Equipping the garden with exotic plants is attractive. But often the winter limits the choice. So which exotics are hardy?
Regardless of whether you are on holiday or just looking at photos from the Caribbean: The feeling of wanting something unique from the plant world and thus wanting to have a little bit of vacation in the house is something that everyone quickly overcomes, especially in winter. A unique plant that does well even in our latitudes would be ideal. In this article we will show you different plants that can withstand the frosts in our region.
Hardy Bamboo: Suitable Species and Varieties
For fans of Asian culture, bamboo is probably the best way to feel as close as possible to this continent. With careful planning and a little knowledge of hardy species, this Asian magic can also unfold its effect in the cold season. Below we will show you the most beautiful types of bamboo, which will also delight you in winter.
Muriel Bamboo (Fragesia murielae)
- Bamboo with a height of 2 to 3 m; light green foliage; suitable for a sunny to half-shady location with preferably slightly acidic soil
- hardy to -25 °C
- Clump forming and not proliferating growth
- suitable as a single plant in a bed, as a container plant or as a hedge
- must always be kept moist
- popular varieties: 'Brilliant', 'Standing Stone'
Fountain Bamboo (Fragesia nitida)
- reaches growth heights of up to 4 m
- hardy to around -25 °C
- deep green foliage
- suitable for sunny to partially shaded locations with nutrient-rich but well-drained soil
- suitable for planting in beds as well as for planting in beds
- popular variety: 'Jiuzhaigou 1'
Japanese Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica)
- 3 to 5 m tall
- particularly hardy to -20°C
- rather light green leaves
- suitable for both humid and drier locations
Hardy Bananas: All-season varieties in the garden
With hardy banana trees (Musa) you create an exotic flair that only a few other plants can evoke. Normally, these plants are native to milder climates without frost, but there are some species that defy low temperatures down to -10 °C. If severe frosts are expected, you should use winter protection to be on the safe side, regardless of the comparatively pronounced frost tolerance.
Japanese Fiber Banana (Musa basjoo)
- hardiest species known; resistant to -15 °C
- blooms after mild winters, even in our latitudes reaches heights of 2.5 to 3 m
- prefers a sunny but sheltered location
Darjeeling Banana (Musa sikkimensis)
- Perennials resistant to -5 °C and rhizome to -15 °C
- sunny and sheltered location
- Variety: 'Red Tiger'
Here you can find out what to look out for when buying banana plants. And in this article we explain how to overwinter non-hardy banana trees.
Hardy Calla
The dragon arum (Calla palustris) comes from the South African swamps and has adapted to very humid and extremely dry periods. It impresses with its pure white flowers. The wild form of the beautiful garden plant is even native and can rarely be admired in the wild in damp habitats (moist meadows, moors). The native dragon root survives the winter unscathed, although the above-ground part of the plant retracts in winter. However, the calla will sprout again next year without any problems. But be careful: it is more problematic with the similar-looking room calla (Zantedeschia). This is by no means hardy. It is originally from Africa and should not be exposed to temperatures below 10 °C.
Hardy cacti: Hardy and frost-tolerant varieties
The cactus family (Cactaceae) fascinates with their arrangement of thorns and sometimes very exotic flowers. There are also a large number of variations within the color of the flowers. We provide you with the most beautiful types and varieties for the coldSeason ahead.
Tree Cholla (Cylindropuntia imbricata ‚Pinky‘)
- grows in dense columns
- Flower Color: Pink
- hardy to -25 °C
Oklahoma cone cactus (Echinocereus Reichenbachii)
- grows cylindrical with dense spikes
- Flower Color: Purple
- hardy to -20 °C
Beehive Cactus (Escobaria vivipara)
- small spherical cactus
- Flower color: pink-violet
- hardy to -35 °C
Stick Cactus (Opuntia imbricata)
- limbed to succulent growth up to 100 cm tall
- Flower color: pink-violet
- hardy to -25 °C
Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaeacantha ‚Orangeade‘)
- medium-sized cactus with limbed growth
- Flower Color: Orange
- hardy to -20 °C
Opuntia (Opuntia polyacantha)
- compact, articulated growth up to 25 cm tall
- Flower Color: Yellow
- hardy to -30 °C
Hardy Succulents
Succulents are plants with fleshy, water-storing organs such as a shoot or leaves. Cacti are also classified as succulents. But in addition to the thorny water reservoirs, there are a number of other beautiful and hardy succulents. As a rule, these succulents remain very low, with the exception of the sprawling agaves. The following variants are suitable for more or less severe winters in your garden:
Agave (Agave neomexicana)
- spreading growth; 60 - 100 cm height
- Flower Color: Blue
- hardy to -20 °C
- Location: sunny; bucket
Royal Agave (Agave victoriae-reginae 'Queen Victoria')
- spreading growth; 60 - 80 cm height
- Flower Color: Blue
- hardy to -12 °C; possibly winter protection
- Location: sunny; bucket
Stonecrop (Sedum)
- carpet-like growth; 5 - 10 cm height
- Flower Color: Yellow; Flowering time: June/July
- hardy to -20 °C
- Location: sunny; rock gardens, wall joints
Cobweb Houseleek (Sempervivum arachnoideum)
- rosette-like growth; 3 - 10 cm height
- Flower Color: Pink; Flowering time: June/July
- hardy to -20 °C
- Location: sunny; Rock gardens, green roofs, dry stone walls
We have put together a large overview of hardy plants for you here.