I have tried so many and failed.Also Iochroma and it grows but will not bloom.It needs the acid soil I guess.They freeze and need to be protected here.They grow well in Florida and bloom like crazy.When these hit the dust it is good bye for them.If you love it try it and then it is hit or miss I guess.Jessie

Good points Greenelbows. using my limited knowledge, I also have noticed plants falling into those two categories 'Mediterranean' and 'Maritime'. I tend to associate Mediterranean with southern California, Parts of South Africa (west cape), and must be parts of Med.sea and SW Australia. I tend to associate 'Maritime' with New Zealand, SW England, Chile, and PNW west of cascade range.

I wish I had known a person like your friend that tried plants no one else even knew about . Many of the plants that I love are either Med. or maritime, and have or probably will fail in the baking heat/humidity of Houston,tx., but fascination drives me to never stop looking.

Agreement on east cape/west cape. I was thinking that Durban would show some Heat/humidity, but maybe not as much as Houston.Sometimes if I find a really interesting plant like Schotia brachypetala, I may try to google 'Durban' with the name and see if I get any hits.Or,I may try to see how far up the coast in Queensland (toward the tropics) they will grow. In terms of cold hardiness, for australian species, I try to see if they grow down in Sydney, or better yet Higher elevations of Tasmania.

Tom in Pearland,Tx.

I think point of origin is part of the equation, but not the only factor. Agave americana appears to be from rocky plateaus in central Mexico, yet thrives here in gumbo at elevation 13Â. ItÂs so adaptable that itÂs on the PIER list of invasive plants for New Zealand and a common landscape feature in Phoenix. IÂm always amazed and amused when I check out my Phoenix roebelenii (Pygmy Date Palm) from the tropical rainforests of southeast Asia growing right behind the Agave.

Then there are some plants that have a cultivar which works when no others of the same species will. For instance, lavender is a no-go in my area except for ÂGoodwinÂs Creek which does just fine.

So, unless thereÂs a lot of published information or extensive local knowledge to the contrary, I wonÂt accept that a plant is automatically impossible here until, in the words of Tony Avent of Plant Delights nursery, IÂve killed it myself three times.

Besides trying to discover the origin (with associated rainfall, soil, sun), I try to find out where itÂs growing in cultivation (Google, DaveÂs Garden and, now, hopefully on this forum!) and its general whininess (pH is always a factor in my soil cuz itÂs slightly alkaline). I try to duplicate the conditions with adjustments  mostly for sun intensity.

And, because a lot of these "test" plants arenÂt available locally, I buy from the best online nurseries I can find that are as southern as I can find.

Finally, I donÂt assume itÂs automatically my fault if the first plant doesnÂt do well  theyÂre living critters and an individual can die for no particular reason, or maybe for many different reasons that might have nothing to do with my backyard. I lived many years in Minnesota and it wasnÂt unusual to lose 25% of a garden every winter, including native plants.

So, letÂs share our information about the less common possibilities. I'm testing two "Mediterranean" plants now. One is Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii (made it thru the summer just fine) and the other is Melianthus major that was planted in the autumn. I'll update come late spring if anyone's interested.

Monica

Hehehe, Monica, I love what you said about killing it yourself three times!
There are so many variables with individual plants, that it's hard to make any definite statements, but, in general, if it comes from Asia, not only will it grow in my area, it may very well become an invasive pest, like Chinese privet, Japanese climbing fern, kudzu, and Japanese honeysuckle.
I've really enjoyed the Mexican plants that I've planted in my garden, like malvaviscus drummondii/Turk's cap, Mexican flame vine/senecio confusus, and salvia regla. The tops die back at the first light freeze, but the roots always live, so they come back every spring - this keeps them from getting too big for my garden, and they make lots of new growth with lots of flowers all spring, summer and fall.
Sherry

I guess because I was always the youngest (until suddenly I was the oldest!) gardener in the group, I learned early to listen. It's been wonderfully helpful! One of my earliest 'gurus' said the same thing Tony Avent says about trying something three times before deciding it isn't for me. (Gets costly sometimes!) Sharing information is what it's all about, I think--well, beyond growing things themselves. My, I do love watching the first buds on a new plant, or something coming back I thought I'd lost, or just enjoying the general growth and beauty. For me, here, Iochroma struggled and looked pretty ratty until the plants around it attained some size, at which point I re-read some information I'd already had that said it wants shade. Then it started blooming. Don't know if the blue one will be back, got two red ones and one looks fine, the other may be gone. (Tried two different areas.) Think I had it fairly briefly quite a few years ago. Got them from Yucca Do, which I recommend with enthusiasm. They're in Texas and have a pretty clear idea of what will grow here--assuming you read what they say!

I tried my Iochroma in sun and in shade and nothing worked for me.I used some soil acid booster and got a bloom or two but nothing that was worth saving it for.I have had 3 colors that I ordered from California.I was so sure I could make them bloom for me,but no luck.In fact they did not even freeze the last freeze we had.My Angel Trumpets did not freeze either.Strange as they have every year before.I live near Conroe 35 miles north of Houston.I guess I can not break myself of the habit of trying things,I just think if I try hard enough I can make them grow.Sometimes you have to get over it I guess.Jessie

I grow a lot of bulbs from Chile and they do fantastic here. A lot of the California natives can make it here if you put them in the driest part of the garden. A lot of plants can take warmer temps than you think at night. I also grow a lot of Cape Bulbs down here that do great. The problem, when there is one with me, is too much rain not too high of temps.

dmj1218, could you give us a list of what Chilean and Cape bulbs you grow? Please? Do you mulch with gravel to improve drainage or amend the soil? I'd love to know.

Oh yes, I agree the rains can be a problem with the heavy soils on the Texas Upper Gulf Coast.

Thanks.
Monica

I have the best luck with plants from Africa, they thrive in coastal Texas. The African hosta, and African Daisies are two of my favorite. Plants that I transplanted to Texas from Florida, and did not survive are nuns orchid, and kings mantal, and I planted 5 gallon plants. I cannot grow a gardenia to save my soul. I have tried 4 diffrent varieties. They only bulb that really does well for me is the calla lily, but I have molds, and they eat a lions share of them. Barbra,

I have a old bulb book by Sally McQueen from 1979 and it still works for me.She remarried and her name is Squires now I think.It is a guide to growing bulbs in Houston.The ones I grow are:Achimenes,Agapanthus,Alstromeria,Amaryllis,Bletilla,Caladium,Calla,Canna,clivia,Glorriosa,Habranthus,Haemanthus,Day lillies,Hosta,Lycoris,oxalis,rainlillies 3 colors pink,White and yellow.I grow achimenes out in the yard as a ground cover in the shade.They multiply amd return every year.Good luck on your bulbs.Jessie

Plants from Southern China like China roses, some species roses, hostas, ferns do well in South Louisiana. Some of the plants from India like gingers and cannas also do well. Many bromiliads and succulents do well here as well. Many South American Rainforest plants do well also. Obviously, dry climate plants will do poorly. Many herbs such as parsley, green onions, mint and Basil are of Southeast Asian heritage and do well here. Houston is similar to Louisiana in climate, but the soil is different.

After killing a bunch of plants and giving up on gardening on the gulf. I am back at it again. This time a lot smarter. I look when I drive and see what is growing like crazy when everything else is struggling to survive. Then I research the item. The days of buying what was pretty at the nurseries is over. Plants that grow 15 miles inland may not even have a chance on the coast. The same with plants that grow here may not make it inland.

We have beautiful rubber trees and Banyan Figs and they will not make it a summer inland outside. I do believe the key is in the invasive root system. They drink the cool water about 5-6 feet down and are happy with the heat. Kind of like us when we go into the AC of our house when it is hot and humid.

The plants out of Mexico do well because of their leaf structure and root system. The waxyer the leaf the more heat they seem to be able to take. Plus long term adaptation. Then again I cannot get the mexican sage to grow here. It is a rock everywhere else. I even see it right on the water at the islands backside. It just will not grow well where I live. Go figure maybe a microclimate??

A friend told me of all the beautiful Hybrid Tea roses she bought at Walmart yesterday. My thoughts were dead in a year. Now when I go I am after something in particular not just a pretty plant but a coastal survivor.

Just my take on this Texas coast plants

Jim

I think everyone is making some really good points. I had forgotten something a native plant enthusiast told me when I was new here. She really liked some of the Texas natives, but she said they could tell when they'd crossed the border and weren't in Texas anymore, and died. I'm quite sure she was joking, in case anyone wonders, but I bet there's something to it, in that the soils seem to be so different--and they are in different areas here in La. too of course. Another thing any number of people said is that there are two kinds of plants here--the ones that die and the ones that take over! My folks grew camellias in western Washington, and they are all over here too. Seems to me they grew better looking plants on average there, and they bloom better on average here. Need soil adjustments for acidity here, but not there. I can grow things here that my good gardening friend who lives about ten miles away can't--her yard is open to the winds and the cold and mine is quite protected. There's so many things like that--