Cold Protection for Tropical Plants
Cold Protection for Tropical Plants Heliconia hirsuta 'Peru' I love using some of the tropical plants in the landscape, even though I live in north Florida where temperatures can dip below freezing several times in the winter. Tropicals hold up so well in our hot humid summers and most add color to the garden well into the fall. Many tropicals, if damaged by winter freezes, will re-sprout from the roots in the spring and so aren't totally killed by the cold we have in north Florida. However, I am particularly fond of the small-flowering heliconias as shown in the photo above. They will flower on the first season's growth and flower non-stop well into the fall. Related to bananas, with their lush foliage and showy flowers, they add a tropical flair to the garden. Hummingbirds are very attracted to them, so that's an added benefit. They also make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers. But the heliconias don't normally return from the roots in the spring i