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cheerpeople

what's your favorite big foliage plants in colder zones?

cheerpeople
18 years ago

Just curious.

I'm in zone 5a. It's always a challenge to find yet another. What's your favorites?

BTW BIG can be a plant that is tall or wide or has large leaves.Annuals/perennials/tropicals are all fair game if they can strut their stuff!

Karen

Comments (17)

  • marquest
    18 years ago

    Sum snd Substance Hosta

  • debbiecz3
    18 years ago

    Canna Lilies, meadowsweet, ligularia, cimicifuga.

  • pam_aa
    18 years ago

    Definitely our native Spikenard for shade.
    Check it out..

    Here is a link that might be useful: Easyliving Native Perennial Wildflowers

  • wayner2000
    18 years ago

    Mine would have to include the following: Bears Breeches, ferns, Francis William Hostas, Elephant Ears, Angelica..........Wayne

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Philodendrons/Monsteras

  • kms4me
    18 years ago

    I am growing 12 foot castor beans (annual). Perrenials include rodgersia, astilboides (not astilbe), petastites giganteus...

    kate

  • GrowHappy
    18 years ago

    Philodendron 'Pink Princess' and Monstera Deliciosa!

  • ljrmiller
    18 years ago

    Sum and Substance Hosta. Mine has gotten scary big.

  • peggy_gaddis
    18 years ago

    Cannas, variety of castor bean 14-15' in height, banana trees, elephant ears--black and green--on bottom herbs for a blanket on the ground, with a variety of ferns.
    Peggy

  • shade_tolerant
    18 years ago

    The hosta nigrescens 'Elatior', tall and big leaves too :-)

  • cheerpeople
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I've looked everything up that's been suggested here.
    Nice!
    Maybe a few more will chime in.
    You guys are awesome:)
    Karen

  • birdsnblooms
    18 years ago

    Karen, are you interested in outdoor plants? Toni

  • laceyvail 6A, WV
    18 years ago

    If deer are a problem, avoid hostas and try Brunnera and Pulmonaria. B. 'Langtrees' and 'Jack Frost' are especially nice; P. 'Diana Clare' is one of my favorites. Also deer proof and stunning are Hellebores (variegated leaf forms are available) and, in winter, Arum italicum pictum, with its magnificent foliage. Seneca Hills Perennials sells gorgeous Arums.

  • cheerpeople
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    laceyvail,
    I went to the site you mentioned.
    I didn't realize there is more than one kind of arum italicum. When I bought mine just a few months ago from Brent and Becky the order and label said simply arum italicum- I wonder what it is more specifically?
    Hmmm.
    Anyway I hope they make the winter and dazzle me next year.
    karen

  • tjsangel
    18 years ago

    If you mean outdoor plants, definetly Blue Baptisia. Or blue Indigo is another name for it. Mine is 3 yrs. old, gets 4 feet across and 3 feet tall in summer. It covers half of my garage! You never have to water it or fertilize-it's part of the legume family. The foliage is a pretty silver & the flowers are purple spikes. Then it gets seed pods. Stays nice all summer. I really love it. I'll post pics this summer. Indoor plants I dont have much room for the huge ones. I am looking for a Monstera, the biggest I have are 5 1/2 feet snake plants. I have a Pothos going up a pole that is getting big too.

    Jen

  • ornata
    17 years ago

    Don't forget the trees that can be cut back hard each spring and will produce massive new leaves, e.g. Paulownia tomentosa or Catalpa bignonioides.

  • picea
    17 years ago

    Variegated magnolia acuminata and any of the variegated Araila elatas. Both Look tropical but zone 5 hardy. David

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