Turn your temperate garden into an exotic plant garden reminiscent of a Hawaiian rain forest with cold hardy tropical plants.
Abutilon 'Canary Bird'
Item #: 3848
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Abutilon 'Fool's Gold'
Item #: 8001
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Abutilon megapotamicum
Item #: 4317
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Brazil
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Abutilon 'Orange Hot Lava'
Item #: 7302
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Abutilon 'Voodoo'
Item #: 6951
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Acanthus mollis Reut, Israel
Item #: 9811
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Mediterranean Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Acanthus mollis 'Wofford Rhubarb'
Item #: 10006
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: Northern Africa, Southern Europe
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Acanthus 'Morning Candle'
Item #: 8933
Zones: 6a to 8b, at least
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Acanthus 'Summer Beauty'
Item #: 2526
Zones: 6a to 8b, at least
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Achimenes 'Harry Williams'
Item #: 6169
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agapanthus 'Elaine'
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Item #: 3513
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agapanthus 'Ellamae'
Item #: 3514
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agapanthus 'Stevie's Wonder'
Item #: 8250
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agapanthus 'Storm Cloud'
Item #: 1342
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave albopilosa
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Next crop available: 09/04/2017
Item #: 9610
Zones: 8a to 10b, guessing
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave americana 'Marshmallow Cream'
Item #: 7869
Zones: 9a to 10b, guessing
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave americana 'Mediopicta Alba'
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Item #: 6288
Zones: 8b to 10b, at least
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave applanata 'Cream Spike'
Item #: 7241
Zones: 9a to 10b
Height: 4" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Bluebell Giants'
Item #: 11098
Zones: 7b to 10b, guessing
Height: 84" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave bracteosa 'Calamar'
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Item #: 8153
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave cundinamarcensis 'Condor'
Item #: 9822
Zones: Tropical
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Colombia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Desert Diamond' PP 26,384
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Next crop available: 08/31/2017
Item #: 9457
Zones: 9a to 10b
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Desert Love'
Item #: 12743
Zones: 7a to 9b, at least
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave desmettiana 'Joe Hoak'
Item #: 7137
Zones: Tropical
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Unknown
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave difformis 'Huntington'
Item #: 13005
Zones: 8a to 10b, at least
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Durango Fandango'
Item #: 12312
Zones: 7b to 9b, guessing
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid, Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x glomeruliflora 'Guadalupe Mountains'
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Item #: 11698
Zones: 7b to 10b, possibly colder
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Hacksaw'
Item #: 11830
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Huasteca Giant'
Item #: 6339
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave isthmensis 'Moon Disc'
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Item #: 9576
Zones: Tropical
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave isthmensis 'Ohi Raijin Shiro Nakafu'
Item #: 8524
Zones: Tropical
Height: 4" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Kissho Kan Nishiki'
Item #: 7617
Zones: Tropical
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x lechuphantha
Item #: 6522
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave lophantha 'Miniskirt'
Item #: 11931
Zones: 8a to 10b, at least
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave lophantha 'Quadricolor'
Item #: 7124
Zones: 8a to 10b, guessing
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave lophantha 'Splendida'
Item #: 8014
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Height: 11" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave lophantha var. caerulescens
Item #: 12999
Zones: 8a to 10b, possibly colder
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Moon Shadow'
Item #: 8979
Zones: 9a to 11
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave multifilifera 'Starshine'
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Item #: 9346
Zones: 8a to 10b
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Oh Victory'
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Item #: 11688
Zones: 7b to 10b, guessing
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave ovatifolia
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Item #: 6306
Zones: 7a to 9b, at least
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue'
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Item #: 9513
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave ovatifolia 'Vanzie'
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Item #: 3242
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave pablocarrilloi 'Ivory Curls'
Item #: 10049
Zones: Tropical
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave parryi 'J.C. Raulston'
Item #: 8152
Zones: 7a to 9b, possibly colder
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave parryi ssp. neomexicana
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Item #: 4775
Zones: 6a to 8b
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave parryi ssp. neomexicana 'Sunspot'
Item #: 3326
Zones: 7b to 10b, guessing
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave parryi ssp. truncata
Item #: 5247
Zones: 8a to 9b, at least
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave parryi ssp. truncata 'Bed of Nails'
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Item #: 2949
Zones: 8a to 9b, guessing
Height: 2" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave parviflora ssp. flexiflora
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Item #: 5150
Zones: 9a to 11, at least
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave potatorum 'Eye Scream'
Item #: 9340
Zones: Tropical
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave potatorum 'Ikiri Raijin Nishiki'
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Item #: 10293
Zones: Tropical
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x protamericana 'Funky Toes'
Item #: 10777
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x protamericana 'Lemon Lime'
Item #: 6847
Zones: 9a to 10b, at least
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x pseudoferox 'Bellville'
Item #: 7979
Zones: 7b to 10b
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x pumila 'Clusterfest'
Item #: 8975
Zones: 9a to 11, possibly colder
Height: 2" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x romanii 'Shadow Dancer'
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Item #: 3742
Zones: 8b to 10b, guessing
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave schidigera banded
Item #: 11568
Zones: 7b to 9b, guessing
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave schottii Cochise Stronghold form
Item #: 12641
Zones: 6a to 10b
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico, United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave 'Stairway to Heaven'
Item #: 9028
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
More Information About Tropical Looking Plants
It's a jungle out there! Cold Hardy tropical plants including Curcuma (Hidden Cone Ginger), Canna (Canna Lilies), Musa (Banana), Hedychium (Ginger Lilies) and more. These exotic plants make your temperate garden resemble a tropical paradise.
Some of us here in the cool latitudes (and even some people in the nerdy latitudes) have exotic plant envy and want a garden full of tropical looking plants. Luckily for us, there are a few equatorial plants that have developed some cold hardiness and there are a few temperate zone plants with a distinct tropical exotic plant look. Make your temperate garden reminiscent of Hawaii today with tropical-looking exotic plants like bananas, cannas and aroids.
Exactly which cold hardy tropical plants you can grow in your garden depends on where you live. In our zone 7b garden in Raleigh, NC we have lots of exotic plants for sale including:
- Bananas like Musa, Musella, and Ensete
- Large-leaved perennials and tall perennials like Tetrapanax, Philodendron, Heliconia, Manihot, Hedychium, Canna, and Curcuma
- Hardy forms of exotic tropical ginger lilies like Zingiber and Alpinia
- Elephant ears like Colocasia, Alocasia, Remusatia
- Exotic aroids like Amorphophallus
- Tropical tall ornamental grasses and other grass-like plants such as Arundo, Saccharum and Chlorophytum
- Exotic-looking bamboos like Fargesia, Borinda and Bambusa
- Shade-loving exotic plants like Aspidistra, Rohdea and Tupistra
- Tropical flowering exotic plants like Bauhinia, Begonia, Cuphea, Gloxinia and tropical Dahlia
- Woody-perennials like Cycas, Hibiscus, Abutilon and Brugmansia
- Tropical-looking hardy Ferns like Coniogramme
- Hardy Palm trees such as Phoenix, Sabal, Washingtonia, Rhapidophyllum and Butia
In addition, there are certain temperate zone and desert plants that are distinctly exotic- looking in temperate climates including :
- Succulents like Agave, Aloe, Yucca, Dyckia, Echeveria, Nolina, Opuntia and Dasylirion
- Bulbs like Dracunculus, Zantedeschia and Hymenocallis
- South African natives like Eucomis and Scadoxus
- Ferns like Onoclea, Thelypteris and Pteris
The list below contains many more cold hardy tropical plants for all types of gardens. When you are ready to buy tropical looking plants for your garden, check out our online list of exotic plants for sale.
Check out our article on how to over-winter tropical plants.
