Natural Outdoor Plants

Agave plants are succulents with large leaves that end in pointy tips. Large, stiff specimens can grow to 10 feet or more in height and width, and smaller species can be dish-sized. A few agave species have soft leaves and no spines. Agave grows best in rocky, sandy, well-drained soil in full sun. Fertilizer can encourage agave to bloom, which is not recommended because the plant only blooms once, then dies.

Normally planted in the spring, the fast-growing asparagus fern has a lot of good qualities, but it comes with some important cautions. In warm, humid climates, asparagus ferns can spread rapidly when planted outdoors—to the point of serious invasiveness. Neither plant is a fern, but instead, they are warm-weather perennials closely related to the common edible garden asparagus.

The Bismarck Palm, scientifically known as Bismarckia Nobilis, is a stunning and majestic palm tree that is native to Madagascar. It is a slow-growing palm that can reach a height of 30 feet and a width of 20 feet, making it a perfect choice for large landscapes and gardens. The Bismarck Palm has a single, thick trunk that is covered in a grayish-brown bark, and it is topped with a crown of large, fan-shaped leaves that can grow up to 10 feet in diameter. The leaves are a beautiful silvery-blue color, which makes them stand out in any landscape. The Bismarck Palm is a hardy plant that can tolerate a wide range of soil types and temperatures, making it an ideal choice for tropical and subtropical regions. It requires full sun exposure to thrive and should be watered regularly during the growing season. The Bismarck Palm is also resistant to most pests and diseases.

Botanically, the plants are classified as woody vines, although they often behave more like shrubs. In fact, they can easily be trained to grow as shrubs . The foliage of these tropical flowers is usually evergreen in warm climates, but their leaves will sometimes drop if watering has been insufficient. These vines can attain a height and spread of 15-40 feet and contain thorns. What appears to be the flower on bougainvillea plants is actually a foliar structure referred to as a “bract.” The flower, technically, is much smaller and not nearly as eye-catching.

Manilkara Zapota commonly known as Chikoo trees are long-living evergreen trees. These are cultivated for their edible sweet fruits. With its native origin to Central America, Mexico & West Indies, but find its a wide distribution throughout Southeast Asian countries. Chikoo trees have a tendency to grow about 5 – 20 m tall when cultivated in your home garden. This tree consists of glossy medium green leaves, which are alternate, and elliptic to ovate with an entire margin. Manilkara Zapota also blooms inconspicuously with white flowers, that are bell-like, with a six-lobed corolla. The fruit that it bears is somewhat like a large berry (4 – 8 cm in diameter) with its color turning from a pale yellow to an earthy brown as it gets ripened. With their attractive appearance and easy-to-care conditions, these trees are excellent for ground cover or other relevant ornamental purposes.

The jade plant is a popular succulent houseplant with simple indoor/outdoor care requirements and a very long lifespan of up to 70 years with the proper care. This plant is slow-growing—gaining only about two inches of height per year, but it can reach a total height between three and six feet. Jade plants feature thick, woody stems topped by green, fleshy leaves with an oval shape. Plant in loose, well-draining soil. A succulent potting mix is the best option.

Despite its common name, sago palm (Cycas revoluta) isn’t technically a true palm tree though it may have the appearance of other types of palm. Sago palm grows best in warm, humid conditions, and requires four to six hours daily of dappled sunlight, acidic soil, and consistent temperatures between 18 and 23 degrees Celsius. These fairly low-growing plants with long green fronds are cycads, a group of ancient tropical and subtropical plants that usually grow from a trunk that doesn’t branch out; it produces nuts but doesn’t flower or fruit. Sago palms are native to warm parts of Japan and southern China.

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) has a commanding presence. Its arching, gray-green, waxy fronds can reach more than 10 feet long, forming a stately crown at the top of the tree. Panicles of pale yellow flowers generally appear in the spring. And they give way to the edible oblong fruits (the dates) that begin as green and then typically turn brown as they ripen. The palm is slow-growing, gaining a few feet per year on average. It can be planted in the spring or fall.

This Ficus variety has long, banana-shaped leaves. The large, leathery, fast-growing foliage has a lush tropical appeal. This plant has similar growth habits to Ficus Alli, but has many wider, thicker and somewhat larger leaves. During active growth periods, growth tips are a very pronounced pink to red that contrasts beautifully against the broad, shiny leaves. ‘Amstel Queen’ holds its foliage extremely well indoors as well as outdoors.

Ficus benjamin ball style . This plant is a nice idea for a new shop, new office or for someone that like’s geometrical design in the balcony.

Every garden should have a fig tree. These iconic plants produce delicious fruit with flavors best experienced ripe from the tree. Unlike other fruits, figs ripen entirely on the branch, so planting your own allows you to harvest the freshest fruit. The common fig tree, thriving in warm climates, does not require pollination to bear new fruit. Depending on the variety, specific fig trees need pollinators, so check the type before planting your own to know its growing conditions.

Gardenias have a distinctive floral, citrusy sweet scent. They look like roses with showy white or cream-colored petals that open up to a spiral around a central point. They bloom from late spring up through fall. Each bloom lasts several weeks before wilting. Deadhead or remove spent blooms after they wilt to spur more flower production.

Fountaingrass, also known as the Pennisetum genus, encompasses a wide variety of landscape grasses beloved for their soft shape, sprawling nature, and fuzzy plumes. Native to Africa and southern Asia, they come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors, and are uniquely suited to landscape design and container gardens alike. In general, most varietals of fountaingrass are easy to care for and will reward your efforts with eye-catching blooms through summer and early fall. Their lovely flowers are perfect for cut and dried flower arrangements. Some of the well-known species of Pennisetum include feathertop grass (Pennisetum villosum) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum).

The tropical-looking flowers of the Hibiscus create a warm-weather vibe and make this perennial a favorite of many. There are two varieties of Hibiscus: hardy and tropical. Hardy Hibiscus can quickly outgrow a container, and they naturally go dormant during the colder months, so it is not common to grow this variety in a pot. Potted hibiscus feels most comfortable at indoor temperatures between 18 and 28 °C. If the temperature outside is consistently above 15 °C, your indoor hibiscus can move outside in the summer. Here, it prefers a semi-shady and sheltered location. Both indoors and outdoors, the hibiscus is extremely loyal to its location. This means that once it begins to bloom, it should not be moved. A change of location places great stress on the plant and can lead to the shedding of flowers.

Lantana is a perennial vining, flowering shrub in warm zones and an annual in places with frosty winters. Fast-growing lantana produces rounded clusters of small, brightly colored flowers in yellow, orange, white, red, pink, blue, or purple and is often used in hanging baskets or ground covers. Lantana grows best in full sun conditions and requires at least six hours of direct sunlight, preferring neutral, well-draining soil and temperatures above 12 degrees celsius.

Lemon trees (Citrus limon) grow best in tropical and semi-tropical climates. The tree’s reddish buds develop into mildly fragrant white and purple flowers in solitary or small clusters of two or more blooms. Be aware there are often sharp thorns on the twigs of the tree. Plant your lemon tree in the spring and you can expect it to be established within three years.

Although it can be tricky to grow, a mango tree (Mangifera indica) can make for an interesting specimen when grown in the ground or a large pot. This tree forms a dense canopy of long oblong green leaves in the right conditions, rewarding you with white flowers from December through March. After flowering, mango trees bear fruit three to five months later.

The indian cork tree is a tree native to many areas in Asia desired for its landscaping features and various uses. The plant possesses attractive foliage adorned with white, trumpet-shaped, and fragrant flowers used in rituals. The wood of this tree is a good timber; the bark is utilized as an inferior alternative to cork.

Neem, (Azadirachta indica), also called nim or margosa, fast-growing tree of the mahogany family (Meliaceae), valued as a medicinal plant, as a source of organic pesticides, and for its timber. Neem is likely native to the Indian subcontinent and to dry areas throughout South Asia.

Oleander (Nerium oleander) grows naturally as a mounded, round shrub, or it can be trained as a small single- or multi-trunked tree. The evergreen foliage of the oleander plant is dense, leathery, and dark green, offering a privacy screen when planted in groups or borders. Delicately shaped, showy, fragrant flowers tend to be pink, while some varieties produce red, orange, yellow, or white flowers. Blooming for an especially long period, the 1 to 3-inch flowers appear from spring to summer and sometimes early fall and year-round in warmer climates.

Travelers to the tropics are no doubt familiar with the pandanus or screw pine. The large trunks are whorled, with a spiral crown of leaves emerging from the top. The leaves are still and pointed, sometimes reaching several meters in length, and frequently striped or variegated (depending on the species). Moreover, the leaves are all armed with wicked and painful spines, so casually grabbing a pandanus leaf is not something you’re likely to forget. They are a lovely symbol of the tropics.

Pepyrus plants are sometimes thought of as ornamental grasses but they are not true grasses. A sedge is defined as a grass-like plant with triangular stems and inconspicuous flowers, usually growing in wet areas. Papyrus is a tall, stately plant. Papyrus is primarily a foliage plant and the accompanying bracts (modified leaves) make the umbels pop and give them strong visual appeal. Be aware that this is a fast-growing and spreading plant and is one of many sedges known to impede waterways and encroach on native plants.

Rangoon Creeper or Madhumalti is a tropical vine and a fast growing flowering plant that produces red to white colored fragrant flowers in cluster throughout the year. They are generally found in India, Philippines, and Malaysia.

Anecdotally known as the east-west palm or the traveler’s palm, Ravenala madagascariensis. Its distinctive fan-shaped leaves, which grow in an east-west orientation by nature, give rise to its name. This tree, which is native to Madagascar, was once used to determine direction, much like a compass. The leaf bases and bracts of this plant also catch and store rainfall, making it a beautiful find for thirsty visitors who may subsequently find up to a half-gallon of fresh water contained within it. There is even folklore that says you may make a wish, and it will come true if you stand in front of a traveler’s palm, making it a very lucky discovery. Since then, it has grown to be one of the most popular outdoor/indoor tropical plants for workplaces and homes.

This big beauty is the classic South Florida palm tree and a Florida native. Smooth trunks of gray to gray-white are topped with bright green crownshafts and long, luxurious, full fronds. Soaring to heights 25 mt tall, this giant palm tree is one of the most sought-after landscape palms for elegant South Florida homes.

Arabian jasmine is famous for its fragrant flowers and its use in jasmine tea and leis. It is a fast-growing evergreen climbing shrub. Glossy, dark green oval leaves create a beautiful contrast to the highly fragrant, white flowers that fade to pink as they age. These beautiful-smelling blooms appear all summer long and may continue to bloom year-round in warm climates. Arabian jasmine can be trained as a flowering vine with support or maintained as a sprawling shrub. It also does very well in containers and makes an eye-catching plant for patios and porches.

The fast-growing, extremely hardy Washingtonia Palm can provide big tropical landscape appeal in a hurry. Washingtonias grow fast – yet the rate can vary from palm to palm. No two grow at the same pace, so pairs of these palms are not a good choice for symmetrical landscape design. They’re a favorite with builders who want to give a finished look to a newly constructed home, and with homeowners who want more instant gratification.

This type of yucca is native to the Southwest United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and the Death Valley area of California) as well as northern Mexico. It shares the same mounded clumps of stiff, sword-shaped leaves with all the other varieties of yucca. Yucca baccata often grows with sagebrush, pinyon juniper, or ponderosa pine in its natural environment. It is a slow-growing plant that is best planted in the spring. The banana yucca is non-invasive.