|
If you’ve been looking
for hardy trees that may add a little tropical flare to your garden, I’ve
got a few you may want to consider.
Now don’t forget the
magnolias…Sweet Bay with its semi evergreen shiny leaves, multi-stem habit,
and of and on sweet smelling flowers. Or Southern magnolia with its large
deep green evergreen leaves…keep Bracken’s Brown Beauty in mind for a good
hardy selection…and how about this one? Magnolia macrophylla, or Bigleaf
Magnolia…with these extremely large leaves…bright green on top and silvery
gray below. That’s pretty tropical!
How about Mimosa?
That’s right; you’re seeing hardier selections of these southern trees work
their way into northern zone 6 and southern 5 with little or no winter
dieback. And with those pink flower puffs in the summer, vase shaped
growing habit, and of course, these bipinnately compound leaves, Mimosa is
sure to add a little tropical flare to your landscape.
This is one of my
favorites…Tiger Eye’s Sumac…this summer beauty gets 8 feet tall and 8 feet
wide, multi-stemmed, and just look at this outstanding yellow foliage,
supported by those maroon stems. Tiger Eye’s Sumac is definitely a tropical
like show stopper for the garden.
And last but not least,
the Paw Paw tree. Again a multi-stemmed small tree with spreading branches
as it matures…add that to these 6 to 12 inch long leaves, and you’ve
definitely got a semi-tropical look here! Perfect as an understory tree,
edge of the woods, or right in the garden.
And, as a bonus, paw
paws can produce an edible fruit. Tastes somewhat like a banana with
custard like consistency…and these will be ready for the picking, in just a
few weeks. Tropical look and tropical fruit! What more could you ask for? |
