Choosing Planting

Exotic bushes with lush foliage: for a garden that transports you!

Our selection

Contents

Modified the Tuesday, 3 June 2025 by Leïla 6 min. Difficulty: Beginner

The exotic bushes with lush foliage are the key to giving a tropical look to your garden, terrace or balcony. Thanks to their large, imposing leaves, these plants bring an instant touch of escapism. To recreate a jungle atmosphere or simply add character to your outdoor space, these bushes offer a great diversity of forms, while being suited to different types of gardens, even in temperate climates. Discover our selection!

Difficulty

Why choose exotic bushes with lush foliage?

Adding exotic bushes with lush foliage to a garden creates a genuine invitation to travel. These plants, often imposing and spectacular in appearance, bring a unique dimension to gardens, creating a striking contrast with more traditional classic bushes.

They evoke tropical landscapes, often associated with the warmth and natural beauty of distant regions. With their imposing stature, dense foliage, large leaves, and generous forms, they add a spectacular visual dimension and are perfect for lovers of exuberant gardens, as well as those looking to create a lush natural corner.

An elegant contrast with other garden plants

A garden composed of bushes with lush foliage stands out particularly due to the contrast it creates with other more classic or structured plants. For example, bushes with fine, evergreen leaves (such as Japanese hollies) can be complemented by exotic species with broad, graphic foliage. The contrast between dense foliage and airy, finely cut leaves adds dynamism and depth to the garden. This type of landscaping visually enriches the space while adding a sense of volume. Moreover, these plants often catch the eye due to their imposing size, helping to focus attention on specific garden features.

The possibility of a verdant garden even in winter

Evergreen plants like Fatsia japonica retain their foliage year-round, maintaining a tropical atmosphere even when the rest of the garden enters dormancy. These bushes are ideal for countering winter gloom while adding character to a less flowery or colourful garden during this season.

Moderate maintenance with plants suited to various climates

While many tropical plants require specific care and growing conditions, many exotic bushes with lush foliage adapt well to varied conditions and are relatively easy to maintain. Some species, such as Tetrapanax papyrifera or Musa basjoo, are quite hardy and tolerate fairly low temperatures. Others need more warmth and protection but thrive with proper care.

A diverse selection of species for all garden styles

The world of exotic bushes is vast and varied. From the largest to the smallest, the hardiest to the most delicate, there is a multitude of species for every type of garden. Additionally, some species or varieties can be grown in pots or containers, allowing you to recreate an exotic ambience even on a balcony or terrace.

Fatsia japonica, with its evergreen foliage, adds a tropical dimension to the garden or terrace

Selection of the Most Beautiful Exotic Bushes with Spectacular Foliage

Must-Haves for a Guaranteed Jungle Effect

These bushes are perfect for creating a tropical atmosphere thanks to their broad, dense foliage. Easy to grow, they adapt well to different climates, particularly in temperate regions with mild winters.

Fatsia japonica – The Star of Exotic Foliage
This bush is one of the most popular for creating an immediate exotic effect. Its foliage is broad, glossy and lobed, with leaves sometimes spanning over 30 cm. It can withstand temperatures down to -12°C and thrives both in pots and in the ground. It’s ideal for partially shaded areas where its foliage adds a bright touch.
Tetrapanax papyrifera ‘Rex’ – The “Japanese Rice Paper” Plant with Giant Leaves
A spectacular bush thanks to its enormous leaves that can reach 80 cm in diameter. Its airy habit and lush foliage make it an ideal choice for a tropical-inspired garden. Semi-hardy, it can tolerate temperatures around -10°C but may regrow from the base after severe frost. It’s vigorous and can produce suckers, requiring monitoring in small spaces.
Schefflera taiwaniana – Less Spectacular but Elegant
Less well-known, this bush stands out for its elegant and graphic foliage, composed of elongated leaflets that give it a tropical yet discreet appearance, with a beautiful umbrella-like habit. It can withstand temperatures down to -12/-15°C but can be somewhat delicate to grow. Its fairly rapid growth under good conditions makes it an excellent choice for structuring an exotic border or for growing in pots on a sheltered terrace.

XXL Foliage with Tropical Appeal

Gunnera manicata – Guaranteed Spectacular Effect
Although classified as a perennial, it’s impossible not to mention this plant which can reach 3.5 to 4 m in all directions, a must-have for creating a lush garden. Its gigantic leaves, which can reach two metres in diameter, give it an extraordinary presence. It requires very moist soil and needs winter protection in the form of thick mulch in cold regions. It’s ideal for enhancing the edges of a pond or a shaded garden.
Melianthus major – Exotic Foliage with Silvery Hues
An architectural undershrub with broad, serrated, slightly silvery foliage that immediately catches the eye. Its leaves emit a surprising peanut butter scent when crushed. In late spring, it displays brown-red flower spikes with a honey-like fragrance, highly melliferous and remarkably nectariferous. Not very hardy, it can tolerate temperatures down to -6°C and requires winter protection in cold climates. It’s often grown in pots or planted in sheltered areas of the garden.
Musa basjoo – The Hardy Banana Tree
Musa basjoo is a cold-resistant banana tree, capable of withstanding short frosts of around -12/-15°C. Although it doesn’t produce edible fruit in our regions, its large, thick leaves create an undeniable tropical atmosphere. It grows quickly, reaching up to 4 to 5 metres in height, and thrives in full sun or partial shade, in well-drained, rich soil.
Dicksonia antarctica – The Tree Fern
Dicksonia antarctica is one of the most spectacular ferns, with a brown trunk and large, lush, delicate fronds. This fern can reach up to 5 to 6 metres in height under ideal conditions. It’s perfect for creating a subtropical atmosphere, but it needs winter protection (covering the base of the trunk or the fronds with mulch) as it’s not very hardy (down to -7 to -10°C).

Some Less Well-Known but Interesting Specimens

Rhapis excelsa – The Elegant Dwarf Palm
Rhapis excelsa, or bamboo palm, is an excellent indoor plant but can also be grown outdoors in summer or in mild regions. This palm with finely divided palmate foliage forms an elegant small bush, ideal for adding a tropical touch to an exotic-style garden. It can tolerate temperatures down to -7°C and prefers shade or partial shade.
Veitchia vitiensis – The Slender-Leaved Palm
This palm is an excellent choice for an exotic garden thanks to its fine, elegant, deep green foliage. It can reach 6 metres in height at full maturity and loves humidity. Although mainly grown in very bright interiors, it can also be grown in a conservatory or greenhouse, or outdoors in summer, as it’s frost-tender.
Dendroseris litoralis – The Cabbage Tree
Native to Chile, this rare bush stands out for its enormous, glossy green leaves, with a rubbery texture, rounded, resembling giant cabbage leaves. It has an original habit, often reaching 2 to 3 metres in height. Although not very hardy (it can tolerate -5°C), it’s perfect in a protected coastal garden or in a greenhouse. It can be grown in sheltered coastal gardens in Brittany or Normandy, as it enjoys cool, humid climates; elsewhere, it’s grown in pots. The flowering, very beautiful, takes the form of long, pendulous inflorescences composed of hanging flowers in orange heads.

Clockwise from top left: Tetrapanax papyrifera ‘Rex’, Schefflera taiwaniana, Melianthus major, Rhapis excelsa, Musa bajsoo, Dendroseris litoralis

Planting and Care Advice

Here are some general tips – feel free to refer to the product sheets of the suggested species for specific cultivation advice.

Choosing the Right Location and Soil

Exotic bushes with lush foliage generally prefer a semi-shaded to sunny position depending on the species, with rich, moist, and well-drained soil. Soil that is too dry or poor can limit their growth and reduce the desired lush effect.

Watering and Fertilisation

These bushes often require regular watering, especially in summer, to maintain dense and vibrant foliage. Mulching at the base helps retain soil moisture. An application of organic fertiliser or compost in spring stimulates their development.

Protection Against Cold

Some species need winter protection in cold climates. Mulching, frost cloth, and container cultivation (for the most sensitive species) help prevent frost damage.

Pruning and General Maintenance

Most of these bushes require little pruning, except to remove damaged leaves or control their growth. Light pruning in late winter encourages better branching and even denser foliage for some.