Hardy subtropicals for zone 5 or tropicals

[yuccaman]

Is there any subtropicals I can look for zone 5. I mean hardy ones not ones for zone 9 and 11. Im have trouble finding exotic plants.These such as voodoo lily has to be zone 6. I want zone 5 ones please. give me some good ones :) ?

[Wes North Van]

Musa basjoo if protected could be root hardy in zone 5. I would mulch it in the winter and it will probably come back. Anyhting above ground would get fried though.
As far as palms go I would try Rhapidophyllum Hystrix and protect it with an over head cover and on cold nights put the old style Christmas lights around the spear of the palm, mulch the ground to protect the roots and wrap the whole palm in burlap. Other than that I might try sabal minor and protect it the same way.
Other plants to try would be Rhodos and Aucuba Japonica which aren't really subtropical but they stay evergreen and are broad leaved.
Yuccas are also a good choice.

[Alchris]

I've got several voodoo lilies(clones of Smith). Because they are bulbs, they can be planted out in the spring and pulled up in the fall for storage over winter. You would have no problem growing them in Zone 5.

For Rhododendrons-- the Finnish varieties are evergreen and hardy to Zone 3 or 4. Peter Tigerstedt, Haaga and Helsinki University varieties ultimately grow to over 5 feet tall.
---The Maximum and Catwabiense varieties are also evergreen and can grow to 10 feet tall. Most are hardy in Zone 4 and 5.

There is also evergreen ground cover Rhododendron growing up to 2 feet tall. Groenlandicum variety has white flowers and is hardy to Zone 2( I have seed coming); while lapponicum variety has purple pink flowers and is hardy to Zone 3.


Some of the clumping Bamboos are also evergreen and Hardy in Zone 5. The Fargesia varieties will grow to 10 to 15 feet tall. All they need is a little shade and protection from the wind.

Does anyone grow the empress tree in your area? Paulownia tomentosa won't survive here in Zone 3a. It is considered a bit of a weed in the US eastern states Zones7 etc. but the colder temperature in Zone 5 should keep it under control and well below it's 40 foot height.

You could try Ephedra viridis. It is a dryland 'joint pine' that gets about 3 feet tall and is rated Zone 5. Gardens North had seed earlier this year.

That is about it for unusual plants that I can thinnk of for Zone 5.

Allen

[yuccaman]

Thanks. I will have to try them. I have 2 adam's needles and are doing fine in the rain. We got 40 mm of rain. Almost 2 inches of rain from a storm.I got a pjm rhododendron that got it's flowers killed by a heavy frost of -2C but the plant is doing fine.Heres is some zone 5 ones I saw Phyllostachys nuda, Dracunculus vulgaris,And some cobra plants. There is hardy bamboo that might stay green. So I will try it.And some needle palms. Maybe a basjoo.

[Tony O]

Paw-paw trees have nice tropical looking leaves and are z5 hardy.

The needle palm only needs to be covered with a big pile of leaves to over winter.

Elephant ears & canna (easy to dig bulbs & tubers for winter storage) grow fast.