When gardening, there are three types of plants you can work with: annuals, perennials, and tender perennials. Annuals are plants that reach their entire life cycle in one growing season. Perennials are plants you only need to plant once and then enjoy them coming back year after year. So, what are tender perennials?
Tender perennials are plants native to warmer climates, and it’s in their native habits that they’re grown as perennials. In Northern climates, tender perennials are treated either as annuals that get replaced each year or as garden plants in the summer and houseplants when weather gets cool, though successfully growing them indoors will require particular conditions.
Most tender perennials are grown from bulbs, tubers, or corms. The most common tender perennials are Dahlias, Begonias, Calla lilies, Alocasia, Colocasia, and Caladiums. If you try to grow any of these indoors, you’ll need to replicate an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible; this generally means higher humidity and temperatures than what our homes are typically kept at during the winter.
Technically, yes, just not in the same way a hardy perennial does. If you properly store and maintain your tender perennials while they’re dormant, then they will continue to grow for many more years. The main difference between tender perennials and hardy perennials is that they can’t be left in the ground once temperatures begin to cool because they won’t survive our winters.
Plant tender perennials only when there’s absolutely no risk of frost. Late spring to early summer is your safest bet, or when the soil has warmed to at least 65 degrees. Each plant will need its own water requirements, so don’t forget to check the tag (it also doesn’t hurt to save the tags if you plan to overwinter your tender perennials).
When it’s time to dig up your tender perennials, it’s essential you only shake the dirt off the bulbs. Don’t rinse them with water as this may cause rot. Lay them in a shady spot to dry and then store them in a cool, dry area that’s between 40 and 50° F.
Don’t feel discouraged if you pot up your tender perennials only to find them start to brown around the edges or drop leaves. These signs just mean that the conditions in your home aren’t quite right for the plants, and they’re going into dormancy. Many people mistakenly assume that the plant is dying and throw them out! Instead, dig up the bulb, corm, or tuber of your plant, cut away all dying foliage, and then dry and store them as mentioned above. Do not store bulbs of any kind near fruits or vegetables; otherwise, ethylene gases given off by the ripening fruit can cause the bulbs to fail in producing blooms.
While tender perennials do take a bit more effort, as soon as you catch a glimpse of the uniquely textured leaves of an Alocasia or the brilliant color patterns of a Caladium, you’ll quickly see why they’re worth it. Stop into our Greenstreet Gardens centers located in Alexandria, Lothian, and Belle Haven to check out our selections of tender perennials and add them to your garden collection today!
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