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I live out here in Southern California, around North Orange county. I have an area in the backyard that receives moderate sun to open shade, depending on the season. The lowest temps we usually get here are at nighttime, maybe 45. I have some ferns there now, a palm, bush lilies, and a few others and trying to flesh out the landscape with other similar tropicals. Is there any reason I can't take plants sold in the "houseplants" section of say Home Depot, and plant those outside? And by plant I mean plant them in the ground, not in pots. Some of the ones I'm considering are like the bird's nest fern, taro plant, basic ones like that. After all, all plants grow outside naturally to begin with. I suppose the only reason they are marketed as houseplants is because they can't stand freezing temps outdoors and/or maybe too much sun.
Anyhow, was curious to hear from others who have done similar.
We grow "houseplants" in the ground here in Florida all the time. Most plants marketed as "houseplants" are the ones that can tolerate low light levels for an extended period of time. You just need to make sure that you have sufficient humidity and that your nightly lows are tolerable for the plant - some species really are not happy with temps below 50º for more than a few nights at a time. Consider the watering needs and soil preferences and especially check to make sure that the plants are not invasive in your area before you plant.
I live out here in Southern California, around North Orange county. I have an area in the backyard that receives moderate sun to open shade, depending on the season. The lowest temps we usually get here are at nighttime, maybe 45. I have some ferns there now, a palm, bush lilies, and a few others and trying to flesh out the landscape with other similar tropicals. Is there any reason I can't take plants sold in the "houseplants" section of say Home Depot, and plant those outside? And by plant I mean plant them in the ground, not in pots. Some of the ones I'm considering are like the bird's nest fern, taro plant, basic ones like that. After all, all plants grow outside naturally to begin with. I suppose the only reason they are marketed as houseplants is because they can't stand freezing temps outdoors and/or maybe too much sun.
Anyhow, was curious to hear from others who have done similar.
I lived in the City of Orange for many years and grew a pretty wide variety of houseplants outside in the ground. Mainly because they'd start to die in the house, so I'd plant them outside and they were all fine. I can't tell you the names of what I had growing, but nothing labled "house plant" (usually purchased from Home Depot) ever died once I planted it outside. I still have a huge (and now very heavy) Jade plant that grew outside in the ground for about 5 years in Orange. I trimmed it back to the trunk, dug it up, and hauled it here to Denver when we moved. Still going strong, and I put it outdoors (kept in its pot) every Spring so it gets to remeber the good old days of being outside
Do a little research on each houseplant before you plant them in the ground. A lot of plants behave differently when not confined to a pot. As mentioned previously, there are several houseplants that are very invasive when planted outside in a warm climate and may be more water demanding than other drought tolerant outdoor plants. Also, check each plant's toxicity if you have animals that like to chew on things.
Do a little research on each houseplant before you plant them in the ground. A lot of plants behave differently when not confined to a pot. As mentioned previously, there are several houseplants that are very invasive when planted outside in a warm climate and may be more water demanding than other drought tolerant outdoor plants. Also, check each plant's toxicity if you have animals that like to chew on things.
Good Luck!
Excellent points!
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