TROPICAL LOOKING PLANTS - Other Than Palms
11,336 topics in this forum
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A few more NorCal blooms for Spring 2026
by Hillizard- 3 replies
- 63 views
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- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 67 views
NoMa/Capitol Hill (Downtownish, Washington, DC—Zone 8a This winter was absolutely brutal and relentless. It had been unusually cold during the day for many weeks (high30’s-low 40’s), and unlike most winters, there were virtually no mild breaks in the cold. My wife and I returned from 3 weeks in London, mid to late January, and returned to an ice ramp over top of the stairs leading to our front down. We’ve lived here, in different neighborhoods in DC proper, for a total of near 25 years between us. The year of “Snowmaggedon” was not one of those years. I had never seen anything like it here—6 inches of thick ass ice. Driving was a nightmare for two weeks. Oh, a…
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- 5 followers
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One of the things I look forward to this time of year is the new flushes of growth and cones from my Cycads. It is so amazing to see the lettuce soft new growth emerge from such a spikey formidable plant. I've been REAL into Cycads lately and many of the seedlings I just recently purchased are starting to flush as well. So lets see what Cycads are flushing or coning for you. Sorry about the lighting on my pics but we had the heavy duty May gray socked in today. Here is my Lepidozamia Hopei with a 2 leaf mini flush. Stevo
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- 7 followers
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I have always been fascinated with orchids, and I sort of assumed that orchid fascination was pretty common. I also used to think they were difficult to grow, at least in non-tropical climates, and so didn't bother with them, and again I assumed that this misconception was the reason more people don't grow them. So am I right? The reason I'm asking is that I've been experimenting with orchids for 4 or 5 years now and have gradaully realized that for a small lot in a less than perfect climate like Southern California, they are quite possibly the most rewarding group of plants to grow. They are also, in my opinion the ultimate palm companion plants...they grow be…
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Sowing some rare rainforest seeds
by happypalms- 14 replies
- 404 views
Some unusual and rare species of rainforest trees. The Eleocarpus no one has managed to propagate seeds in cultivation, so that one will be interesting to give a go and if I can propagate them it will be a first. And iam sure they will be asking how I did that! Some nice looking seeds and unusual shapes and colour. Palm seeds are just as unique but for now rainforest seeds are a welcome change. It will be an interesting science project this one set to challenge my horticultural skills!
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Hinobambusa tranquilans 'Shiroshima
by PAPalmtrees- 8 replies
- 109 views
This is hands down one of my favorite bamboo varieties, its Hinobambusa tranquilans 'Shiroshima'. It's Hardy in zones 6a-8b (Photos from the National Arboretum)
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- 1 reply
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This afternoon, while walking through the community garden, I saw that the rhizomes of all three Strelitzia reginae plants are healthy and thriving and firmly rooted in the ground. It’s nothing short of a small miracle, and we’re incredibly grateful for it...
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Post your Banyans
by bubba- 8 replies
- 142 views
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Boyce Thompson Arboretum Spring 2026, ...Take #2.
by Silas_Sancona- 9 replies
- 222 views
Non - palmy highlights from this springs' check in up at Boyce.. Random stuff first, Standouts later. As expected, hot, dry winter we experienced has rushed the flowering season compared to past years at this time. While there were some around, obviously, dry winter = few native things to be found, let alone in flower right now. Still, lots of stuff to see and enjoy, even during a spring like this. A few " haven't seen this / these " flowering here " observations as well.. Staying kinda palmy for a sec, some coning Dioon edulis in one of the courtyard gardens.. Dioon and Cycas with the Sabals.. Hecht…
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Some rare cycas scratchleyana seeds
by happypalms- 6 replies
- 129 views
A nice bag full of some scratchleyana seeds you don’t see very often. A beautiful understory cycas species from Papua New Guinea. Looking forward to growing a few of these ones!
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Post your biggest mango trees
by bubba- 9 replies
- 176 views
These two side by side mango trees are the largest I have seen:
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The Jack is back!
by bubba- 3 replies
- 55 views
Jacaranda's always look better out West. This local started going off a couple of days ago. Please post your Jack's as they bloom
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Plant I’d needed please
by happypalms- 2 replies
- 101 views
All I know about this plant is that it apparently grows out near Bourke, so this plant is from the back of Bourke as they say! But I have no idea about it!
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A nice little tropical island in the bush
by happypalms- 0 replies
- 65 views
Created this little island oasis in the middle of the bush on a tree stump. I just chuckled em in there nothing special just time was all that was needed, left untouched!
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Nice little puya planted
by happypalms- 0 replies
- 75 views
A new plant in the collection. And the easiest way to grow something that’s new is plant it in the ground.
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Planting a couple of cycas species
by happypalms- 2 replies
- 75 views
A hot dry spot is just what these cycas species will be living in. A 28 year old Ferox that has lived its whole life in the container finally got freedom today. And a nice cycas media just for good measure. And dioon spinolosum just for some fun.
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Ice Cream Banana What To Do
by SCVpalmenthusiast- 5 replies
- 128 views
Hey folks, Got this ice cream banana about 1.5 months ago. It was delivered during a terrible santa ana winds episode. Once it was planted it lost all the banana leaves. First planted A week later Now recovering My question is should I cut the other two stalks? Should I fertilize? The nights here are still in the low 50s here. It receives daily water through sprinklers and we’ve had a few drizzle days this week. I hear coffee grounds help push new growth. Should I try that?
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Plumeria early blooms
by aztropic- 14 replies
- 339 views
Due to our unusually warm Arizona winter, my plumeria trees are already blooming. 🤯 Unfortunately, it seems to have had the opposite effect on our stone fruits which all appear to be giving up flowering entirely for this year...🤷♂️ aztropic Mesa, Arizona
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Hints of Spring ..Part 2?..
by Silas_Sancona- 30 replies
- 1k views
Thanks to our ..winter not winter.. and the warm rains during September and early October here this year, one could say " spring ", in the yards at least, started right around Thanksgiving, last year. Now that actual Spring is less than a month away ( using the Meteorological rule, as always, of course ) what hadn't started flowering before the start of the year is proceeding through wave #2 of the early spring acts on stage at the moment, while wave #1 matures and starts going to seed. While a few are hanging on, majority of the " Fall Season " Zinnia are finally starting to fade out. While a basically dry and ..dare i say ..hot.. " winter " …
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Plant id
by 96720- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 108 views
Pretty blooms what is it?
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Heliconia schiedeana cold tolerance
by Phoenikakias- 1 follower
- 3 replies
- 194 views
I keep a potted specimen all year round outdoors. Thing is that it keeps all stems green during winter up to mid summer, and as new growth pops up from the the rhizome, all stems of previous year, which had spent a winter, die back. But those one year old stems, until they die, have already stopped growing further in the preceding spring- and summer time. Thus blooming of those barely one year old stems seems impossible. So my question is, whether winter cold kills the stems internally, while leaves and external tissues remain fresh. And further, whether planting in the ground may help the plant to keep old stems alive after winter.
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Star apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)
by aztropic- 1 reply
- 150 views
Another sub tropical fruit tree that seems to at least grow well under Phoenix Arizona desert conditions. Very pretty tree that maintains dark green foliage with strong copper colored undersides. Mine has flowered in the past, but has still to produce a single fruit. Maybe someday? 🤞 (This tree is already 15 years old, grown from seed from a star apple fruit I purchased on a Hawaiian vacation in 2010) aztropic Mesa, Arizona
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Fernandoa magnifica
by Peter- 5 replies
- 178 views
Flowering now after taking a few years off
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Bauhinias in bloom!
by Hillizard- 11 replies
- 298 views
My interior NorCal/Sacramento suburb garden: Bauhinia bloom bonanza this month. Keeps local hummingbirds well fed (B. candida and B. blakeana). That's a Butia yatay in the foreground.
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Wrightia antidysenterica
by Cindy Adair- 1 follower
- 2 replies
- 172 views
This pretty plant is new to me. Anybody growing it? Non fragrant flowers are so pretty and I read that in full sun it should bloom all year and become a shrub or small tree. Any information appreciated as I have several to plant out. I love the interesting floral structure. The nursery selling them didn’t even have a common name but I’m pretty sure I figured out the Latin name. Many common names!
