10 Tropical Plants That Will Thrive in Canadian Gardens

Hostas are ubiquitous in Canadian gardens, and so their tropical origins may be forgotten. These leafy plants come from the rainforests of China, but they’re surprisingly hardy. Perfect for adding leafy volume to your outdoor tropical garden, in many zones of Canada they will come back year after year.

It may be a staple for houseplant lovers, but did you know that you can put your potted monstera outdoors in the warmer months? Once the risk of frost has well passed, place your monstera outside in a shady spot for a couple hours each day, then bring it in. Eventually, you can work up to leaving it outdoors for the season to ensure that direct sunlight doesn’t scorch its leaves.

If tropical flowers are what you love and are hoping to add to your garden, hibiscus are the way to go. They are a classic tropical flower for outdoor gardens (and on floral print Hawaiian shirts). Plant them in containers so you can move them around your yard or patio for optimal sun, and bring it indoors before the first frost in the fall.

Colocasias, also known as elephant ears, are common houseplants in their smaller forms and varieties. They can grow exceptionally large, however, and are often used in landscape design. If your area tends to get quite humid in the summer, colocasias are especially suited to this kind of environment.

This one may be cheating because it’s not technically a tropical and is actually native to temperate parts of the Americas, but stick with me! Clematis have a definite tropical vibe to them, putting out gorgeous flowers in every shade imaginable. As a bonus, them being native to the Americas makes them surprisingly hardy. Plant them in-ground, give them a trellis to climb on, and they’ll come every year.

If you love tropical flowers in bright colours with unique shapes, Bleeding Hearts are for you. Sweet, heart-shaped pink flowers hang from the stem like dangling jewels. In temperate zones, this beauty can be planted in-ground as a perennial.

Like monsteras, birds of paradise are another classic tropical plant. Its big oblong leaves mature to a deep shade of green. In a pot on a patio, birds of paradise can add much-needed shade to your tropical patio or yard.

Polka dot plants are perfect for adding a splash of colourful ground cover to your garden. They come in a number of varieties, aptly named for their green leaves speckled with pink, white or red. These tropicals have quite thin and delicate leaves, and are best planted as an annual if you’d like them outdoors.

Bougainvilleas are a subtropical plant that makes frequent appearances in tropical resort landscaping settings. With brightly-coloured, delicate flowers, this plant can add a resort-vibe to your tropical outdoor garden. Bougainvilleas won’t survive in the frost, however, so it’s best to either plant them in a pot, or plant them in-ground and transplant to a pot before the weather gets cold.

A surefire way to create a tropical-looking garden is to layer foliage with varied shades of green and textures. A potted fern is a great addition to any garden, with wispy light green fronds adding texture and variety. Ferns prefer to be kept moist, and can tolerate bright to direct sunlight provided they receive enough water.