What should I plan in this strip?

[Breaktheory]

Hello all...

I have a strip of soil that’s about 20 ft x 6 inches it gets full sun

right now I have Vincas planted in there and I’d love a good tropical alternative - any ideas?

Edited August 8, 2021 by Breaktheory
Add pix

[NorCalWill]

1 hour ago, Breaktheory said:

Hello all...

I have a strip of soil that’s about 20 ft x 6 inches it gets full sun

right now I have Vincas planted in there and I’d love a good tropical alternative - any ideas?

To me, that space is calling out for a metal trellis with a tropical flowering vine, or an espallier of some kind...maybe dwarf citrus. What ever you use, it needs to be kept as tight to the wall as possible so you're not walking into it. My first thought was Bougainvillea, but that would be a constant mess.

[amh]

Vines are a good idea here, Passiflora incarnata thrives on neglect and abuse, spreads below ground, and wont damage the walkway or foundation.

Edited August 8, 2021 by amh

[WaianaeCrider]

1 hour ago, NorCalWill said:

 My first thought was Bougainvillea, but that would be a constant mess.

And full of nasty THORNS.

[Merlyn]

11 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

And full of nasty THORNS.

That was my first thought...OUCH!!!  I like the idea of a short trellis, just maybe not Bougainvillea.  With the narrow width, it's tough to suggest anything other than a few small flowers.

[teddytn]

If you pulled up 6-8 inches of bricks away from the wall your possibilities would become endless. If you could find any dwarf Sabal minors they would work with the strip now. Blountstown or Wakulla. I’ve been trying to get my hands on some of these for a while. 

[DoomsDave]

@Breaktheory for now leave the Vinca (bot. Cataranthus) and do some weighing of options. They’ll be happy in that spot and make a pretty border for a season or two.

Bougainvilleas are gorgeous but thorny, and they spread aggressively. Plants you can control for the first year or two after planting start sending out wild thorny shoots that grab on anything walking by.

I’d also avoid the yellow cats claw, which clings to the stucco and goes wild after awhile.

 

[Cocoa Beach Jason]

Given the limited space growing out I too thought vines for growing up. For me vines mean philodendron climbing types of all kinds. Many different and rare vining aroids and philodendron species open up an endless array of cool tropical choices especially if in warm zone. I know you said full sun I have many philodendron types growing in full hot florida sun which usually never advised to my surprise and doing fine. Philodendron billietie for example doing great in full sun also P. safigitifoilum and mexicanum doing well in full hot sun.  Aroid market is a bubble right now though and prices high. 

[96720]

I don’t know if they grow over there I know they are a tough grow in Phoenix and definitely not full sun over here but mandeville vine are beautiful and come in a variety of colors 

[Breaktheory]

1 hour ago, 96720 said:

I don’t know if they grow over there I know they are a tough grow in Phoenix and definitely not full sun over here but mandeville vine are beautiful and come in a variety of colors 

Actually we have mandevillas in the front not growing as vines though - it’s a really nice tropical look and would probably do well.

 

[Breaktheory]

2 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

@Breaktheory for now leave the Vinca (bot. Cataranthus) and do some weighing of options. They’ll be happy in that spot and make a pretty border for a season or two.

Bougainvilleas are gorgeous but thorny, and they spread aggressively. Plants you can control for the first year or two after planting start sending out wild thorny shoots that grab on anything walking by.

I’d also avoid the yellow cats claw, which clings to the stucco and goes wild after awhile.

 

This is our second season of the Vincas and they’re definitely a nice pretty border - just looking to change things up and get a little more tropical at some point

[ruskinPalms]

Heliconias of some sort?

[RedRabbit]

Caladiums might be a good option.

Edited August 9, 2021 by RedRabbit

[Joe NC]

equisetum.

Maybe just not under the window.  

Equisetum giganteum, if you want something to fill the whole vertical space.

Might want to put a root barrier down where you want to keep it contained in that strip.

[Silas_Sancona]

22 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

And full of nasty THORNS.

Depends on the variety.. " Torch Glow " ( pictured below ) has no thorns, can easily be trained against a wall.  Can reach 10ft in height.  Flowers almost all year ( here at least )

[Silas_Sancona]

10 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

@Breaktheory for now leave the Vinca (bot. Cataranthus) and do some weighing of options. They’ll be happy in that spot and make a pretty border for a season or two.

Bougainvilleas are gorgeous but thorny, and they spread aggressively. Plants you can control for the first year or two after planting start sending out wild thorny shoots that grab on anything walking by.

I’d also avoid the yellow cats claw, which clings to the stucco and goes wild after awhile.

 

NEVER plant Cat's Claw, lol  ..Unless you want to chase it everywhere, with fire. Pretty flowers, yes.. Horrible vine, Without a doubt.

[NorCalWill]

Narrow planting strips like this are very tricky, especially when they are right up along the pathway to the front door. You definitely don’t want anything that is going to grow out over the pathway for obvious reasons. 

Are you trying to cover the stucco wall, or do you want something to grow just under the stone siding? 
The more I look at the photo, I think I changed my mind about the trellis/espallier. It might look better if you don’t go higher than the stone. There are dwarf Cannas that could work there. 

[Silas_Sancona]

15 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

NEVER plant Cat's Claw, lol  ..Unless you want to chase it everywhere, with fire. Pretty flowers, yes.. Horrible vine, Without a doubt.

A couple better alternatives ( if you go the direction of vines.. )

Queen's Wreath, Petrea volubilis, if you can find it.. Flower Display is better than Wisteria, and pretty easy grower, even in S. Cal.   Easter Lily Vine, Beaumontia grandiflora is another possibility, but will get big / woody in time. Can't beat it for the flowers ( Smell like a Mint / Vanilla combo. ) / large, ficus-like leaves though..

Passiflora X " Purple Tiger " is one of the best " Passionflowers " around, but may need to be trimmed so often to keep it in check. Flowers / Fruit ( Edible ) are HUGE and very exotic. Leaves are pretty big as well.

You could do both some sort of Vine on a Trellis, some Vinca, something leafy ..Cast Iron? ( if the area isn't blasted by full sun all day.. ) and / or some sort of sun tolerant Chamaedorea ( or some similar short palm )

Smaller, colorful Bromeliads could work too mixed in.  Me? i'd probably design something so that i could display mounted Orchids, Tillandsia on large branches above some leafy stuff / short Chamaedorea and annual color ( Vinca in this case )

[Breaktheory]

1 hour ago, NorCalWill said:

Narrow planting strips like this are very tricky, especially when they are right up along the pathway to the front door. You definitely don’t want anything that is going to grow out over the pathway for obvious reasons. 

Are you trying to cover the stucco wall, or do you want something to grow just under the stone siding? 
The more I look at the photo, I think I changed my mind about the trellis/espallier. It might look better if you don’t go higher than the stone. There are dwarf Cannas that could work there. 

I’d like to do something without a trellis so under the stucco. - which Cannas?

[KDubU]

I have the very same issue/question so watching this thread for any good ideas. 

[el-blanco]

Madagascar Jasmine.  Loves heat, flowers profusely, easy to trim, NO THORNS, EASY TO MAINTAIN!

[NorCalWill]

7 hours ago, Breaktheory said:

I’d like to do something without a trellis so under the stucco. - which Cannas?

There are probably way more than I’m aware of, but ‘Liberty Pink’ and ‘Louis Cotton’ come to mind.

Generally, dwarfs are in the 3’ tall range. I’ve used them before in narrow strips because of their upright growth habit. Leaves of course protrude outward, but they’re harmless. 

Keep in mind that they die back in winter, at least in my cooler climate. I cut them to the ground when the canes all turn browns so that I get all new clean canes in spring. Also, if you deadhead the first spent bloom (just barely below the dead flowers) it will usually send out another clump of blossoms out of the same spathe. 

 

[iDesign]

8 hours ago, Breaktheory said:

I’d like to do something without a trellis so under the stucco. - which Cannas?

Canna would be gorgeous... part of the year. But then it would flop and/or disappear. I was canna crazy initially, but was sorely disappointed after they flopped the first year. I’ve since come to view canna, colocasia, and other seasonal plants as “bonus plants” - meaning that they’re great to mix into an area, but never use as a stand-alone plant (because the area would look like crap when it’s out of season).

When I see this space I picture snake plant mixed with fireball bromeliads. Or perhaps a salad of bromeliads of different heights. I have one area like this, but not as long, and I’ve got snake plant in mine. Stays nice and neat and low maintenance. Your strip is longer though, so I’m thinking snake plant alone could look boring (would need more color). But maybe it would look nice alternating with fireballs or another plant with bright color? Not sure. Mostly wanted to point out the seasonal concern with canna.

Edited August 9, 2021 by idesign123

[NorCalWill]

Yeah it's true, Canna Lilies have their pros and cons, but I still use them for a tropical look. I don't mind deadheading them, which you have to do regularly or they can look pretty messy. And if you combine them with other plants, you can maintain year round interest. Maybe work in a few Sanseveria as mentioned above (snake plant).

A couple of other plants you might consider are dwarf Dianella, and dwarf Anigozanthos.

There are likely other plants that would work in that space that are suitable for your climate, and it may take some searching.

Whatever you do, don't plant a palm tree in there! Lol. I know there are people here who would.

[ExperimentalGrower]

I’m not sure what your climate is but how about Cordyline ‘New Guinea Fan’? It’s super tropical, has a flat growth pattern perfect next to a wall, is unarmed, won’t take over, hardy to 9b, and requires full sun.

[GottmitAlex]

34 minutes ago, NorCalWill said:

 

Whatever you do, don't plant a palm tree in there! Lol. I know there are people here who would.

Ya know, I was about to mention palms until I read the actual dimensions of the strip. And here I thought I had a very slim garden sliver.  

I concur, do not plant palms there.

 

[iDesign]

NOT saying this is the best solution, but here are photos of my three thinnest "strip" areas for possible ideas...

This one is only 12" wide and I opted for snake plant + a few small bromeliads. This area gets part day sun, and the snake plant has been really low maintenance. Works well for my needs.

This area is 24" wide, and most of the year just has Cham. Costaricana (high level), Purple Ti's (mid level) and Fireball Bromeliads (low level). Part of the year it also gets some canna as "bonus plants", which I cut out when not in season.

This area is also 24" wide. This area currently features canna only (breaking my "bonus plant" rule), so I'm going to need to cull them after they flop and replace with something else when that happens (probably bromeliads). Looks great for now though.

If your strip was a little wider you could consider putting chamaedorea there,  but it looks pretty tight. I do like the Cordyline ‘New Guinea Fan’ suggestion... just make sure it can handle that much sun. Here's a photo of mine for reference (also goes by the name "Singapore Twist" or "Showgirl")...

 

If all else fails, add bromeliads™ (j/k)

[Breaktheory]

The costaricana looks great - snake plant is nice too but I think there’s too much sun for bromeliads

[iDesign]

16 hours ago, Breaktheory said:

The costaricana looks great - snake plant is nice too but I think there’s too much sun for bromeliads

Depends on the bromeliad type. My initial thought is to mix snake plant + "fireball" bromeliads because of the small space. Or maybe "hallelujah"? There are several bromeliads that go by that name, but the variation I have can take full blasting all-day sun. Here's a photo of that one (mine's in part shade, but the place I bought it from tortures theres in all-day hot sun)...

There are lots of other tropical plants that could work. A vine/trellis would also be great there... or even succulents. But you're most likely looking at "plants" not "palms". Out of curiosity I just measured the width of my Costaricana bases, and they seem to require at least 12" of width for their above-ground root system. Not sure on radicalis & microspadix (the other sun tolerant ones I'm aware of).

Or you could consider horsetail (equisetum)... but just if there's no way it could "escape" the planter. I've seen some really cool modern-looking horsetail treatments... but they're soooo invasive (they're like mini bamboo in many ways). Here's a photo of a nice horsetail treatment (not mine). Works here since they have it encased in concrete. If you could contain them and keep them nicely trimmed it could be a nice option. Just know they spread easily (both by roots & seeds). Just another fun option to consider.

[DoomsDave]

DONT PLANT HORSETAIL

Just don’t 

[Merlyn]

Snake plants sound nice.  You could mix yellow, green, and silver types like "Quicksilver."

[DoomsDave]

20 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

Snake plants sound nice.  You could mix yellow, green, and silver types like "Quicksilver."

Anything except horsetail 

[DoomsDave]

So @Breaktheory I have a thought if you want an espalier; maybe Bauhina galpinii.

Here’s some blossoms on mine.

 

[iDesign]

1 hour ago, DoomsDave said:

Anything except horsetail 

Gotcha! I officially retract my horsetail recommendation and promise I'll never mention the "H" word again..

* Though I still secretly think it can look cool in a few ultra-modern applications... encased in concrete... and far from any other living things. But seriously snake plant is probably a safer bet.

:: Ducks for Cover ::

Edited August 11, 2021 by idesign123

[Tracy]

Just a couple of thoughts on the space.  You mention that its full sun but it doesn't have to be if you plant something upright on the other side of the walkway that will give you filtered light on the walkway and in your planter strip.  Putting something more upright instead of having flat grass abutting your walkway, will create a more interesting space too.  I also was noting the brickwork down low, which imo you don't want to completely obscure.  It is the "interesting" part of the house as opposed to the stucco above, so why hide it and leave the stucco exposed? 

Varying heights and colors would be something I would consider.  If you do a trellis, do something lower and use different colors below the window section  I like the suggestion of bromeliads as you can really mix up the colors with them while still using some green items in the mix.  I can't think of any Chamaedoreas that stay small that would handle full sun with a reflected heat added to the mix, but with something on the other side of the walkway that might provide some filtering of light eventually (an upright palm for example), you might be able to get by with mixing in something like Chamaedorea metalica.  Variety to break up the monotony of that long narrow stretch but also somethings that let the stonework still show through.  You could even mix in some Echevaria with sunloving bromeliads. for the lower items (see blooming example below).  Until you can create some filtered light Aechmea recuvarta "Azteca Gold" handles the sun fine has colorful blossoms and stays low.  Mix either or both of the above with something green and a little more upright or even a trellis with vine in one stretch.

[DoomsDave]

13 hours ago, idesign123 said:

Gotcha! I officially retract my horsetail recommendation and promise I'll never mention the "H" word again..

* Though I still secretly think it can look cool in a few ultra-modern applications... encased in concrete... and far from any other living things. But seriously snake plant is probably a safer bet.

:: Ducks for Cover ::

They do look cool!

But, my hysterical response is the result of helping a semi-traumatized person try to get rid of some that had run amok in his garden. The huge problem with them is that's almost impossible to get them out once established and weed killers like glyphosate won't kill them.

[Josue Diaz]

Oof, that's a tight space. How about chamaedorea? You could plant C. elegans or C. plumosa, C. seifrizii ... lots of options might work there and not get too much in the way. Other options might be an espaliered shrub like Psidium cattleianum (strawberry guava), which are very "trainable". I'd definitely stay FARRRR away from bougainvillea. That looks like it's got 8inches of space and there's no way you'll ever keep a bougainvillea confined to that.  You'll get snagged on thorny branches every time you walk by.

[DoomsDave]

I like Bauhinia galpinii because: (a) it loves the heat; (b) if it gets too cold, it recovers fast once established; (c) can make a nice espalier; (d) while it's fast growing, it doesn't go totally wild like bougainvilleas do; and (e) while it has little spines, it's not spiky and nasty like bougainvilleas.

They are, however, hard to find in nurseries.

Other possibilities include Calliandras, and even heat-loving fruit trees.

[96720]

Not so much Phoenix heat

[Palmfarmer]

_{Chamaedorea plumosa, Radicalis and perhaps microspadix for palms. Snake plants, Dyckia, some smaller cactuses, Pineapples could look cool.}