Turn your temperate garden into an exotic plant garden reminiscent of a Hawaiian rain forest with cold hardy tropical plants.
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Agave potatorum 'Snowfall'
Item #: 11705
Zones: Tropical
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 16" 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
Dormancy: Evergreen
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
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x pseudoferox 'Bellville'
Next crop available: 08/07/2020
Item #: 7979
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x pseudoferox 'Bluebell Giants'
Item #: 11098
Zones: 7b to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 84" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x pseudoferox 'Green Goblet'
Item #: 5716
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave schidigera 'Royal Flush' PP 31,138
Item #: 14272
Zones: 9a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave schidigera 'Shiraito no Ōhi'
Item #: 7921
Zones: 9a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave striata var. striata
Item #: 13713
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave x striphantha 'Band on the Run'
Item #: 10358
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave titanota 'Banana Peel'
Item #: 9348
Zones: 9a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave titanota 'Sunburst'
Item #: 9517
Zones: 9a to 11
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave toumeyana ssp. bella 'Gila'
Item #: 8573
Zones: 7b to 9b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave utahensis ssp. kaibabensis
Item #: 12
Zones: 5a to 7b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: United States
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave victoriae-reginae
Item #: 4337
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave victoriae-reginae 'Bustamante'
Item #: 12317
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave victoriae-reginae 'Lemonade'
Item #: 12175
Zones: 8a to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave victoriae-reginae 'Ring of Gold'
Item #: 8795
Zones: 9a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 8" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave victoriae-reginae 'Sasanoyuki Shiro Fukurin'
Item #: 8980
Zones: 8a to 11, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave victoriae-reginae 'Tora Fu'
Item #: 8599
Zones: 8a to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave victoriae-reginae 'Kazo Bana'
Item #: 7806
Zones: 8a to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 10" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Agave xylonacantha 'Frostbite'
Item #: 8723
Zones: 8a to 10b, guessing
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mexico
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Alocasia 'Architexture'
Item #: 14782
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Alocasia cucullata
Item #: 4795
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Burma/Myanmar, India
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Alocasia macrorrhizos
Item #: 1160
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 72" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: India
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Alocasia macrorrhizos 'Shock Treatment'
Item #: 7121
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Vietnam
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Alocasia 'Portodora'
Item #: 3654
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.9 L) ?
Alocasia wentii
Item #: 2967
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: New Guinea
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aloe aristata
Item #: 8526
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: South Africa
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aloysia virgata
Item #: 7587
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 96" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Argentina, Brazil
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Alpinia pumila
Item #: 8542
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amarcrinum 'Born Free'
Item #: 7930
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 20" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amarcrinum 'Elegance'
Item #: 6105
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 42" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amarcrinum 'Fred Howard'
Item #: 1408
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amarcrinum 'Pinkie'
Item #: 9712
Zones: 7a to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Sun to Part Sun
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amorphophallus kiusianus
Item #: 3053
Zones: 7a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter, Spring
Height: 48" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Taiwan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amorphophallus x konbus 'Glow Light'
Item #: 15754
Zones: 6a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter, Spring
Height: 40" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Hybrid
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amorphophallus konjac
Item #: 783
Zones: 6a to 10b
Dormancy: Winter, Spring
Height: 60" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Japan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Amorphophallus titanum
Item #: 1775
Zones: Tropical
Dormancy: Winter, Spring
Height: 180" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Indonesia
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema concinnum
Item #: 3016
Zones: 6a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema consanguineum
Item #: 2524
Zones: 5a to 8b, possibly colder
Dormancy: Winter, Spring
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema costatum
Item #: 6171
Zones: 6a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 40" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Nepal
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema fargesii
Item #: 3126
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 18" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema heterophyllum
Item #: 1407
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: China, Japan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema ringens
Item #: 2531
Zones: 5a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: China, Japan, Korea
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema sazensoo
Item #: 2269
Zones: 6b to 9b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 12" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema serratum var. mayebarae
Item #: 7571
Zones: 5b to 8b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema sikokianum
Item #: 1850
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema sikokianum Silver Center
Item #: 2528
Zones: 4a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema speciosum 'Himalayan Giant'
Item #: 7474
Zones: 7a to 8b, at least
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: India
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arisaema thunbergii ssp. urashima
Item #: 2663
Zones: 5a to 8b
Dormancy: Winter, Fall
Height: 15" tall
Culture: Part Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Japan
Pot Size: Bare Root / 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aristolochia fimbriata
Item #: 3031
Zones: 7a to 9b
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 6" tall
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Origin: Argentina, Brazil
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Arundo donax 'Peppermint Stick'
Next crop available: 07/17/2020
Item #: 6677
Zones: 6a to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Winter
Height: 144" tall
Culture: Sun
Origin: Mediterranean Europe
Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.9 L) ?
Asarum caudigerellum
Item #: 13452
Zones: 7b to 9b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 4" tall
Culture: Light Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aspidistra ebianensis 'Flowing Fountains'
Item #: 9916
Zones: 7b to 11
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aspidistra elatior 'Akebono'
Item #: 1813
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aspidistra elatior 'Asahi'
Item #: 2538
Zones: 7a to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aspidistra elatior 'Fuji-No-Mine'
Item #: 7064
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 36" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aspidistra elatior 'Lennon's Song'
Item #: 4349
Zones: 7b to 10b, at least
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 24" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L) ?
Aspidistra elatior 'Okame'
Next crop available: 09/11/2020
Item #: 2314
Zones: 7b to 10b
Dormancy: Evergreen
Height: 30" tall
Culture: Light Shade to Shade
Origin: China
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.