Tropical and exotic palms, trees and shrubs. These tropical style plants are a great way to add height and structure to your tropical or exotic style garden. We select plants that are reliable for a UK garden and all or homegrown plants are grown peat free and virgin plastic free.
A rarer variegated form of this reliable tropical style evergreen shrub. Large palmate glossy green leaves are adorned with a really attractive variegation, making Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' a great addition for shaded areas of any garden. A relatively fast growing shrub that can reach heights of 2m+, but tolerates hard pruning well. Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' has survived -6°C in the Grow Paradise garden and continues to thrive. In autumn white ivy-like flowers are produced and are followed by dark berries, providing food for pollinators and bird life.
Current size: 40cm tall, including pot.
Dramatic deeply divided palmate leaves and a bushy exotic evergreen habit. Fatsia polycarpa ‘Green Fingers’ is a relatively new introduction to gardeners here in the U.K. Fatsia polycarpa originates from the shady hillsides of Taiwan where it was once a rare plant to find. Fatsia polycarpa ‘Green Fingers’ is a tough exotic shrub and should be hardy in most UK gardens, but it will benefit from a bit of shelter from the most severe cold. Well worth growing for it’s amazing deeply lobed foliage, giving this Fatsia a much more tropical look than the regular Fatsia japonica.
Fatsia polycarpa ‘Green Fingers’ is best grown in partial shade where it can reach heights of up to 2m. In late autumn and winter it produces Ivy-like flowers that provide valuable nectar for pollinating insects.
Current size: 60cm tall, including pot.
Tropical looking orange-red tubular blooms hang in clusters against a backdrop of dark foliage. Fuchsia triphylla ‘Thalia’ combines superbly with many popular plants for tropical style gardens. This beautiful Fuchsia produces foliage that is tinged with a richmetallic purple. Try planting Fuchsia triphylla ‘Thalia’ with complementary dark purple foliage plants such as Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' for a perfect foliage combination with the added bonus of beautiful flowers!
A very architectural plant with bold exotic foliage. Melianthus major has large silvery-green leaves with serrated edges. Commonly called the ‘Honey Bush’, this plant makes a fantastic addition to exotic gardens. In mild areas it will remain evergreen and produce peculiar red flower spikes in summer/autumn. The seed pods that follow the flowers are very long lasting and add further winter interest. When the leaves of Melianthus major are touched they release a lovely aroma that is similar to peanut butter!
Extremely fast growing hardy banana plants. Musa basjoo is always popular for exotic gardeners with its gigantic jungly leaves and reliable hardiness in British winters. A must have plant for gardeners looking to achieve the 'tropical style' garden with high impact. This banana plant will quickly multiply and produce 'pups' from the base (baby banana plants).
Current size: 30-40cm tall including pot.
A tough ornamental banana with similar hardiness to Musa basjoo. Musa sikkimensis plants frequently develop deep maroon streaks through their young leaves, making for very striking plants. These cold tolerant bananas are very fast growing plants with large jungle style foliage. Commonly called the ‘Darjeeling banana’.
Current Size: Supplied in a 12cm pot
A beautiful & hardy palm tree that thrives in the UK. Tracycarpus fortunei, sometimes called 'Trachys' for short, produce a thick hairy trunk topped with a tropical looking crown of glossy evergreen palm leaves. In summer Tracycarpus fortunei produces panicles of yellow blooms that hang from its crown and really add to the exotic look. Tracycarpus fortunei is native to parts of southern China and has the common name of 'Windmill palm'. These surprisingly fast growing young plants are a great affordable way to add palm trees to your garden.
Current size: Supplied in 17cm pots.
An architectural hardy Yucca that has rightly become one of the most desirable drought tolerant plants for UK gardeners. Yucca rostrata is a striking plant species that is known as the 'Beaked Yucca' because its flowers are said to resemble the beak of a bird. Mature plants will produce a thick trunk topped with an almost spherical rosette of narrow blue-green leaves. The smooth leaves are spine-tipped and sway gently even in the slightest breeze. Mature Yucca rostrata plants will produce a 1.5m flowering stalk with creamy-white flowers in autumn. The flowers of this Yucca, as with other species, are adored by pollinating insects. Yucca Rostrata is native to the Chihuahuan desert of Northern Mexico.
Current size: Supplied in a 22cm pot