28 Big Leaf Outdoor Plants | Large Foliage Plants

Large foliage makes a bold statement in the gardens. If you also want them in your yard, then here are the best Big Leaf Outdoor Plants!

Plants with large foliage offer a bold look and add a tropical jungle vibe to the gardens. If you too want to add the same appeal, here are the best Big Leaf Outdoor Plants you can grow!

Have a look at the best large leaf houseplants here!

Big Leaf Outdoor Plants

1. Giant Rhubarb

Botanical Name: Gunnera manicata

USDA Zones: 6-10

This big leaf perennial has hairy, thick, veined leaves that grow up to 4-5 feet across on pink hairy stems. Plant it in full sun to partial shade using rich, moist soil on the edges of pond or stream or bog gardens.

2. Giant Silver Mullein

Botanical Name: Verbascum bombyciferum

USDA Zones: 5-9

Mulleins exhibit 12-16 inches long gray-green leaves. Its variety, ‘Arctic Summer,’ grows up to 7-8 feet tall. This drought-tolerant evergreen perennial prefer dry or gravelly soil.

3. Umbrella Plant

Botanical Name: Darmera peltata

USDA Zones: 5-9

Also known as Indian rhubarb, this plant grows 18-24 inches wide, lily-pad-like foliage. During fall, the leaves turn red, and the color gets more intense in sunny areas. This variety is an ideal choice for bog gardens.

4. Rodgersias

Botanical Name: Rodgersia spp

USDA Zones: 3-8

Varieties like Rodgersia aesculifolia (zones 5-8) have 10-12 inch long leaflets. Rodgersia podophylla produces 12-16-inches-wide toothed leaves. Rodgersia tabularis features 26-36 inches wide foliage.

5. Flowering Sea Kale

Botanical Name: Crambe cordifolia

USDA Zone: 6-9

Colewort has cabbage-like 12-16 inches wide foliage on thick stems. The dark green leaves look spectacular on the borders of the garden. It does well in fertile soil and full sun.

6. Ligularias

Botanical Name: Ligularia

USDA Zone: 4-8

Ligularias plants grow up to 3-6 feet tall and wide with 12-14 inches long foliage and daisy-like golden yellow blooms. Grow this species in damp soil in partial shade.

7. Hostas

Botanical Name: Hosta

USDA Zones: 2-10

Hostas are appreciated for large variegated leaves in the shades of silver, white, or cream. The leaves can reach up to 12-15 inches long. Check the best hosta varieties here.

8. Banana

Botanical Name: Musa

USDA Zone: 6-11

The paddle-like giant leaves and thick trunk look spectacular in gardens; you can grow the hardiest variety Musa basjoo; Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ with red and green leaves.

9. Mayapples

Botanical Name: Podophyllum spp

USDA Zone: 3-9

The palm-like lobed leaves with black patterns look spectacular on canopy-like stems. You can grow species like Podophyllum peltatum that has 18-24 inches wide cup-shaped waxy leaves on 4 feet wide clump.

10. Canna

Botanical Name: Canna Indica

USDA Zone: 7-11

Canna shows off banana-like large leaves. Canna ‘Phasion’ offers striking leaves with purple, green, pink, orange streaks. Varieties like Skyhawk, Stuttgart, and Peach Gigantum are great choices for cold climates.

11. Siberian Bugloss

Botanical Name: Brunnera macrophylla

USDA Zone: 3-8

Also known as Siberian bugloss, this perennial has medium to dark green leaves. Some variegated varieties like ‘Jack Frost’ have ovate, dinner-plate-sized leaves patterned in green veins on the white surface.

12. Butterbur

Botanical Name: Petasites japonicus

USDA Zone: 5-9

Also known as coltsfoot, this perennial features 25-30 inches wide kidney-shaped gigantic green leaves. The plant has a mounding growth form.

13. Caladiums

Botanical Name: Caladium

USDA Zone: 9-11

Also popular as ‘Angel Wings,’ the large, heart or arrowhead-shaped foliage features beautiful pink, red, green, and white combinations. Choose the best caladiums from this list for your garden.

14. Elephant Ears

Botanical Name: Colocasia esculenta

USDA Zone: 8-11

The impressive, huge size of elephant ears brings elegance and bold texture to your garden. This tropical plant does best in bright light.

15. Grecian Pattern Plant

Botanical Name: Acanthus mollis

USDA Zone: 7-10

This shade-tolerant perennial features large oak-shaped leaves. The plant can grow up to 3-4 feet tall and wide. You can grow it on borders or in the background.

16. Fiddle Leaf Fig

Botanical Name: Ficus Lyrata

USDA Zone: 9-11

This evergreen tree with large, fiddle-shaped green foliage with an imposing size of 15 inches long to 10 inches wide looks magnificent in gardens. Plant the tree in a sunny location sheltered from the wind.

17. Windmill Palm

Botanical Name: Trachycarpus fortunei

USDA Zone: 7-11

Windmill palm features large, round-edged fronds that size up to 55 to 75 inches long expand outward from long petioles. It can grow up to 30-40 feet tall, but it takes time.

18. Rice Paper Tree

Botanical Name: Tetrapanax papyrifer

USDA Zone: 8-11

The large palmate foliage grows up to 2-3 feet across. It grows up to an impressive height of 10-15 feet and looks great in small gardens.

19. Swiss Cheese Plant

Botanical Name: Monstera deliciosa

USDA Zone: 9-11

This evergreen tropical vine displays large and perforated heart-shaped leaves and does best in filtered, indirect light. Find the best monstera varieties here.

20. Spade-Leaf Philodendron

Botanical Name: Philodendron domesticum

USDA Zone: 9-11

This Philo variety showcases triangular 18-24 inches long deep green leaves in spade-like shape hence the name. Grow this plant in partial or full shade.

21. Papaya Tree

Botanical Name: Carica papaya

USDA Zone: 8-12

You can grow it for the fiber-rich delicious fruits and for a fantastic display of large, serrated foliage that brings a lush green appeal to the landscape. The leaves can grow up to 2-3 feet in length.

23. Big Leaf Paper Plant

Botanical Name: Fatsia japonica

USDA Zone: 8-10

This little shrub or small tree has glossy and large foliage that makes quite a bold tropical impression. It grows best in bright but indirect light.

24. Velvety Anthurium

Botanical Name: Anthurium magnificum

USDA Zone: 9-11

The large foliage of this plant measures up to 10-14 inches in length. Its leaves have a velvety feel to them, and the deep veins make them look spectacular! See more anthurium varieties here.

25. Sacred Lotus

Botanical Name: Nelumbo nucifera

USDA Zone: 5-11

If you have a pond in the garden or looking for an aquatic plant that stands out with its large leaves, then this is it! The beautiful flowers are an added bonus.

26. Giant Pothos

Botanical Name: Epipremnum aureum

USDA Zone: 9-12

Gaint pothos shows off extremely large leaves that can grow up to 2 feet in length. What makes it more attractive is the yellow variegation on the foliage.

27. Bird of Paradise

Botanical Name: Strelitzia

USDA Zone: 9-12

Do not confuse the plant with a banana, as its leaves look a lot like it. The foliage can measure up to 3-4 feet long. It is one of the best big leaf outdoor plants that you can grow.

28. Lobster Claws

Botanical Name: Heliconia

USDA Zone: 10-12

If its large, banana-like leaves won’t get your attention, then the plant’s colorful and unusual, lobster claw-like flowers would surely do!

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