5 cold-hardy tropical plants for LI gardens

Dennis Schrader is no stranger to exotic and unusual plants. In fact, you might call him a pioneer. He and his partner, Bill Smith, have operated their wholesale tropical plant nursery, Landcraft Environment, in Mattituck since 1992. In 2021, they established a 14-acre public garden on the grounds.

Here, Schrader recommends hardy tropical plants that Long Islanders can successfully grow in their own backyards.

Rice paper plant (Tetrapanax papyrifer)

Expect this small tree or large shrub with bold, gray-green foliage to reach 6-8 feet tall in one season, Schrader said, adding that although it may die back to the ground “in tough winters,” it will return in midspring and quickly resume its height.

Plant it in well-draining soil in full sun, Schrader advised, and apply a thick layer of mulch or leaves around the plant’s base over winter.

“I like to use it in the garden, either in the back of the border for a coarse texture component or as a standalone specimen,” he said.

White butterfly ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

Although technically listed as hardy down to horticultural zone 8, Schrader said this plant “does very well in [Long Island’s] zone 7,” emerging in spring and reaching up to 4 feet tall by midsummer. A monthlong profusion of “incredibly fragrant white blooms” follows in late summer.

Plant it in fertile soil in a sunny, protected spot and water regularly. Mulch deeply over winter and expect it to spread slowly via its underground roots.

“We have it planted next to a terrace close to the house so the fragrance can be readily enjoyed inside and out,” he said.

Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)

The hardiest of the trunked palms, the windmill has large, deep-green leaves and densely covered hairy trunks, which, Schrader noted, “in theory, help with winter protection.”

Plant it in a protected area away from north winds, he advised.

“We protect ours in late December to mid-February with bubble wrap, but they would be fine on their own,” Schrader said, adding that “some friends gardening locally have used no protection for years, and the palms pull through with minimal leaf damage.”

Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)

Native to the southeast, this is the hardiest of all palms, surviving temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Reaching 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide, the nearly trunkless plant resembles a shrub more than it does a tree.

Plant it in full sun to part shade. “Although they can take wet soils in their native range, I find they do better in Northern areas in rich or sandy soil that drains well,” Schrader said.

“We have been growing Needle Palms for close to 30 years with no protection. They have survived temps below zero degrees and many feet of snow.”

Hardy fiber banana (Musa Basjoo)

This “amazing” banana is “a must for any tropical border” and serves as a great “novelty or curiosity plant,” Schrader said. It will grow up to 18 feet in a single season, with 8- to 10-inch-thick fleshy stems and 6-foot-long leaves.

Plant it in rich, fertile soil in full sun, “and stand back!”

“We have two stands of Basjoo on the property, and they have been growing for about 30 years,” Schrader said. “In early December, after the leaves have been hit by frost, we cover the base of the plants with a couple of wheelbarrows of mulch to keep them drier and for some protection.”

The mulch is removed in April, and the plants are given a large dose of organic fertilizer. Within weeks, they resume growing and once again reach “huge proportions,” he said.