Why we love tropical plants and you should too!
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| Cigar plants are loved by hummingbirds because of their shape and color |
A tropical plant to us is any plant that won't survive our winters. Many people immediately think, "Why would I buy a plant that's only going to last one summer when I could buy a plant that will last year after year?" Well, that is a good point, but let's consider some other points also:
- Have you ever purchased a hanging basket? You get the same benefit from a tropical plant in your pond. Tropical plants are showy, bloom more profusely, have better color, and love the heat. They'll grow bigger in a shorter period of time and create the most impact. They're a specimen plant meant to "dress-up" your water feature.
- You can get extra benefits from a tropical plant. Just like the photo above. We have these cigar plants in pots on our patio at home. Every evening our little hummingbird flies through and checks out blooms in each pot. I will have these every year now!
- Tropical plants can be more beneficial to your pond. Hardy plants start to become dormant in late summer or early fall. Basically, they stop eating nutrients from your pond so those nutrients will instead feed algae! If you include tropical plants in your pond also, they don't have any idea the seasons are about to change...they keep eating up nutrients, starving algae!
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Water Canna
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Tropical water lilies are more vibrant, stand tall out of the water,
and will keep blooming until Thanksgiving some years! |
So do tropical plants have to be thrown away in winter? For most, the answer is no! Most tropical marginal plants can be brought in during the winter and treated like a houseplant. Keep it in a sunny spot and keep it moist. When the water temperatures are consistently in the 70's take it back out to your pond. We have umbrella palms that we have had for years! If you haven't tried a tropical plant in your pond before...now's the time. You'll love it!
Written by Cool Ponds co-owner, Staci
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