Winter Garden Plants
Small, Medium, and Large Winter Garden Plants
Summer’s over and your fall garden is beginning to bloom; beautiful colors are beginning to shape and blend together. As you think about the upcoming winter, why end the colors of beauty with autumn? There are many winter growing plants in all sizes and colors.
You need to decide the size of your winter garden. And by this I mean, will you have an area for large blooming flowers, or widespread blossoming shrubs? Would a medium sized garden fit your theme? Maybe you’d like the smaller, simple area for your winter garden. There are perennials for all garden sizes. Maybe you’d like to mix it up and have a show of all the sizes; which best suits your winter style?
You’ve chosen to have a large winter garden. You’ve already read all there is to know on planting, fertilizing, and are an expert on soil needs. Your diagram is drawn; you know what you want. Maybe you even have a theme that you’re looking for. Here is a collection of large winter growing plants for your garden:
1. Doryanthes Palmeri - This plant bears small flowers, usually grown in dense areas. Red-bracted, orange-red and white within. Leaves are darker green in color and take an arching sword shape; about 6 ft long. They are native to Queensland and Australia. Need water while growing, plant in cooler temperatures also best growth would happen in a greenhouse. Requires a minimum of 50 degrees F. Can grow 6-8 ft in height and spread as much as 8 ft.
2. Musa Ornata - “Flowering Banana” This plant has a long spike like stem with single rows of upright, yellow-orange flowers, each almost completely enclosed by a beautiful pink bract. Their leaves are a vibrant green, paddle shaped and waxy; usually grow up to 6 ft long with green-yellow banana like fruit growing up to 2 ¼ inches long. Because it’s native in Bangladesh and Burma, it would be wise to grow in a greenhouse, planting in cooler temperatures. Requires a minimum: 64 degrees F. Can grow to height of 10 ft with a spread of 7 ft.
3. Pycnostachys Dawei - Bushy and upright plant with tubular short, dense, whorled flowers blooming winter to spring. Their leaves are narrow and lance shaped, serrated and can grow from 5-12 inches long; mid green in color, red tinged beneath. They are native to Tropical Africa and need fertile, well drained soil. Water freely when in full growth. A minimum of 59 degrees F and can grow 4-5 ft tall with a spread of 1-3 ft.
For those of you who don’t dig the large style winter garden plants but still want a little more than average in your landscape, medium sized winter plants may be just for you. Here is a collection of medium winter growing plants for your garden:
1. Caladium Bicolor - “Pink Beauty” Tufted and tuberous-rooted, their flours are tubular white spathes and are only produced in the summer. The leaves are what really stand out however with their triangular shape, are dark green in color, mottled with pink and have dark pink veins. They are from a garden origin and need bright light in the winter; moist, humus rich soil. Minimum of 66 degrees F, these can grow to a height of 3 ft and spread 3 ft as well.
2. Anthurium Andreanum - “Flamingo Flower” Erect, long-lasting bright red spathes with a red tipped yellow spadix. Evergreen leaves, long stalked and broadly oval, heart shaped at the base; dark green in color. Native in Forest, Colombia, and Ecuador. Grow as a house plant or in a greenhouse needs moist, well drained, peaty soil and maintain high humidity. Minimum of 59 degrees F, this plant may grow from 24-30 inches and has a spread of 20 inches.
3. Plectranthus Forsteri - “Marginatus” Bushy or semi trailing, this plant flowers small, tubular, white to pale mauve blossoms that come out irregularly. Their leaves are aromatic, oval and about 2 12 in long. Gray green in color, with scalloped, creamy white margins. Grow in a house or greenhouse plan in cool climates, in moist soil. Needs sun and partial shade. Requires a minimum of 50 degrees F and will grow to a height of 2 ft and spread of 2 ft
And for those of you who find the medium and large a bit too much, or are even just looking form some variety, beautiful and petite, small winter garden plants may be jus for you. Here is a collection of small winter garden plants for you to choose from:
1. Tradescantia Fluminensts - “Aurea” Vigorous trailing, with rooting stems, this plant has tiny 3 petaled flowers produced intermittently. Its leaves are evergreen, broadly oval to lance-shaped and are green in color with irregular creamy white stripes. Garden origin, these plants would be best in a house or greenhouse planted during cool climates. Minimum of 59 degrees this plant can grow 12 inches in height and spread indefinitely.
2. Spathiphyllum Floribundum - “Mauna Loa” Compact, tufted, and rhizomatous, its flowers are fragrantly formed by a fleshy, white spadix that is surrounded by a large, white spathe. Leaves are large, lance shaped to elliptic, and very glossy; dark green in color. Grow as a house plant or in a greenhouse. They are native to Philippines and Indonesia. Require a minimum of 59 degrees F, and will grow to an 18-24 inch height with an 18-24 inch spread.
3. Tradescantia Zebrina - “Silver Inch Plant” Trailing with rooting stems this plant has tiny, 3 petaled, pink or violet-blue flowers. Its leaves are evergreen, oval-oblong, fleshy with a purple tinted color; 2 broad silver bands. Native to Mexico theses would grow best in a greenhouse or as a houseplant. 59 degrees F and will grow to a height of 6 inches. Its spread is indefinite.
Enjoy your winter gardening with these beautiful plants!
Winter Garden Plants Permalink
