Question
QUESTION: Hi Nick, I just returned from Maui and am interested in knowing if any of their beautiful plants (especially flowering) will survive or be perennial here in Rio Rancho, NM (crazy I know). We are USDA zoned 7a but have seen weather as extreme as 5b range for days in my years here. Using Sunset zones we are on a borderline of zones 10 & 3. I am an adventurous gardener and manage to keep plants alive in-ground that I have been told won't survive here, e.g.... star jasmine(3 for over 5 yrs now#, southern magnolia, mandavilla, staghorn sumac. I have over 1/2 acre and an extensive drip system. The soil here is very sandy and our elevation is 5200ft. Any suggestions? (I have a hard time getting indoor plants to survive..LOL)

ANSWER: Hi Sherri, you are adventurous, I will give you that! but you proved you can push the envelope, with you success with the Mandavilla and Jasmine especially; given that, I would say, if you use the same concept, there isn't any reason you could not be "somewhat" successful with some of the more Tropical varieties, as long as you keep in mind that, they need to be containerized and constantly supervised to the change in conditions. They cannot take extreme temperature changes and any drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit will be extremely detrimental. When brought inside (Winter), they will need constant misting, to imitate the needed humidity and of course direct light from a large window is imperative. It would be a challenge, and I would start off with one or two, so as not to bite of more then you can chew. Most growers attempt this with the aid of a greenhouse, but seeing what you have already accomplished, I give you a pretty good chance of success. Good luck Sherri...Nick

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QUESTION: Thank you. I am especially fond of the many beautiful varieties plumeria, protea and heliconia I saw there but am unsure if any would do well in containers. Any suggestions? I have a large bay window in my family room that would be a great spot for wintering over.

Answer
The heliconia develop a continuing roots system, they grow from underground trailers, and need to be in the ground where they can run; the plumeria (or Frangipanis in Hawaii..) can be grown nicely in a container and the Protea in a very large container or tub, may not be appropriate if you need to move it in during the winter.