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Bring a touch oftropical charmto your garden with these spiky specimen .
There ’s something about a spiky works that instantly advise humid temperatures and exotic climes .
Of course , many cacti , succulent , palms and their other briery comrades only grow in hot and desiccate landscapes , so it ’s only logical that they carry with them connotations of a tropical heaven .
On the other hand , it may surprise you to learn that there are a handful of these spiky specimen that have adapted well to the Great British climate .
Although they may be natives of warmer regions and prefer the heat , they can make do well enough with a precipitous fall in hydrargyrum , many of them surviving sub - zero temperatures with ease .
Yucca recurvifolia
That ’s not to say that you should n’t take precautions to protect them as best as potential .
Potted varieties can be moved indoors or into a greenhouse during wintertime , while polytunnels are also an effective instrument in keeping them safe from the more inclement element .
However , on the whole , this appeal of needlelike - edged plants are stalwart enough to handle anything the cold calendar month throw at them .
So if you ’re considering tally an sharpness to your outdoor presentation , look no further than the nine evoke specimens below .
1) Yucca
Hailing from Mexico , thisstriking planttakes the form of a spiky ball atop a chunky trunk , with the potential difference for more than a single trunk to develop in the right conditions .
With some species capable of reaching 2 megabyte in height , it ’s a perfect path to make a argument with stature in your garden .
The leaf of the tree are long , sharp and prolong in all directions off from the central sphere at the top of the trunk .
Yucca recurvifolia
Depending on the metal money , they can take on a greyness or blueish speck to their verdure , with yellow variegations possible as well .
This lay down them an fantabulous option for sum coloration and intrigue to their surroundings .
good of all , Y.linearifolia(pictured above ) are hardy up to -15 ° C , meaning they should survive the extremes of winter even in the most northerly parts of the country .
As long as they enjoy a gay locating with grime that drains freely , they ’ll be felicitous enough .
2)Trachycarpus wagnerianus
A close comparative ofT.fortunei , this oriental specimen has been privilege by Nipponese horticulturalists for multiplication due to the neatness of its architectural conformation .
They were first convey to the UK in 1873 by Albert Wagner ( hence their name ) and have steady grown in popularity since.1Trachycarpus wagnerianus . ( n.d.).Missouri Botanical Garden . Retrieved March 28 , 2023 , fromhttps://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=293639
Unlike most decoration , T. wagnerianusactually expand in impractical weather , though a coastal one which is constantly buffeted by gales may be asking too much of them .
Aside from demanding good drainage , however , they ’re a mostly unfussy species which will require attentive hydration immediately upon planting , but can be given to themselves thereafter .
In terms of coming into court , they ’re thick fauna which tightly fan leave-taking of dark-skinned William Green , grow atop a haired trunk that can pass 5 m in meridian .
Although they cope well in containers than some other Trachycarpus , they ’re ultimately better suit to being planted in the land .
3)Chamaerops humilis
speak of medal tree , no list of spiky plants that can handle UK temperatures would be complete without a mention of the only palm that ’s native to Europe .
Known as the European fan palm for that cause , Chamaerops humilisis a cracking alternative for make an alien focal point in your garden .
It ’s a more blank space - effective option than the Trachycarpus mentioned above , rarely exceed head height , while its cornucopia of fan green leaf ( stretch out up to 50 cm in length ) are located lower down the trunk , mean its spread often outpaces its height .
Although it can cope with strong wind more comfortably than the Trachycarpus , it ’s not quite so good at withstanding frigid terrain .
As such , planting it in a pot which can be removed indoors during the winter month might be a upright option if it ’s available to you .
4)Phormium tenax
get it on as New Zealand flax , Phormium are hugely popular perennial for sum a splash of color and a dollop of architectural turmoil to any planting system .
With long , evergreen plant blades in a variety of shades , they ’re idealistic for brightening up dull landscapes in the wintertime months .
The ‘ Joker ’ cultivar is prized for its telling foliage , which carries a delightful mix of green and pink that produce an unusual artistic wallop .
They ’re specially effective when made the centrepiece of a crushed rock garden or outsized moulding , grow up to 1 m in height and slightly more in spread .
They ’re impressively adapt to cope with in high spirits salt concentrations in the air , which makes them a good campaigner for coastal locations .
However , they ’re not corking on extremely strong steer , so would benefit from a sheltered planting spot , while some mulch on their roots during winter would not go amiss , either .
5)Aloe polyphylla
This stunning spiky specimen is known conversationally as the voluted aloe and it ’s not difficult to see why .
With five layers of stubby , orchis - form leaves curling into an esthetically pleasing spiral , it ’s a form of the genus that ’s beloved by gardeners across the world .
The balance of the rosette is especially attractive in ripe plants .
It ’s capable of extend to up to 50 centimetre in height and double that in spread , while the yellow-bellied or majestic jot at the tip of its leaves add together another dimension to its collection .
For the good solvent , you might need to restrain yourAloe polyphyllato a stool so that it can be moved indoors in the winter .
During that full stop , treat it like you would any other houseplant , but it ’ll handle outdoor conditions for most of the year without outlet .
6)Eryngium planum‘Blue Sea Holly’
Another European indigen , blue sea holly is a scummy - maintenance perennial that brag tall peak stem shooting forth from slow clumps of dark fleeceable foliage at their base.2Eryngium planum . ( n.d . ) . North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox . Retrieved March 24 , 2023 , fromhttps://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eryngium-planum/
At their headspring , conical flowerheads of a spectacular blue are palisade by a bract arrest of blue - purple , white or atomic number 47 , depending on the precise character .
For this reasonableness , they look somewhatakin to an oversize thistle , though the metal freshness that they take on in sunshine ( changing hue depending on how the illumination catches them ) sets them apart from their Scottish counterparts .
They were once a fairly specialised trade good in the UK , making them tricky to get hold of , but these days they ’re a common oblation at garden centre around the country .
They uprise extremely apace and will flower in the same year they ’re planted , while they ’re impressively resilient and long - lasting once prove .
7)Agave americana
As the name indicate , this popular American aloe is aboriginal to the USA and Mexico , meaning it ’s not the most logical option for UK planting .
And while it wo n’t tolerate the colder climes of northern regions of the country , it ’ll do just fine in lovesome area , specially if lent a helping deal .
“ Although it will grapple with wintertime stiff status in mild coastal area , it can be damaged in cold neighborhood of the UK , ” adds Horticulturist Colin Skelly MHort ( RHS ) .
matured specimens should be capable to handle with the cold ( but not the slopped ) weather , though you may wish to move them indoors if container - planted just to be on the safe side .
Although that might sound like more exploit than some of the others on this list , it ’s well deserving your elbow grease .
The enormous rosette of elongate leave , line with dangerously barbed edge , are quite a sight to behold .
At the same sentence , those patient enough to hold back several decennary for it to flower will be richly reinforce with green - yellow flower , too .
“ The needle sharp , longsighted foliage tips of theAgave americanacan [ also ] be very serious to forge around , ” warns Colin Skelly .
“ After unspeakable first - mitt experience when weed around these plants , I deliver up some corks and place them on the leaf tips and then remove them when the oeuvre is arrant .
“ This is also an choice if the plant is near a itinerary or you have immature visitors to your garden . ”
8)Opuntia howeyi
Did you live that there are even coinage of cactus that can be cultivated in the UK ?
Opuntia howeyiis one of those , with its stinker chiffon flowers , spiky pad and flushed fruit get it much easy on the eye than it is on skin impinging !
The masses of spiky hairs that brood its leafy pads are easily dislodged when sweep against , then attaching themselves to the poor unfortunate who has discomfit them and causing the individual important irritation in the process .
Agave americana‘Variegata’
As such , deal planting them well back from route to avoid inadvertent exposure .
It ’s fairly compact and should n’t spread too much more than 35 centimeter , intend it ’s a good option for smaller gardens .
It does n’t care an excess of moisture , especially during winter , so take steps to keep it dry if you’re able to .
Other than that , it ’ll handle neglect without too many problem .
9)Nolina nelsonii
Another spiky plant from the north of Mexico , Nolina nelsoniiis characterised by a sturdy trunk which can grow up to 2 m in height .
At its summit , it ’s crowned by an impressive testis of protruding blue - unripe leaves that can reach 2 m in diameter , as well .
It ’s love in some parts as the ‘ Blue Beargrass Tree ’ and despite its tropical rootage , it ’s developed to lot with British climes fairly well .
Hardy up to -15 ° C , it demands good drain and as much sun as you may afford it , but otherwise will flourish in most parts of the land .
Its power to deal with drought well spend a penny it an ideal pick for desiccant soil in which other plants struggle .
It ’s also middling tight growing and within a matter of years , you ’ll have an telling specimen on your hand .
