Tropicals - Displayed by Common Name in Ascending Order

Musa Basjoo is cold hardy to -20 degrees when mulched properly. Its inflorescence is one of the most beautiful of all bananas. Even though the Basjoo Banana Tree does not produce edible fruit, it does form a a nice patio or pool specimen.

This banana-like annual in Zone 5 has large paddle-shaped leaves, which range in color from deep claret brown to red-purple to pale green, produced from the center of the plant, with thick midribs bright red beneath. White flowers are borne in inflorescences 3 to 4 feet long. Fruits are banana-like but dry and unpalatable.

This unique super dwarf allows for growing inside the home, on the porch, or close confines of a patio. Has a very symmetrical and compact appearance: 2 to 4 feet high. Can produce tasty fruit inside or out.

"Jacqueline," a variegated weeping fig, is grown mostly as a houseplant. It has has simple glossy, attractive, gray-green leaves with irregular golden-ivory margins.

Stiff, upright, sword-like deep burgundy to purplish leaves.

'Heart and Soul' is a strap leaf variety with a white center, green border and red spots. The white center is often flushed pink. 'Heart and Soul' can tolerate 6-8 hours of morning sun and is therefore useful in the landscape for its versatility - working in both sun and shade.

'Rose Glow' is a fancy-leaf hybrid with medium green leaves. Is has a bright, flamingo pink center and frosty white halo. As it matures, leaves develop white main veins that contrast well with its pink/rose background. It grows best in part shade to shade.

Also known as Imperial Taro and Black Caladium, this is an almost black, big-leaved Elephant Ear with dramatic green venation. Needs constant moisture to look its best. A real conversation starter.

One of the deepest black-leaved Colocasias available. If you’re looking for a focal point for the pond side or for containers, look no further than this dramatic plant. It features huge, glossy jet black, corrugated, arrow-shaped leaves with deep blue veins on jet black stems.

At full size in the landscape, it will reach 4’ tall and short runners will appear close to the mother plant. If you grow this plant in containers, make sure it is a very large one and be sure to give it a consistent supply of moisture. This plant will drink up all you can give it and can even grow directly in shallow water.

The medium green, 12" long leaves are highlighted by the most dramatic purple veins we've ever seen on an elephant ear. On the leaf back, the veins are equally dramatic, only cranberry instead of purple. This small elephant ear tops out for us at only 30" tall...perfect for a smaller location. Remember, rich moist soil grows the best elephant ears.

One of the deepest black-leaved Colocasias available. If you’re looking for a focal point for the pond side or for containers, look no further than this dramatic plant. It features huge, glossy jet black, corrugated, arrow-shaped leaves with deep blue veins on jet black stems.

At full size in the landscape, it will reach 4’ tall and short runners will appear close to the mother plant. If you grow this plant in containers, make sure it is a very large one and be sure to give it a consistent supply of moisture. This plant will drink up all you can give it and can even grow directly in shallow water.

This stunner takes white-striped foliage to a whole new level on a 3' tall, green-petioled plant, whose veins are swallowed up by a fast-moving band of white. Compared to its predecessor, Colocasia 'White Lava', Colocasia 'Maui Sunrise' develops the white coloration much earlier in the season and it goes much deeper into the leaf veins....truly stunning!

Colocasia ‘Tropical Storm’ is the long-awaited 2016 release from Hawaii's Dr. John Cho, that combines the black leaf color of Colocasia ‘Black Magic’ with the white striping of Colocasia ‘White Lava’. Colocasia esculenta ‘Tropical Storm’ is a compact, but fast clumper that grows to 30" tall, composed of purple-black foliage which is adorned in summer with a prominent central creamy white streak. You've never seen an elephant ear like this before...we promise.

The Yellow Trumpetbush is a broadleaf evergreen shrub or small tree that has clusters of bright yellow trumpet-shaped flowers. The showy flowers bloom from spring until frost. In warmer climates, they may bloom all year long. In the United States, the shrub is typically 3-6 feet tall but can grow up to 10-25 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide. Reportedly, the wood from the shrub was used by the Native Americans for bowmaking.

The fiddle-leaf fig is a popular indoor tree featuring very large, heavily veined, and glossy violin-shaped leaves that grow upright on a sleek trunk. A fiddle-leaf fig is perfect as a focal point of a room if you can situate it in a floor-standing container where the plant is allowed to grow to at least 6 feet tall. (Most indoor specimens reach around 10 feet tall.) It's a fairly fast grower.

The fiddle-leaf fig is a popular indoor tree featuring very large, heavily veined, and glossy violin-shaped leaves that grow upright on a sleek trunk. A fiddle-leaf fig is perfect as a focal point of a room if you can situate it in a floor-standing container where the plant is allowed to grow to at least 6 feet tall. (Most indoor specimens reach around 10 feet tall.) It's a fairly fast grower.

If you like the color purple, Tibouchina is one plant you'll certainly want to add to your garden. The most significant element of all Tibouchina plants, also known as Princess Flower or Glory Bush, is the strange shape of the stamens on it's soft, purple flowers. Each stamen extends out and then develops a scimitar-like structure that is used as a “landing pad” for insects that collect the pollen on their feet. This dwarf form grows to only 24 to 30 inches tall. Prefers some shade during the hottest part of the day.

Truly a stunning display of color throughout the summer! This tropical evergreen shrub displays large single blooms of bright orange petals with crinkled edges that quickly change to a blush red eye zone over a white background. Use for screening or specimen.

There is no better way to give your yard a tropical feel than a bright, big-flowered hibiscus. The braided multicolor hibiscus have beautiful large blooms in a variety of red, pink, white, lavender, and orange. Make sure to put them in a sunny spot, and keep up with fertilizing to ensure lots of new buds.

An incredibly profuse blooming selection with 4-inch yellow flowers against glossy, rich green leaves. A versatile plant for screening, background specimen and containers. Evergreen.

 

Gorgeous, dark to bright green, opposite leaves on a shrub that can grow up to 6' with almost equal spread. Leaves are glossy and leathery. Mature shrubs usually look round, and have a medium texture. Blooms in mid-spring to early summer, over a fairly long season. Flowers are white, turning to creamy yellow as they age, and have a waxy feel. They have a powerful, sweet fragrance, and can perfume an entire room. Air currents waft the scent throughout the warm summer garden. Gardenias prefer acid, moist, well-drained soils. Use fertilizer for acid loving plants, and use iron compounds.

Highly prized for the profusion of sweetly fragrant blooms, excellent for cut flowers. Beautiful specimen, its upright branches are covered with glossy foliage. Terrific container plant. Evergreen. **This tree is tropical and won't survive midwest winter outside**

 

The Sago Palm is a popular houseplant known for its feathery foliage and ease of care. In fact, this is a great plant for beginners and makes an interesting addition to nearly any room. It can even be grown outdoors. While the name might imply that it is a palm, this plant is actually considered a cycad, one of the oldest groups of plants dating back to prehistoric times — hence the plant’s hardiness.

Upright, stiff, sword shaped leaves are green with pinkish-purple margins. Leaves can be trained to curve or intertwine. Makes a great specimen plant.

Upright, stiff, sword shaped leaves are green edged with red margins. Leaves can be trained to curve or intertwine. Makes a great specimen plant.

The Philodendron Minima is a perfect mix between a Philodendron and a Monstera. It has the large and beautiful leaves of the Monstera, but the grows vines like a Philodendron. It looks a lot like a Monstera Deliciosa, so it makes sense that its nickname is "Mini Monstera". Its leaves might look a lot like Monstera leaves, but there is a slight difference: The holes are much larger, the leaves aren't symmetrical, and the plant is a lot smaller.

Oleander is a tough, versatile plant with showy summertime flowers in white, red, pink, salmon and light yellow. Leathery, lance shaped leaves range from about 4-10" long, depending on variety and are a bright green.

Cat Palm is a bushy palm with arching, airy fronds. Native to Mexico, this species can be grown in the understory of other plants outdoors, but is most commonly used as an easy care houseplant. Arrange amongst broader leaved houseplants for a stylish display.

This tropical palm is full and compact, showcasing large, dramatic fronds that resemble a folded paper fan. A slow-growing houseplant that does not require special care, the Chinese Fan Palm makes a statement. Non-toxic for the whole family - including pets - this potted palm is sure to add a tropical feel to your home.

Majesty palm is a tropical tree native to Madagascar, where it can grow nearly 100 feet tall in its natural habitat. But it is increasingly rare in the wild and is now grown mostly as an indoor tree, where confining its roots keeps the plants to about 10 feet tall. It has long arching green fronds atop multiple stems. As a houseplant, it resembles a kentia palm when young and a royal palm when mature. This is high praise since these are two of the more attractive of all indoor palms.

vWhen grown indoors, majesty palm will add about 1 foot of growth per year until it reaches four to six feet, then slows down dramatically.

It is an easy-to-grow, tough, heat-tolerant source of gorgeous color. The long strap-like leaves have narrow stripes of green with broad gold centers. If you are familiar with pandanus, you probably know that their common name is Screw Pine, due to their spiraling leaf arrangement. This species, however, lacks that type of growth habit. It also lacks the sharp spines along the leaf edges that other pandanus have. Variegated Dwarf Pandanus is best shown off in a container and over-wintered inside as a houseplant.

This delightful tropical shrub has been embraced by gardeners everywhere for its amazing purple foliage that has a decidedly iridescent shine. Its unique color makes Persian shield a stunning specimen plant or a top pick for fun combinations in garden beds, borders, or containers.

'Birkin' stands out because of the unique creamy white or yellow streaks on the green leaves. It has a thick, upright, self-supporting stem, promoting a more tree-like appearance. Slow-growing and compact, it's a great plant for small spaces. However, if you bring this plant home, you need to be patient—the variegation only appears on mature plants, and sometimes it might produce leaves with a reddish tone or part red, part creamy white stripes.

The Philodendron Hope Selloum (Philodendron bipinnatifidum), recently reclassified Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum or the Tree Philodendron, is a hardy native of the tropical regions of South America. In the correct conditions, their deeply lobed leaves can grow up to almost 5 feet, but indoors they can still give an immensely tropical feel to any room.

The cut leaves of the Hope Selloum can survive for months in a vase. Change the water out once a week, and place this beauty in any surface throughout your home.

Philodendron ‘Imperial Green’ is a cultivar of Philodendron erubescens and is distinguished by its broad and oval-shaped green leaves.

In contrast to other philodendron varieties that have a climbing habit, philodendron imperial green grows upright and doesn’t need any extra support, like a moss pole.

It requires bright, indirect sunlight, nutrient-rich, well-draining soil, and prefers temperatures above 65°F.

This tropical hybrid has striking dark red new leaves that become dark glossy green with age. A beautiful, easy to grow atrium or indoor specimen in all climates.

Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’ is a captivating, low-maintenance houseplant celebrated for its striking, large, burgundy-hued leaves that infuse a sense of tropical warmth into any indoor space. Originating from the rainforests of Central and South America, this hybrid variety belongs to the Araceae family and is well-adapted for indoor cultivation across diverse climates.

The Split leaf philodendron, also called monstera deliciosa or swiss cheese plant, is a large, popular, easy- care houseplant that is not really in the philodendron family. In Panama, and India, have big glossy heart- shaped leaves that, as the plant matures, split from the leaf edge to the center vein. These slits in the leaves are called cuts. A split leaf philodendron grows rapidly and often has leaves that are up to 3ft. long and 2ft. wide. If you want a big, tropical, low maintenance plant, this one is perfect. This plant is toxic and not meant for consumption by pets and humans.

Heart-shaped green leaves with yellow variegation.

Hawaiian Pothos has medium to deep green foliage splashed with gold variegation.

Marble Queen is wonderfully unpredictable, with a wide range of patterns on the leaves of each plant. From nearly green, with a bit of variegation, to nearly yellow with a smattering of green - and every permutation in between.

Calathea ‘Dottie’ is a variety of calathea plant with deep green—nearly black—leaves accented with hot pink variegation. The undersides of the leaves are a pinkish-green, and the color deepens as the leaves mature.

‘Rosie’ certainly lives up to its name, with a gorgeous rosy pink filling the center of the leaf, which is surrounded by a contrasting dark green margin. The leaf undersides are a beautiful maroon-pink.

Ficus elastica 'Robusta' is a slightly modified variation of the classic Rubber Plant that are a feature of so many homes and offices. This modern version of the indoor rubber has bigger, glossier leaves than the classic cultivar.

Ficus elastica Robusta originates from East India. It is a tough, easygoing plant with dark green, wide, glossy leaves. It is a moderate to fast grower with a good resistance to pests and diseases.

Angel Wings will make your head turn with its stunning velvety silver foliage, the "metallic" looking leaves are not only large but fast growing, they are so flashy it's like they radiate light, use in mixed containers or by itself, not fussy about soil conditions, drought and salt tolerant.

The Silver Satin (Scindapsus pictus) is native to Southeast Asia and has the reputation of being one of the easiest houseplants to keep alive. It is known for its heart-shaped matte leaves, splashed with spots of iridescent gray, and fast-growing trailing vines. A mature Silver Satin can grow vines between 4-10 feet long depending on conditions.

The genus name is derived from the Greek word 'skindapsos', which is said to mean “upon tree trunks” in reference to the plants growth habit.In the wild, Scindapsus grows as an epiphyte climbing along the trunks and limbs of trees attaching themselves with aerial roots. Therefore, it's a great specimen to train to climb up a coir pole, or placed on a ledge/shelf to cascade over as a trailing plant!

If you're looking for an easy-care houseplant, you can't do much better than snake plant. This hardy indoor is still popular today -- generations of gardeners have called it a favorite -- because of how adaptable it is to a wide range of growing conditions. Most snake plant varieties have stiff, upright, sword-like leaves that may be banded or edged in gray, silver, or gold. Snake plant's architectural nature makes it a natural choice for modern and contemporary interior designs. It's one of the best houseplants around!

Native to tropical southeastern Asia, northeastern Australia , the Indian Ocean, and parts of Polynesia.

It is not native to Hawaii or New Zealand but exists on those islands as a feral weed introduced by Polynesian settlers.

Ficus Triangularis Variegata, also known as Variegated Dwarf Triangle Fig, is a beautiful and unique plant that is popular among collectors. Native to Southeast Asia, the Triangularis Variegata is known for its striking variegated leaves that feature shades of green, cream, and pink. It is a relatively small plant that can grow up to 5 feet tall and requires moderate to bright indirect light. Its popularity continues to grow as more people discover the beauty and unique characteristics of this striking plant.

Versatile and undemanding, Schefflera is the perfect houseplant. Also known as the Umbrella Tree, it is a popular houseplant because it helps to purify air. Its large shiny leaves grow in clusters, giving the plant a rounded form. Extremely low maintenance, you only need to water a few times a month. Indoors, the plant prefers filtered sunlight.

The Schefflera arboricola ‘Trinette’ is a strikingly variegated houseplant that makes a bold statement in any indoor or outdoor space. With its lush canopy of cream and green leaves, this eye-catching plant provides both texture and color, easily becoming a focal point wherever it is placed. Perfect for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike, ‘Trinette’ is notably low-maintenance, requiring only moderate sunlight and watering to thrive. Its compact size makes it highly versatile, equally at home on your desk, in your living room, or adorning a patio. The plant’s unique umbrella-shaped foliage gives it a tropical flair that can infuse a sense of exotic beauty into any setting. Whether you’re looking to add a pop of color or a living element to your design scheme, the Schefflera arboricola ‘Trinette’ is a stylish and effortless choice.

Zebra Plant is an elegant tropical displaying bright green, oval leaves, broadly zebra-striped with very dark green. Leaves can get large as plant matures. An upright, clumping habit. Perfect for shaded patio containers.

A series of round-leaved Zamioculcas exists. This is the Lucky Series. In particular, the Lucky Giant stands out thanks to its height: it can reach to over 3-4 feet, even indoors! The leaf isn’t completely round, though. It’s more of an oval, but the round tip gives it a nice, soft touch.