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Tropical Plants

Too late to plant my Many tropicals in the ground?

14 years ago

Leander, TX.

I SHOULD Have planted my many, many varieties of tropicals in the ground a couple of months ago..But Haven't!

I have a dizzying array of so many palms, hybiscus, fragrant gingers, jasmine, bird of paradise, black african elephant ear, gardenia, brugmansias, 7 different colored bougainvillia...and many, many more tropical plants.

It it too late to get in ground and have sufficient root structures to survive freezes?

Help and Advise..PLEASE?

(I know my 18 varieties of plumeria from Hawaii, Asia, Central America, etc. have to come into my small shed with heater to survive...but am really worried about those others!)

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Comments (4)

amelia_pepper_lady
14 years ago
I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think they would have time for the roots to establish in ground before you are hit with the first cold weather.

However, if you don't have any means to protect the containerized plants, planting in ground may be the best protection.
mcbdz
14 years ago
If you can't bring them inside, what about up against a south facing wall and cover when temps drop too low for them. You have to note what each ones lowest temp is and the least tolerant closet to the wall. I would really try to bring what I could in the house and see what ones you can put in dormancy. I know plumarias can be stored dormant. Good luck.
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Jeff, not to worry. They will more than likely be fine. My only question is, are they mulched? They grow in full sun but they will do fine in with less sun. Mulch will keep weeds down but more importantly moderate the freeze, thaw cycle. In other words, when they go through freeze and thaw repeatedly, it lifts the plants up out of the planting hole a few inches. This is not very good for plants in general. Once the plants grow sufficient roots they will be anchored in the soil and heaving is no longer a concern. Ron
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kayjones
14 years ago
Daddyseal, I have my Plumerias in the ground - a 5' plant grows on the east side of my house and several smaller ones grow in a southwest corner of my house. Find a sheltered spot up next to the south side of your house and experiment with a Plumeria plant - you might be successful at growing them in the ground!!!
tropicalzone7
14 years ago
The gardenia, plumeria, and elephant ears can all be planted now. The plumeria will be dormant anyway, but you MUST mulch it well, but keep it dry, and cover is during freeing periods. They usually come back after minor freezes when establihed, but they will look much better if they are never exposed to them.
Elephant ears are bulbs and bulbs dont really need to be established to do well. Many elephant ears are hardy to your area, but I would shield it from excess moisture with a tarp over the ground, after it dies to the ground.

Most gardeinas are marginally hardy in your area. Im pretty sure the roots grow all year long even if the plant itself looks dormant.

The jasmine, ginger, and brugs can probably be planted outside too because they are more cold tollerant.

All the others are probably better off inside till spring.

Tropical hibiscus cant tollerate freezes (but all of mine did make it through 35 degree temps and still bloomed so they are much more tolerant of the cold than other tropicals).

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