Image – Wikimedia/Thavornbeach
All the plants we see and grow need water to live; however, there are some which, without being aquatic, need much more than the others. Many of them are native to tropical rainforests, where it can rain every day; Others, on the other hand, are found in temperate forests, where it also rains a lot, especially in spring and autumn, and where the air humidity is also usually very high.
If you live in an area with frequent and heavy rainfall, you will want to choose plants that need a lot of water. If you don’t know what they are, don’t worry because We are going to name you ten of them: five to have in a frost-free garden, and five others that resist well below zero.
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Plants to have in a frost-free climate
The vast majority of tropical plants need a lot of water to do really well, but there are some that, in my own experience, need a little more attention than others, such as those -this :
Rattan (canna-indica)
Caña de las Indias is a plant that we plant a lot in gardens and pots in Spain, as well as in other parts of the world. Although the rhizome supports a little cold, the leaves are damaged as soon as the temperature drops below 10°C. These leaves can be green or reddish, depending on the variety, and can reach a height of up to 1 or 1.5 meters. It normally blooms during the summer, although if spring is still cool it is normal for it to be somewhat delayed.
It grows very quickly, but for that it needs a lot of light, direct sun if possible, and water.. It is not necessary to flood the soil daily, but it is advisable to water often if the soil is noticed to dry out.
Turmeric (turmeric longa)
Image – Flickr/sophie
Turmeric is a herbaceous, rhizomatous plant that does the same thing as sugar cane: the rhizome supports frost without problems (up to -12ºC in its case), but the leaves die when the weather begins to cool. So, although we have included it in “plants for frost-free gardens”, in reality you could have it in a place where the temperature drops below 0 degrees, but knowing that during the winter it will be at rest.
It reaches a height of 40-50 centimeters and produces lilac or white flowers in late summer.. These are not aromatic, but I can tell you that they are beautiful.
Enset
Image – Flickr/Drew Avery
One of the most cultivated species of this genus in Spain, perhaps the most, is the Enset ventricosum. It is often confused with banana trees, that is to say with plants of the genus Musa, but unlike these they do not produce suckers and only flower once in their lifetime, after which they die. But still, we are talking about plants that can live for several years: about 7 or 8. They can reach a height of 4 to 7 meters, with a pseudostem that can reach 40 centimeters.
They need lots and lots of water. I have two (one in the ground) and I’m sure if I watered them every day they would grow much bigger than they do. Also, it is important that you give them direct sunlight, if possible throughout the day.
Geraniums (Pelargonium and Geranium)
Geraniums and pelargoniums are small shrubs native to Europe and tropical Africa. They reach a height of between 15 and 80 centimeters., and are characterized by green leaves of rounded shape. They bloom in spring and summer, and when they do, they grow pink, red, white, lilac, or yellow flowers.
It is important that they do not lack light or water. During the summer, they may need watering almost daily if the soil dries out quickly. And although they can withstand the cold, it is best that they are not exposed to temperatures below 0 degrees to avoid any damage.
Spathiphyllum
The peace lily or Spathiphyllum, is a herbaceous plant native to the tropical forests of America and the Western Pacific. The most cultivated species is Spathiphyllum wallisiiwhich It can reach about 70 centimeters high.. The inflorescence can be white or pink and usually grows in summer, although it can also do so earlier, in spring.
Requires indirect light, year-round warm temperatures, and moderate watering frequency. In this sense, it is important to say that when it is thirsty, its leaves “hang”, they lose their firmness; but they recover quickly as soon as it is watered.
Plants to have in a temperate climate
If you live in an area where the temperatures drop below 0 degrees, or in other words, if there are frosts every year, it is very important that you acquire plants that can withstand the cold, the ice and/or snow if it also usually snows. , like these:
Indian brown (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Many trees in temperate climates, especially those living in or near montane forests, are not drought tolerant at all. One of them is the horse chestnut, which It is a deciduous plant that reaches a height of up to 30 meters. It blooms in the spring, producing very pretty white flowers. But it is important that it does not lack water, especially during the summer.
I have one in the south of Mallorca, and it struggles during heat waves, because apart from the temperature, which reaches 39ºC, there is also a drought. And of course, I water it up to 4 times a week, but still, you can see that it doesn’t really like being there: its leaves fall either just at the end of summer, or shortly after; that is, you can’t see that autumnal change that might be appreciated if the weather was cooler and more rain. It is very resistant to frost down to -18ºC.
Wisteria (Wisteria sp.)
Wisteria is a deciduous climbing shrub native to Australia and East Asia. It grows up to 20 meters tall and produces green leaves that turn yellow in the fall.. In spring, it blooms, and it is then that hanging clusters of lilac or white flowers grow.
It is a plant that wants direct sun, as well as soil with an acidic or slightly acidic pH. You don’t have to put it in alkaline soil because otherwise it would get iron chlorosis. In addition, it should be watered moderately, more in summer than in winter. It supports both cold and temperatures down to -20°C.
Soap dish (Saponaria officinalis)
Soapwort is a perennial plant native to Europe. Reaches a height of up to 60 centimeters, and develops lance-shaped green leaves. Its flowers are purple or pale pink and very aromatic. These grow in the spring.
It grows fast, as long as it is placed in a sunny place and care is taken not to get thirsty. It is frost resistant down to -12ºC.
Rosebush (Rosa sp)
The rosebush is a thorny shrub that produces magnificent flowers most of the year. There are many varieties, which grow around one or two meters, with the exception of climbers which exceed 5 meters.. The flowers are white, red, pink, yellow or even two-tone.
It should be placed outdoors, in direct sunlight. And, of course, it’s time to water sparingly. We must avoid that the soil is always wet, but even so, it must be watered 3-4 times a week during the summer as long as it does not rain.
pitcher plant
Image – Flickr/James Gaither
Plants of the Sarracenia genus are carnivorous plants native to North America. They are rhizomatous herbaceous plants that have turned their leaves into a sort of slime which, in reality, is an insect trap since it contains water. These traps can be more or less big, and of very different colors, but they usually measure between 30 and 100 centimeters, and are a shade of green or red. In the spring, they produce usually pink flowers.
They must be outside, in full sun and in plastic pots with holes. As a substrate, they should be given a mixture of unfertilized blond peat with equal parts perlite, or a substrate for carnivorous plants already prepared. And then, just water them with distilled water several times a week. They resist down to -4ºC.
Have you seen some of the plants that need a lot of water on this list?