As summer looms, I am drawn to tropical plants. Here in the Bay Area this can be a time of rapidly increasing temperatures, as the sun reaches higher in the sky. The milder nights mean that many plants of tropical origin begin growing and flowering. My home garden isn't big enough to grow these exotic beauties. But this is the nice thing about working here. Each day I can enjoy the flora of the Upper Amazon, Southeast Asia or Northern Australia all within a city block.

My rational mind usually focuses on CA natives and the like. But oh, those tropicals. Lush, voluptuous, flamboyant, and somehow dangerous. Not dangerous as in causing bodily harm (though some may) but in a more visceral way. It's as if I'm thinking maybe the stars will align, the sun will shine, the wind will cease and my patience will be rewarded by flower clusters on the Plumeria…or not. Every year I succumb to this plant lust and make room for one or two previously unheard-of subjects.

One thing I've noticed is that tropical doesn't necessarily mean impossible. We coastal Californians can get just about anything to survive, but thriving or flowering is another story. The best advice to gardeners unwilling to set up greenhouses, humidity management or bottom heat is to make plant selections from higher elevation zones or drier climes. These generally exhibit a more ‘temperate climate' attributes, and are less likely to suffer when our weather doesn't cooperate.

Here's a short list of personal favorites for providing a tropical effect without the hassle.

For more ideas visit our Tropical Courtyard just south of the sales area in The Nursery, where Matt (who previously worked at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum) can be found tending these tender gems.

– Paul