Hardy Exotics


Hardy exotic plants for UK gardens. Palms, tree ferns, bamboos, hardy bananas and architectural grasses that hold their ground through a British winter and still put on a proper show the following summer. Every dispatch protected by our live arrival guarantee.

113 products

    113 products
    Fargesia 'Jiuzhaigou' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Red Panda Bamboo

    Fargesia 'Jiuzhaigou'

    £54.99
    1
    Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Zebra Grass

    Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'

    £8.99
    1
    Ficus carica 'Del Portogallo' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Portuguese Edible Fig

    Ficus carica 'Del Portogallo'

    £39.99
    1
    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Golden Indian Bean Tree

    Catalpa bignonioides 'Aurea'

    £49.99
    1
    Trachelospermum jasminoides Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Star Jasmine (Confederate Jasmine)

    Trachelospermum jasminoides

    £21.99
    1
    Pennisetum 'Summer Samba' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Pink Variegated Fountain Grass 'Summer Samba'

    Pennisetum 'Summer Samba'

    £14.99
    1
    Pennisetum 'Rubrum' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Purple Fountain Grass 'Rubrum'

    Pennisetum 'Rubrum'

    £13.99
    1
    Pennisetum 'Fireworks' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Variegated Fountain Grass 'Fireworks'

    Pennisetum 'Fireworks'

    £13.99
    1
    Hosta 'Party Streamers' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Streaked Hosta 'Party Streamers'

    Hosta 'Party Streamers'

    £24.99
    1
    Hosta 'Francee' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    White-Edged Hosta

    Hosta 'Francee'

    £10.99
    1
    Hosta 'Elegans' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Giant Blue Hosta

    Hosta 'Elegans'

    £10.99
    1
    Crocosmia 'George Davidson' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Yellow Montbretia 'George Davidson'

    Crocosmia 'George Davidson'

    £19.99
    1
    Crocosmia 'Carmine Brilliant' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Vermilion Montbretia 'Carmine Brilliant'

    Crocosmia 'Carmine Brilliant'

    £19.99
    1
    Clematis armandii Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Armand Clematis (Evergreen Clematis)

    Clematis armandii

    £24.99
    1
    Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Golden Japanese Rush

    Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'

    £7.99
    1
    Acorus calamus 'Argenteostriatus' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Variegated Sweet Flag

    Acorus calamus 'Argenteostriatus'

    £7.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Golden Japanese Maple 'Orange Dream'

    Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream'

    £16.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Purple Japanese Maple

    Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'

    £15.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Bi Hoo' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Yellow Bark Japanese Maple 'Bi Hoo'

    Acer palmatum 'Bi Hoo'

    £39.99
    1
    Acer palmatum 'Anne Irene' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Yellow Japanese Maple 'Anne Irene'

    Acer palmatum 'Anne Irene'

    £39.99
    1
    Acer shirasawanum 'Moonrise' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Full Moon Maple (Shirasawa Maple)

    Acer shirasawanum 'Moonrise'

    £49.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Rose of Sharon 'Red Heart'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart'

    £11.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Admiral Dewey' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Rose of Sharon 'Admiral Dewey'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Admiral Dewey'

    £11.99
    1
    Hibiscus syriacus 'Speciosus' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Rose of Sharon 'Speciosus'

    Hibiscus syriacus 'Speciosus'

    £11.99
    1
    Eriostemon myoporoides Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Long-leaf Wax Flower

    Eriostemon myoporoides

    £18.99
    1
    Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Black Magic Elephant Ears (Black Taro)

    Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'

    £11.99
    1
    Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Upright Japanese Plum Yew

    Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata'

    £27.99
    1
    Paulownia elongata 'Futuro' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Foxglove Tree 'Futuro'

    Paulownia elongata 'Futuro'

    £27.99
    1
    Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Heavenly Bamboo 'Gulfstream'

    Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream'

    £34.99
    1
    Liriope muscari 'Moneymaker' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Lilyturf

    Liriope muscari 'Moneymaker'

    £14.99
    1
    Polystichum polyblepharum 11cm / 0.75L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Japanese Tassel Fern

    Polystichum polyblepharum

    £8.99
    1
    Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS

    Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa'

    £8.99
    1
    Canna 'Kreta Red' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Canna Lily

    Canna 'Kreta Red'

    £16.99
    1
    Blechnum spicant Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    Deer Fern

    Blechnum spicant

    £16.99
    1
    Arachniodes simplicior Variegata 24cm / 6L Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
    East Indian Holly Fern

    Arachniodes simplicior Variegata

    £68.99
    1

    The GrowTropicals Guide to Hardy Exotics

    What are hardy exotic plants?

    Hardy exotics is our shorthand for tropical-looking plants that are genuinely tough enough to live outdoors in the UK all year without a greenhouse. The range spans hardy palms, tree ferns, clumping bamboos, hardy bananas, architectural grasses, hardy climbers and drought-tolerant succulents. Each species is chosen because it can handle real British weather: a wet Yorkshire winter, a windy coastal site, a baking August in a south-facing courtyard. Before your first order, we recommend reading our honest guide to what to expect from hardy exotics through the seasons.

    Care essentials for hardy tropical plants

    • Position: Most enjoy a sheltered spot in full sun to partial shade. Tree ferns, Fatsia and hardy ferns prefer real shade. Always check the individual product page for its own aspect.
    • Soil: A moist but well-drained soil enriched with garden compost suits most hardy exotics. Free-draining is the priority for palms, agaves and grasses. Leafy, humus-rich soil is better for bananas, ferns and shade lovers.
    • Hardiness: Every product page lists an RHS hardiness rating (H3 to H7). Anything H5 or above will get through most UK winters unaided.
    • Watering: Water in deeply at planting and through the first summer. Established hardy exotics in the ground rarely need summer watering once settled. Anything in a pot does, sometimes twice a week in July.
    • Winter care: Bananas and tender palms benefit from a fleece wrap or dry mulch through the coldest weeks. Everything else looks after itself.

    Explore the hardy exotic range

    Whether you are planting up a small London balcony or a proper exotic border, our range covers hardy palms, tree ferns, clumping bamboos, hardy bananas, ornamental grasses and much more. Every dispatch is protected by our live arrival guarantee.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    A hardy exotic is a plant that looks tropical, with bold foliage or an architectural shape, but is tough enough to survive outdoors in the UK climate. Examples include hardy palms, tree ferns, bamboo and Musa basjoo bananas.

    Yes. Plenty of exotic-looking plants are genuinely hardy here. The trick is choosing plants rated for your area and giving the more tender ones a sheltered spot. Every plant we sell is labelled with its hardiness so you can choose with confidence.

    Hardy palms, tree ferns, bananas and agaves all grow happily in large pots, making them perfect for patios, balconies and courtyards. Big leaves and bold shapes in containers create an instant tropical feel in a small space.

    It depends on the plant and your area. Many are fully hardy and need nothing. More tender types, or plants in very cold or exposed gardens, benefit from a winter fleece, a deep mulch or moving pots to a sheltered spot. The hardiness rating on each plant is your guide.

    Late spring is ideal, once the worst frosts have passed and the soil is warming, as it gives plants a full season to establish before their first winter. Pot-grown plants can go in through summer and autumn too.

    Create a tropical garden that survives a British winter

    You do not need to live in the tropics to grow a jungle. Hardy exotic plants give you the big leaves, bold shapes and lush, faraway feel of a tropical garden, but they are tough enough to shrug off a normal UK winter. From a single architectural specimen in a courtyard to a full exotic border, this collection brings together palms, tree ferns, bananas, bamboo, grasses and more, all chosen to thrive in the British climate.

    Exotic plants for small spaces

    A balcony, patio or small courtyard is one of the easiest places to create a tropical feel, because a few big, bold plants in pots do all the work. A hardy palm by the door, a tree fern in a shady corner or a banana in a large container instantly changes the mood of a space. Most of these plants are happy in pots for years, which makes them ideal for renters and city gardens too.

    Building a bigger exotic border

    With more room you can layer plants for real drama: tall bananas and palms for height, tree ferns and shield ferns for the shady middle, and grasses and architectural foliage to tie it all together. Mixing leaf shapes and sizes is the secret to a garden that feels generous and immersive rather than spotty.

    How hardy is hardy?

    Hardiness varies, so we label every plant with its RHS rating and the lowest temperature it will take. Many are fully hardy across the UK, while a few of the more tender exotics appreciate a sheltered spot or a winter fleece in colder areas. Check the rating on each plant and you can plant with confidence.

    Explore the range by type

    Find the right plants for your space: hardy palms, tree ferns, bamboo, hardy bananas, ornamental grasses, climbers, agave and succulents, hardy ferns, perennials and exotic shrubs.