Top 10 exotic plants to avoid for a UK like climate

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Top 10 exotic plants to avoid in a UK like climate. All these are great plants if grown in ideal conditions. Unfortunately the UK rarely has the right conditions for these plants meaning they don't grow quick enough or are invasive. Anyway see what you think about my choices!!!
Apologies for the mis-counting!!!

[@michaelryan8491]

Canary island date palm doing great in my essex garden about 6 foot tall.

[@tanyawales5445]

For canna lilies you can grow them from seed economically (40% germination) and in four months have a canna that will bloom within the year. That is what I plan to do because I want to grow it as an edible plant and I want to plant a large patch of them. Otherwise, it is too expensive. I also want to harvest the foliage to use as mulch and compost it because my soil is bereft of organic matter being made up of clay and sandstone chunks. These borderline tropical plants do love the heat, humidity and sun by and large.

[@peterkuhne5243]

If you overcome a challenge you will feel satisfied and happy ! I keep mu C. `Black Magic´s `at 14 degrees and add 2 hours of artificial light during winter here in Denmark.. I love them....

[@timmillan6701]

I grow lots of Sabal species here north of Seattle Wa, which has a somewhat similar climate to you. Most of them are in containers that go in the greenhouse in winter, but I do have S. minors in the ground. They are very slow- just 1/2 leaves per year. They also have an olive/yellow color in winter - which is not particularly attractive. I probably wouldn’t have planted them in the ground had I known that, but I have lots of them from seed that I grew in Virginia before. That being said, I do occasionally see Sabal palmetto growing in collections down in the urban areas- the extra accumulated heat seems to make a difference. There is also an exceptional S. minor down in Tacoma, but the owner tells me it has taken all of 25-30 years to get there. I actually grow ALL of the plants in your video, albeit in containers

[@sylviaappleton6816]

Such good advice Kris, thank you so much, will avoid all.

[@truth-hurts3089]

Think you should do a 2021 update on this to include new varieties etc.

[@MrVitez123]

I totally agree with what you said about Sabals. I live in the continental Europe, where we have hot, sometimes extremely hot summers, but our winters are much colder than yours, and the Sabal is doing well. It flowers every year, and grows fast. It has never got damaged by cold weather, even when some of the trachys died.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Yes it's very different being on an island.

[@robjohnson1189]

I find cannas are good and easy from seed, they grow quickly and my C brasiliensis flowered when only inches tall, taking no room up at all and overwintering easily in a cool greenhouse.

[@robertoughton9037]

Hi very interesting comments about sable minor palms we have a few at our gdn centre plants galore in Devon, they 6/7 ft good size really like the look, but you've given me second thoughts. I took a photo can i send?

[@christopherburleigh5175]

Enjoyed the video Kris but I do like the Trachycarpus geminisectus as it is so different to the other varieties.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

I love its form but frustrated by its speed of growth.

[@acgodly]

I have been buying Cannova canas, these are an F1 hybrid seed raised canna. If bought as seed raised plants in the spring they should be virus free. They come in various colours and green and red leaf forms. You can almost afford to treat them as summer bedding.

[@suzanneporter738]

That is one of your best vids Kris, I think advice on what to avoid is more useful in many ways than any of your others, particularly for us newbies to the Tropical look. Thanks again

[@avengingangel2448]

Good video kris ,I have two large phoenix palms out my back garden ,they have about twenty leaves and are about 5ft ,did have three but lost one during last winter ! And the thorns at the base of the leaves are like eight inch long hypodermic needles ,the thing is lethal and a very ,very ,very slow grower ! ! So totally agree !

[@jenenamaughan1992]

I live in Western Australia & have hot summers, I can't grow raspberries, gooseberries, currants, peonies & clematis etc... it's too hot & I don't get frosts. I have experimented from time to time but now stick to what is hardy in my area.

[@theq-1]

I had an import business 30 years ago of tropical plants and did years of research into just how hardy tropics are and sadly there are very few.. I imported two containers of treeferns and most were fine for a decade..But every now and again you get that frozen rain like glazier ice and it kills so many plants. Trachys are more at risk from drought I noted..even in the uk...in fact I lost one last year.. 8ft trunk.

[@pipsmith5767]

regarding Sabals I ordered some selected hardy and vigorous forms of Sabal Louisiana seeds from Oklahoma and in several years they got about 2-3 feet high. They grow quicker than minor and went through 2009/10 and 10/11 without any damage. Sabal Minor and their ecotypes are very slow growing in the US and native environments. The ecotypes vary in speed of growth, size and hardiness. My Sabal Minor puts out 2-3 leaves and stands any amount of cold in a sheltered sunny location (good drainage). I think 2 others that should be on the list are Chamaedorea Microspadix (slug fodder) and C Radicalis as they look like crap in the North of the UK-they do however make great houseplants.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, this is really interesting. Would be interested in seeing your sabal photos.

[@pipsmith5767]

Due to it getting too big the Lousiana was given to a local park to trial outside-but they stuck it in a greenhouse and didn't water it- now dead and the council wouldn't let me back in to collect and revive it as the roof to the greenhouse is collapsing. Here is the link for the seeds I bought all those years ago-I tried to get more but they would no longer ship to the UK- www.alligatoralley.com/mailorder.html. You are welcome to see my regular Sabal Minor taking severe frost/cold and afterwards in the summer as well. The seedlings of my northern ecotypes-have McCurtain county (said to be hardiest of all S Minor from Oklahoma), Cape Haterras Giant-a large and vigorous form from a more maritime climate, Arkansas form, Northern form, and from rare palm seeds normal S Minor (cold selected) and Cherokee County (another cold tolerant ecotype). I stress that all these ecotypes of S Minor are experimental in the UK -but from my experience can definitely say that Louisianas are faster in our climate.

[@pipsmith5767]

How do I add photos on you tube Kris?

[@YorkshireKRIS]

You should be able to share links to photos here or share on my Facebook page or email [e-mail]

[@pipsmith5767]

@@YorkshireKRIS will e mail you Kris-no longer on Facebook.

[@siamruby8054]

You missed out Roses :-) I can't see what's wrong with growing Sam Ruby en masse as summer bedding :-)

[@jamesewart8245]

Hi Kris, thanks for the video. I am a little confused with your assessments. You have a video which mentioned Canna has one of the top 12 plants to grow in a exotic garden and then now I see a video saying avoid growing Canna in your garden due to a virus. My question is why did you not mentioned this in your video about growing Canna in a tropical garden. I did some research and the Canna Virus has been around since 2007.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

This video discusses cannas bought from average garden centres where they are often sourced from stock that have canna virus. Stock from specialist nurseries or grown from seed and far more unlikely to have canna virus. Even if your stock is virus free, it can be contaminated from surrounding gardens plants. They are great plants if they remain virus free.

[@davidhaspell6417]

Never had a problem overwintering Alocasia's here, just bring into Conservatory which never dips below about 8 degrees C

[@YorkshireKRIS]

A lot are fine if kept above 8-10c. The trouble is, if they go dormant, either by drying out or being cool for a long period, they can be really difficult to get going again. I've had them over winter outdoors by they only produced small leaves after that.

[@angelapalmer9062]

Thank you very nice

[@greghutton1896]

Hi Kris. I have 3 different types of canna. I bought a Tropicana from B&Q that has not looked great this summer although it was probably in too much shade. Do you think it's likely to have the virus and will I loose the others as a result.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

It's likely yes, but can't be sure. There's been less reports of virused plants this year. Check out my canna 101 video for more details.

[@greghutton1896]

Thanks Kris. Love the videos very informative. Cheers

[@markharper2769]

Hi kris, I’ve had a couple of Phoenix palms and lost them. Like you say they are readily available just about everywhere that sell plants. I’ve also seen so many of these decimated in gardens around where I live after a normal uk winter. I wrapped mine up in fleece last year and after watching your videos realised this had spear pull and thought I’d lost it as it was well into summer before it began growing again. I’ve just dug mine up and brought it in the house for the winter this year. Unfortunately I won’t be able to do this once it grows to a certain size and as you’ve highlighted this might be problematic. I was in Leeds city centre a couple of weeks ago. On millennium square near LGI they have what looks like a couple of large ones there which are planted on mounds, I guess to help keep them dry through winter. I haven’t been in that part of Leeds for a few years.It would be interesting to know how long they’ve been growing there.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Hi Mark that's a familiar story. So many look awful, even after a mild winter. The ones in Leeds city centre have been there 3 years and their roots are pushing the whole plants upwards.

[@michaeldyer1322]

good vidio but i do like canna

[@YorkshireKRIS]

I love canna as well. Just not virused canna.

[@vicstee482]

Thought cycad might be on your list. V slow to grow and not hardy.

[@YorkshireKRIS]

That is true, but they can be protected in the ground and can come through very bad winters like in 2010.

[@pipsmith5767]

@@YorkshireKRIS I have Taitungensis-supposed to be faster than Revoluta but in a cool UK summer??

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Hi Pip, I don't have experience growing that one so can't comment from experience. As they are pretty rare I think not much is known about them in the uk

[@WeLearntoHomestead]

What happened to number 3? 😜

[@YorkshireKRIS]

It turned into number 4 again :-)

[@sylviemiles5439]

The spellings on your plants are all wrong . This should be sorted out before you submit the video

[@truth-hurts3089]

Are you a ex school teacher sylvie 🤣?