What plants to have in a tropical garden in Spain

Many of us would love to have a tropical garden with plants with large brightly colored leaves, palm trees and ferns that rise like columns, the ground covered with plants ... and in general, everything is green and lush. But of course, we think these plants need climates without cold winters ... Well, What if I told you that many of these plants withstand the cold better than one would expect, to the point that a tropical garden can be built almost anywhere in Spain?

In this article we are going to see what plants to have in a tropical garden in Spain, as well as some tricks to have any plant you want. Most of the plants on this list are readily available, but many fetch quite high prices. We have also included some more rare or complicated care for those who want less common plants. It is important to say that although we are going to focus on Spain when choosing the most common species, this information can be extrapolated to any other country.

General care of a tropical garden

• The first thing to know if you are going to set up a tropical garden is that these plants generally need a lot of water, so the basic requirement is to have an irrigation facility.
• You will also need a quality soil, with lots of organic matter and good drainage. Improving the soil is simple, you just have to mix a large amount of compost.
• These plants tend to have high nutrient requirements, so keep them on hand allowance liquid or solid. The iron chelate It is necessary if our soil or irrigation water has a basic pH.
• If we live in an area with hot and dry summers, our tropical garden will look better if we place micro-sprinklers that increase the humidity in the hottest hours, but it is not necessary.
• In winter some of these plants will have to be covered in one way or another. In the list we will indicate in each plant the type of protection it needs and the temperature at which it is necessary. To protect them we will use thermal geotextile mesh (You can buy it at the Leroy or in other shopping centers, where they sometimes bring it) and straw. This protection allows us to have plants that would not normally survive our winters.

List of cold resistant tropical plants

To improve the order we will place them by families, giving a general description of the plants of that family and then focusing on the most interesting genera or species. We will indicate in each one the minimum temperatures that it can withstand and how to protect them if necessary.

Musaceae

The banana family, all plants in this genus are herbaceous perennials with rhizome and large leaves. No tropical garden is complete without one of these plants that, curiously, withstand the cold very well. This family has three genera, two with some very resistant species and another with rather delicate species, but which acquire great prominence in these gardens so it is worth the work it takes to protect them in winter.

Musa

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The banana trees. This genus is made up of about 50 species, many of them with some resistance to cold. The species that we have selected, since they are the easiest to obtain are: muse basjoo (-20ºC), musa sikkimensis (up to -15ºC) and Muse velutina (-10ºC). If you want to know more about each species and see other less common species, I recommend you take a look at this article. It is important to know that the temperatures that we indicate are the resistance of the rhizome. The leaves dry out at the first frost and the pseudostem does not usually withstand temperatures below -5ºC nor in the most resistant species. If you live in an area where it freezes in winter (with temperatures below about -2ºC) on a regular basis, we recommend protecting them as follows:

When the leaves dry, they will be cut at the junction of the petiole to the pseudostem. Then all the pseudostems will be covered with straw, at least 30cm thick (and slightly higher than the banana tree). To facilitate this, metal rods can be placed to act as a support. Finally, thermal geotextile mesh will be placed around that, and ideally a plastic roof so that it does not get soaked in the rain. If you have thermal geotextile mesh to spare, you can surround it using just a large amount of it, without the need for straw. This allows the entire pseudostem to be saved, so that in spring they will regain their size much earlier than if we let them freeze to the ground.

Musella lasiocarpa

The Chinese dwarf banana with golden lotus flower. A false dwarf banana whose interest lies in its flowering. The rhizome holds up to something less than -10ºC and the pseudostem and leaves are quite resistant, but it is recommended to protect it the same as the Musa. It is fairly easy to get online and relatively cheap.

Ensete spp.

They are the most striking false banana trees, with a very thick pseudostem, huge and very vertical leaves and bright colors. They grow very fast and reach exaggerated sizes in a very short time, making them perfect for a tropical garden. They have the problem of not coping with the humid cold. This makes, added to the fact that its rhizome is very short (corm), it is more worthwhile to tear them up in autumn and save them to plant them again in spring. The most interesting species are: Ensete ventricosum (green leaves with red veins. Pink pseudostem), Ensete ventricosum 'maurelii' (olive green leaves with reddish edges on the upper side and garnets on the underside. Garnet pseudostem) and Ensete glaucum (green leaves and pseudostem, with a layer of wax that gives it a bluish tone). They are easy to find for sale online, but they are usually expensive.

When the leaves dry out or a lot of rain is expected with temperatures that do not rise above 15ºC, the leaves will be cut off and they will be pulled out. Once uprooted, the roots will be cut off, the soil that has stuck to it will be removed from the rhizome and it will be left upside down for a couple of days to dry. Once that's done, it can be left stored upright in a garage or storage room. When after the winter it begins to grow or the daytime temperatures exceed 15ºC and the night temperatures do not drop below 5ºC, it will be placed in a pot and little by little it will adapt itself to the outside (putting it first where they only give a couple of hours of sun, and little by little increasing those hours). After about a month, it will be placed where it will spend the summer.

arecaceae

The palm family. There are tons of good options here, but we're going to select the ones that look the most tropical. It must be taken into account that as these plants grow very slowly from seed, prices are almost always quite high. We do not recommend Phoenix dactylifera, Phoenix canariensis, Washingtonia robusta, Chamaerops humilis ni Trachycarpus fortunei since being so common in Spain, they do not give the tropical air that we are looking for.

The good thing about this family is that there are many plants grown by specialized nurseries, so it is easy to find any of them, at not very different prices. If you want to venture with species that do not endure in your climate, it is as simple as completely covering them with thermal geotextile mesh throughout the winter. Our choice is the following:

Sabal minor

El Sabal minor it is one of the most cold resistant palm trees (up to about -15ºC). It is a small palm tree with blue costapalmate leaves. Its trunk is underground, so the leaves practically stick out of the ground. It tolerates moderately waterlogged soils and has better color with some shade. Very slow growing. The leaves do not have spines, but the edges of the petiole are very sharp and can cause cuts.

Livistona chinensis

Similar to washingtonias, but with much larger leaves, slower growth, and leaf bases that stick to the stem but do not intersect. Resistant up to about -7ºC. The leaves have small spines on the petiole. The livistonas in general are palm trees with a very interesting tropical aspect. Another noteworthy species is Livistona decorates, somewhat less resistant to cold but with extremely divided and hanging leaves.

Butia sp.

In this genus there are many species of similar appearance, and all are usually sold in non-specialized nurseries under the name of butia capitata. Most endure temperatures below -10ºC. Its leaves are pinnate, curved and more or less bluish depending on the specimen. They do not have spines as such, although the hairs at the base of the leaves make it appear that they do. Medium growing in acid soils. They do not tolerate limestone soils, where they turn yellow and grow very slowly.

Rhapidophyllum hystrix

The most resistant palm to cold (up to about -20ºC). Similar in appearance and growth form to Chamaerops humilis, but without thorns on the leaves. Where it does have thorns is on the stem, and they are like needles up to 20cm in length. It can grow in waterlogged soils and prefer to be in the shade, where it will have leaves much larger than in full sun. It prefers hot summers.

Syagrus romanzoffiana

El feathery coconut. Tolerates temperatures close to -5ºC. Very fast growing and very tropical in appearance. It is one of the most common palm trees, but the prices at which it is sold are very high. It is widely cultivated on the south coast, but it can withstand the cold fairly well. It is worth trying to grow it in colder areas, protecting it well in winter (leaves tied up and three or four layers of thermal geotextile mesh covering it).

x butyagrus 'nabonnandi'

Hybrid of Butia eriospatha y Syagrus romanzoffiana. Being an intergeneric hybrid it is extremely variable, both its appearance and its resistance to cold. It is assumed that this resistance gains as it grows, being less resistant than Syagrus when germinating and after several years more resistant than Butia (up to about -15ºC). The grace of this palm tree is that one of its possible aspects is that of a coconut tree. They are extremely expensive, costing a germinated seed about € 10, and since you want a certain size to be able to see its adult appearance, if you want it, you will have to pay more than € 100.

Beccariophoenix alfredii

The plateau coconut tree. It is that, a cold resistant coconut tree, but not much. Holds up to -3ºC, but the leaves freeze with frost, so since it has a medium-slow growth, it must be protected in all areas with frost (several layers of thermal geotextile mesh) as soon as the temperatures drop below 3ºC. It also has the problem that it has exaggerated nutrient requirements. But it is the only coconut tree that can be cultivated in the long run in mainland and insular Spain, so it is worth trying to cultivate it.

Araceae

Monsteras, philodendrons, potos ... few plants remind us of the tropics more than these. Sadly, virtually all of the plants in this family are almost strictly tropical. Even so, there are several that can be in our tropical garden.

colocasia 'pink china'

The collocasia most resistant to cold. It gives the same tropical appearance as other colocasias but withstanding temperatures below -10ºC. It is a rather small rhizomatous plant, with a pink pseudostem and nerves. In winter it dries up after the first frost, but in spring it sprouts again. It is recommended that once they dry, a good layer of straw or some other padding be placed in the area where they are growing, to protect the rhizomes. You need a well-drained soil, since if it is kept wet in winter it is very easy for the rhizomes to rot. It is not easy to find, but it can be found online at a good price.

Alocasia spp.

There is no species very resistant to cold, but it is perfectly possible to have in pot outdoors during the summer and when temperatures drop below 3ºC, store them at home and keep them as indoor plants until the good weather returns. In coastal areas, you can keep most of the species outdoors on the ground. We recommend those that reach larger sizes, such as Alocasia macrorrhiza.

Monstera delicious

An extremely common plant as a houseplant, but not so much outdoors. Hold up close to -3ºC, but the leaves dry out in frost, so we recommend planting them under trees. A spectacular climbing plant is made, but it is rare to see it like this even in the less cold areas of Spain.

Zantedeschia ethiopica

La calla or water lily. A very common plant that can give a tropical air if we place it in flooded areas, where it produces huge leaves. We recommend the cultivar 'hercules', which can exceed 2,5m in height and has leaves with white spots and gigantic inflorescences. Its rhizomes hold up to about -10ºC, but the pseudostems freeze below about -3ºC.

Arum spp.

Very small rhizomatous plants that grow in the shade. There are them from almost identical to the coves to very similar to the Amorphophallus, but always very cold resistant. There are some autochthonous, but they are not usually seen in nurseries since they behave like bulbous ones, they have leaves and flowers for a very short time. Even so, they can look great in the undergrowth of our tropical garden.

araliaceae

The ivy family and the chefleras, which includes numerous trees and large webbed-leaved shrubs. The cold-hardy plants of this family prefer cool summers, so in hot and dry areas it is better to place all those that tolerate it in the shade.

Japanese Fatsia.

La japan aralia, a very common plant as a houseplant, but it can be used outdoors in almost all of Spain. Withstands temperatures below -10ºC. It prefers to be in the shade, which is where it looks best, but tolerates full sun in cool, humid areas like Galicia. It makes a very interesting shrub, but it grows rather slow. There is a hybrid of this plant with Hedera helix, the x Fatsedera 'lizei', which unites the climbing area of ​​ivy with the bushy growth of fatsia, with which it grows by throwing long branches with a certain consistency, similar to how a climbing rose does.

Tetrapanax papyrifer 'rex'

A slightly branched deciduous sapling with gigantic leaves. It prefers to be in the sun, although it probably has larger leaves with more shade. Be careful when handling it since it releases a lint that stays in the throat and causes discomfort. Withstands temperatures close to -10ºC. Another thing to keep in mind is that its roots are very shallow and invasive, and new plants grow out of them. It is not difficult to find online, but they tend to have somewhat high prices.

Schefflera spp.

They are also very common as houseplants, but Schefflera arboricola (the most common) does not look too tropical. Schefflera actinophylla We only recommend it for coastal areas, where a beautiful tree is made (up to about -2ºC). For colder areas there are other species, such as Schefflera rhododendrifolia o Schefflera macrophylla (up to about -10ºC), but they are difficult to find and expensive, and they prefer cool summers, but they are worth trying to grow.

Tree ferns

Other practically obligatory plants in a tropical garden. They need high humidity, so in dry areas we have to grow them in the shade, where they grow worse than in the sun. There are many species, but the most common and easy to grow are the following:

dicksonia antarctica

The most resistant to cold and most cultivated. Their biggest problem is that although the small ones are relatively cheap, the big ones are very expensive. Withstands temperatures below -10ºC (the leaves support up to about -5ºC), but it is recommended to put a handful of straw on the apex if frosts are expected to protect the new leaves. They need a lot of water and daily waterings of the stem and the apex (you can put a dropper at the apex of the plant, so it moistens it whole). They have medium compound leaves and a thick, root-covered stem.

Cyathea spp.

There are numerous interesting species in this genus, the most resistant to cold being Cyathea Australis (-10ºC), but except cyathea cooperi, the most common and cheapest tree fern, all fetch extortionate prices and are hard to find. The problem of cyathea cooperi is that although it can withstand temperatures close to -5ºCThe frost burns the leaves, so it has to be protected, and if temperatures exceed 20ºC, it has water requirements that are not easy to satisfy. The interesting thing about this genus is that they have huge leaves and a very fine stem.

Cyrtomium falcatum

The holly fern, considered invasive in the Canary Islands, is one of the ferns that best supports the sun, heat and lack of environmental humidity. Very common, easy to get, cheap and very pretty. Holds up to -15ºC (-7ºC if exposed). Although I include it here, it is not really a tree fern, since its stem does not rise more than a few centimeters. It is illegal to grow it in the Canary Islands since it is considered invasive there.

Other interesting plants

In addition to all those that we have said, there are many other plants that cannot be missing in a tropical garden, and these are:

Cordyline australis

Very cheap and common, there are cultivars of all colors, so it can be used not only to give height, but also to make color contrasts. Depending on the cultivar, they hold between -5ºC and -15ºC. We could also include yuccas here, especially Yucca elephantipes (up to about -5ºC), But Cordyline better withstand cold than that species (the rest of the plants of the genus Yucca hold up better than Cordyline australisbut they don't have that tropical flair).

gunnera manicata

The dicotyledonous plant with the largest leaves. Very similar in appearance to a rhubarb but with leaves over 3m high and 2m wide. In Spain it is usually sold gunnera tinctoria (smallest) misidentified as gunnera manicata, but it does not matter, both are huge and very similar plants. They prefer always humid soils and cool summers. They hold up to about -10ºC. It is advisable to put straw on top of the buds (or at least their own leaves when they are thrown away in autumn) to protect them and make them sprout more easily.

Aquatic plants

Putting a small pond helps to raise the humidity. We can also take advantage of and fill it with plants. At the edges we can put our gunneras and coves and if we put a waterfall we can cover it with mosses and ferns. Deep down we can plant Lily or lotuses and Vallisneria gigantea.

Bamboo

Herbaceous plants generally arborescent, of the family of grasses (Poaceae). There are many to choose from and they are sold in all nurseries, although the most striking are usually very expensive. There are two types, the leptomorphic rhizome (invasive) and the pachymorphic rhizome (non-invasive). For small gardens, pachymorphs are usually recommended, but large ones do not usually withstand the cold well. Of these we recommend Bambusa oldhamii, which withstands temperatures somewhat below -5ºC; and some fargesia (up to about -20ºC) if you live in an area without hot summers. As for the invasive ones, in almost all the nurseries they sell Phyllostachys bisseti, but it may be worth looking for other less common and larger ones. All Phyllostachys withstand temperatures close to -20ºC.

Seasonal flowers and plants

It never hurts to put flowers to add some color. Flowering trees can be placed as acacia dealbata (up to about -7ºC), climbers like Clematis spp., vivacious as Strelitzia reginae (-4ºC), seasonal plants ... As for the latter, they do not have to be flowers. Your interest may be the leaves, as in the case of Ricinus communis, which we recommend especially in frosty areas where it will die in winter (a tree similar to a fig tree is made on the coast).

Have you wanted to set up a tropical garden? I hope this article has helped you get ideas, although there are many other plants that you can put in one of these gardens. I recommend trying to plant whatever you want, since at the moment of truth, what limits us is not the climate, it is the care that we are willing to give our plants. If you want ideas to set up other types of gardens, you can look at our article 7 styles of gardens.