Turn your pool area into a tropical paradise! Watch our friend and plant hobbyist Macie add two of our favorite tropical plants - the Majesty Palm and the Banana Tree - to her pool area, adding a lush, tropical look.
In this video you'll learn:
- How to plant and care for Majesty Palms and Banana Trees
- Planting tropical plants in your growing zone
- Water and light requirements
- The best spots for your Majesty Palm and Banana Tree
Watch the video above, and scroll down for more of our favorite poolside plants!
Top Poolside Plants
Frame your pool with nature! Plants provides color and beauty to your poolside paradise, making it more inviting come summertime. No matter your space or the size of your pool, there's something to fit every type of backyard, whether you're looking for color, privacy or texture. Scan the list below for our top poolside picks!
Climbing Vines
Climb high with some colorful, pool-friendly vines. Not only do these vining plants love the heat, but they take up minimal ground space, making them ideal for compact areas that need a little something extra. There growth is also easy to train up a trellis or along a fence.
Color
Pool parties call for COLOR! These plants are sure to make a statement with eye-catching blooms. Add a tropical flair with hibiscus or its close cousin the Rose of Sharon. Or go extra exotic with the Bird of Paradise plant.
Texture
If flowers aren't your thing and you need some texture and foliage that won't end up at the bottom of your pool, we suggest these big-leafed beauties. Both bananas and elephant ear plants have large leaves that give shade and some privacy while you sit back and relax, poolside.
Movement
Take advantage of the refreshing summer breeze and get some movement going. Flexible varieties like grasses or shorter liriope will sway effortlessly in the wind, creating texture and beauty in your space.
Groundcover
Groundcovers keep the ground cool and add a nice framing effect to your pool landscape without blocking any of the views. Some groundcovers provide gorgeous colors and scents as added bonuses!
FGT Tip: Groundcover plants like rosemary and sedum do well in containers too and have a nice draping effect.
Privacy
Longing for some privacy without sacrificing style? Don't feel like you're limited to conifers. Palms, dracaenas and fruit trees like bananas, olives and citrus trees can all provide some coverage while adding rich blends of colors and delicious flavors!
Full Video Transcript: How to Create a Poolside Paradise
Tropical trees are the best way to add an exotic feel to any homescape. Today, we're going to transform this backyard pool into a pool paradise with the help of some of my favorites - the Banana Tree and the Majesty Palm. You'll learn how to pot them, where to place them around your home and patio, and care tips for happy healthy trees.
As always, my name is Macie, and this is Potting and Planting with FastGrowingTrees.com.
The Banana Tree is the perfect companion for any backyard pool that needs that exotic touch. Its large leaves grow up to four feet long, and the tree itself can reach heights of 10 feet or more. And while banana trees are best used as tropical ornamental trees in most areas, they may produce fruit in the right conditions.
If you're searching for a tree that instantly brings tropical vibes to any environment, look no further than the Majesty Palm tree. This fast grower stays relatively compact, with widths of up to three to four feet, but can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet, depending on whether you're growing indoors or out.
Now, i know what you're thinking - Macie, i just don't know if tropical plants can thrive in my home's environment. That's why FastGrowingTrees.com makes it easy, by detecting your growing zone and showing plants that thrive best in your area.
I'll be potting my Banana Tree, so in the winter I can easily transfer it inside out of the cold. When potting your Banana Tree, it's best to use a citrus or a cactus potting soil, and a pot that is equipped with a drainage hole and is one to two sizes larger than the pot that it's currently in.
As always, if you have any specific questions about whether or not a Banan Tree can thrive outdoors in your growing zone or you want detailed instructions on how to pot your Banana Tree, visit FastGrowingTrees.com.
This is the Majesty Palm tree -I absolutely love this tree and it's perfect for beginners, because FastGrowingTrees.com has taken care of all of the hard work, so it's ready to thrive in your home.
When you receive this tree, you don't need to immediately repot it - these trees like smaller pots and even thrive when they're a little rootbound, so repotting it is only necessary when it outgrows the pot that it arrives in. A good indicator of this is when the roots begin to emerge from the bottom of the pot. Typically, you can expect to repot every other year. When it comes time to repot your Majesty Palm, simply follow the same steps as you would with a Banana Tree, with a pot that is two inches larger than what the tree is currently in.
There's something about tropical plants and trees that just brings new life to a pool's atmosphere. It's always important to place your plants in a spot where they will thrive - not just look visually pleasing.
Banana Trees love sunlight - they need a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight a day. Majesty Palm trees, on the other hand, can tolerate some shade, since they've adapted to live indoors. They'll be happiest in an area with full to partial sun.
It's important to maintain your plants so they continue to thrive in your home. Water your Banana Tree two to three times per week, or more often in dry conditions. If leaves are yellowing, it may be a sign that you're over-watering. Brown leaves can be a sign of not watering enough.
The Majesty Palm also prefers moist, humid conditions, If you're unsure of when to water your Majesty Palm, check the soil. If it's dry about two inches down, it's time to water. If your Majesty Palm is indoors, mist it regularly in addition to watering to simulate a humid tropical environment.
Well, that's all for today's episode of Potting and Planting! Let us know in the comments what your favorite tropical plant is, and be sure to subscribe for more potting and planting videos just like this.
