Tropical Gardening in New York City!

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Palm Tree Check & other happenings in Mid February

The indoor garden is thriving: Bird of Paradise and Australian tree Fern

Here's an update on the outdoors stuff! Fatsia japonica

Sabal minor, which was protected during the worst of the sub 10F cold but it was exposed to less than 5F when the protection flew off.

Windmill palms heavily protected and looking ok!

Leni!

Gardenia summer snow. Just c-9 lights and a garbage bin here

Daphniphyllum macrocarpum is flawless

Plumeria Divine happy indoors

Pansies are about 2 weeks old

Philodendron cordatum in bloom

Thursday, February 12, 2026

My favorite things that happened this winter

Who says winter in New York has to be a time of rest for the garden? Okay ... outside the garden is definitely in major hibernation mode. The yard is covered in an impermeable sheet of icy snow that is going to take a massive effort on Mother Nature's part to melt. But it will eventually (probably March).

Inside the house, there has been so much life and so really joyful plant milestones!

My first year with a Vireya Rhododendron - These tropical blooms are so cheery. It's an easy plant that gives so much more than it takes

My Passiflora edulis bloomed inside the house & the fruit from the summer ripened. It tasted delicious!

My tree fern almost died ... but it's back! Tree ferns make me nervous. My Australian Tree Fern lost every leaf in November, but flushed back beautifully in December and January when I started to water more frequently (and top water).

The YELLOW Bird of Paradise finally bloomed. I bought this plant in 2018 and honestly didn't know for sure if it would be truly yellow or just a plain orange that's mislabeled. But to my surprise it was indeed yellow! (Peep the Queen's Tears Bromeliad)

In this first photo the yellow bird of paradise bloom is the last 2. The orange flowers look less orange under florescent lights.

The Flamethrower Palm is growing faster. My Flamethrower palm threw a gorgeous red leaf in January. It was the first time it ever did that inside the house. What was once an annual event has become semi-annual. How fun!

I wonder what will happen next?

Thursday, February 5, 2026

February Indoors

It's Paradise! With my Orange Bird of Paradise. I've had this for 9 years!

Bird of paradise blooms begin to emerge in November. Each "beak" lasts about a month, but with about a dozen of them, I get blooms all winter long!

My Tree Fern is really bringing jungle vibes and loving that skylight

This fiesty bromeliad is called Queen's Tears. It's prickly but So worth it for the reliable winter blooms. By the way, it survives temperatures down to 20 degrees!

Another view of the "dining room" My Musa Ae Ae Banana plant peaking here in it's glorious white and green camo.

Giant Orchids anyone? This is called a nun orchid, but there is nothing modest about these huge winter flowers! Unlike most orchids, this one will grow in normal soil. It's a terrestrial orchid!

Medinilla magnifica beginning to bud!

Triangle Palm

My Fishtail palm is a beast! And it loves being indoors

This Joey Palm is quite rare and very slow growing. I've had it for at least 7 years

Flamethrower palm and ficus umbellata

My umbrella fig literally spent the winter dead in the garage last year. It did so well outside I had to treat it better this year. An absolutely epic houseplant.