Demand For Tropical Plants Soars
By Hilda M. Morrill
July 23, 2005

Big leaves, flamboyant flowers and hot colors are fueling a growing passion for tropical plants as American gardeners use exotic flowers and foliage to create tantalizing backyard retreats. 

"From Minneapolis to Miami, Americans are growing containers full of the lush fronds and flowers most of us associate with trips to Bali or the Caribbean islands," says Sally Ferguson, director of the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center in New York City which hosts the popular gardening resource www.bulb.com. 

"It's fun and dramatic," she explains. "Dense groupings of potted foliage plants with huge drooping or upright leaves, flamboyant flowers, entwined vines, even hanging pods can turn a plain backyard or deck into an exotic oasis, where the pace feels slower and the living easy." 

Particularly popular in pots are broad-leafed cannas, towering banana and hemp plants, castor beans, huge elephant ear-shaped colocasias and alocasias, calla lilies, caladiums, tuberous begonias, dahlias, curcuma (gingers), gloriosa lilies and eucomis (pineapple plants), says Ms. Ferguson. 

Once hard to find, current consumer demand has made this exotic fare readily available at many garden centers, home centers and mail-order gardening sources coast-to-coast. All are offered as potted nursery plants or bulbs for planting. Most are tender summer bulbs from tropical climates and must be over-wintered in protected places or treated as annuals. 

For a homegrown jungle or oasis Ms. Ferguson recommends the following summer bulbs as best bets for achieving the tropical effect: 

Canna - Big and broad-leaved, in solid colors, bi-colors or stripes, use it as vertical accent or anchor for mixed container plantings where the interplay of heights, drape, flowers and foliage can be intricate. 

Elephant Ears (Colocasia esculenta) - The definitive tropical plant with enormous, elongated heart-shaped leaves, these shade loving tropical plants can change the mood of any small setting. Group several pots of elephant ears to create a swaying "island" of green. 

Begonias - Low-growing plants with large dense velvety flowers in pink, red, yellow, orange, or white that bloom all season long in deep shade or filtered sunlight. 

Calla (Zantedeschia) - Fabulous pot plants with exquisite elongated funnel-shaped flowers of white, red, orange, yellow, rust, lavender, pale green, gold and near-black. 

Gloriosa Lily - A sun-loving lily vine with flowers of vivid red/orange and yellow and petals so wildly ruffled and reflexed they look rather like tropical birds nesting amidst the leaves. 

Pineapple Lilies (Eucomis) - The eucomis is indeed reminiscent of the pineapple with its 15-inch spire of tiny greenish-white (or wine-colored) flowers and a base of broad, strappy green leaves. Plant one to three in a large pot for a dramatic container planting.  


SOURCE: Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center 
(PRNewswire-021505)