So many people are attracted to tropical plants, I happen to be one of those people. They are bold, showy and very dramatic in every landscape. There is only one teeny tiny problem... they can potentially die in the winter.

Before you purchase any topical plants, make sure you understand that in a moderate to cold winter, they will need to be covered every night when it goes into the 30's. Different species have different temperatures in which they are damaged. Sometimes just the tips of the plant can be damaged and other times, the entire plant can be killed.

This past winter, many Robellini palms that were not covered were killed from the severe cold temperatures.

So before you spend $200 on a plant make sure you understand the commitment of covering them on every single cold night.

Now if I haven't discouraged you from going the tropical plant route, or even if I have, here are some great landscapes I saw in South Beach which utilize tropicals.