

 

[NC_Palms]

  On 10/5/2018 at 2:38 AM, scottgt said:

Acoelorraphe wrightii is a good root hardy palm that survives hard freezes and comes back fairly fast. Angel Trumpets (Brugmansias), there are many interesting colocasias and alocasias that are great looking half hardy tropicals that reliably come back.

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I am glad that you mentioned acoelorraphe wrightii! I have been considering growing one here for quite some time now. 

  On 10/5/2018 at 5:09 AM, sgvcns said:

yeah I was trying to limit to palms given the forum post.

And coconuts seem so alluring on this forum for whatever reason

 

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Coconuts are beautiful palms but they are also overrated to an extent. It would be an experiment to grow one here though 

[ruskinPalms]

Not sure on this but maybe there are some heliconia species that might be root hardy there. Hibiscus? Lady palm? This variety of heliconia seems pretty tough and I’ve used it in a few of my landscape beds. It lives through most winters here but did die back this last winter here. Went through a long cool wet January here with a few trips into the upper 20s with the lowest being 26 or 27F. I’m adding a pic since I have no idea what type it is. Readily available at big box stores here. Grows fast and blooms during one growing season. Probably could dig some up each year and keep in a pot and replant in spring even if it is not root hardy in your area. Grows, spreads and blooms fast. There is also a lady palm buried in there too in this pic ;-)

[Zeeth]

Heliconia is a good recommendation! I've seen varying degrees of hardiness among the varieties that I grow, so you could feasibly keep one in 8a with yearly dieback.

I think that ginger might be a good one to try too. It's easy to start (buy a piece of ginger root at the store and plant it in spring/early summer), the foliage is tropical looking, and the root is useful. You can harvest once the foliage dies back and re-start in spring with last year's harvest.

[ruskinPalms]

And Hidden Ginger (plants from the Curcuma genus) would be worth a try. They die back each year anyway with or without cold. I have one that does ok but always seems to get a little crispy around the edges of the leaves. Probably to much reflected heat off my driveway in summer. It is the broad leafed understory plant in the pic. 

[PalmTreeDude]

Here people have Musa Basjoo and they almost get weedy after a while, which is something people may not like. But I like their appearance when they get taller.