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.

Banana tree Ice Cream is a unique and delicious tropical fruit that can add a touch of exotic flair to any garden or landscape design. Enjoy and harvest your own Bananas right on the comfort your home. Ice Cream Banana tree can grow in partial shade, however full sun is recommended for optimal growth, they produce a high quality flavor fruit, can produce fruit within the first 2 year when planted in warmer regions. Blue Java Banana tree is also container friendly, it can remain as a decorative plant both indoors or in patio.

Many people rate this the best tasting banana of all the cultivars. The leaves are silvery green and the peel is bluish-green. The fruit is white.

This compact banana plant makes a wonderful houseplant and produces beautiful green leaves. Compact bananas can grow as tall as 6ft. Musa are originally from Australia and south-east Asia, it is related to the Musaceae.

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.

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

Some of the most fascinating and unusual plants in the world are cacti, native only to the Americas. The colors and shapes are unique and many offer incredible springtime blooms in a wide array of colors, and they are easy to care for. They are perfectly suited for growing on windowsills, creating mixed planters, and decorating patio spaces. Varieties can be found for both frost free or frost prone areas for landscape use. Cacti also make a great special gift for the avid plant lover as well as the collector. And kids love to collect their favorites too, offering them a wonderful educational opportunity for a glimpse into the wonderful world of horticulture.

These splashy beauties add bold pops of color on your porch, patio, or flower border. Use them on their own or tuck a few alongside brightly colored annuals such as marigold, angelonia, calibrachoa, pentas, or lantana. Include crotons in your mixed containers because their colorful leaves provide a non-stop show of color throughout the summer. Indoors, crotons are decorator’s dream because they come in such a variety of shapes and colors.

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.

Colocasia 'Pharaoh's Mask' is a fascinating Colocasia esculenta hybrid, created by Kentucky's Brian Williams. This unique elephant ear forms a 3' tall specimen with glossy olive green leaves, each highlighted by dramatically raised dark purple leaf veins.

The petioles are dark black and each leaf is dark green with a nice reflective sheen. The main attraction is the highly contrasting black veins that are raised off the leaf. These bulky veins protrude off the leaf giving it a 3D effect. As the leaves mature the center of the leaves push out and the edges pull back giving it a uniquely shape and texture leaf. Pharaohs Mask (Colocasia, variety COPHAMA) PP33772 has a clumping habit and does great in containers or in landscapes. A nice cluster of them make for a big impact with the stripped foliage and dark stems that is unlike any elephant ear on the market.

A dramatic new Colocasia color, Redemption’s leaves are jet-black with a hot pink center and pink veining that intensifies in the heat. Polished with a shiny, rippled finish to its leaves, Redemption makes an exceptional addition to containers, poolside plantings, and accent plantings.

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.

When breeder John Cho crossed a black elephant ear with a glossy one, the results were magnificent. Colocasia Diamond Head is a glossy black, dramatic variety that thrives in wet or boggy soils, or even submerged in a water feature. Unlike other very dark relatives, Diamond Head shines best in full, bright sun for the darkest, most lustrous leaves. This beauty is a fast grower, and creates a dramatic, tropical effect in any garden. Take care to ensure the boggy soil conditions for its best appearance, and it can even thrive in a large container.

Maui Gold is the first-ever "clumping" gold-leafed variety, meaning that it stays neat and contained even in semi-tropical and tropical climates. More important, it's absolutely gorgeous, with bright chartreuse leaves very thinly edged in dark purple and boasting a big purple spot where the leaf meets the stem! You won't find a more beautiful or easier to grow accent for sun to part shade, and this plant is so compact you can put it in a large container if you like!

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!

A gorgeous tropical plant with showy colorful leaves and a tidy clumping habit. The glossy green and white leaves with vivid pink veins are held on dramatically dark stems. Bred to be sturdy garden performers and container specimens with excellent disease resistant. All-American Selections (AAS) winner for 2023.

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.

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**

A vigorous grower producing violet, ruffled flowers with narrow white picotee edge, mild sweet fragrance, attractive to butterflies. Very free flowering and ease of growth, will bring gorgeous color for any garden or conservatory. Zone 9 and higher. can go between sun and shade, and is somewhat drought tolerant.

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.

Yes, this is the same type of hibiscus that is the state flower of Hawaii. You commonly see reds, pinks and yellows, but they also come in lavenders, bluish tones, whites, browns, golds and reds that are so dark that some people call them "black." Tropical hibiscus (rosa-sinensis) also come as singles and doubles.

They are a tropical plant and perform best in tropical conditions. They do not tolerate frost well, but that does not stop people from growing them in Canada and northern Europe -- they are brought inside to avoid freezes or they are grown as annuals.

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.

 

Want a garden that smells like heaven? Meet confederate (or star) jasmine—the fast-growing, low-maintenance vine that bursts with fragrant white blooms. Despite its name, Confederate Jasmine (also known as Star Jasmine for its star-shaped flowers) is not a "true" jasmine or native to the American south. Instead, it comes from China. This spreading vine has dark green, glossy leaves and white, very fragrant and showy flowers in spring.

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.

Upright, stiff, sword shaped leaves have green tops maturing to burgundy.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The ponytail palm is a unique houseplant that isn't a palm at all! It is actually closer to a succulent, believe it or not. It's an excellent choice if you want to add a beautiful houseplant to your home without spending a lot of time caring for it. You can also grow it well as a bonsai!

The base of the ponytail palm has a bulging appearance with a more narrow trunk , topped with a fountain of long, slender leaves resembling blades of grass. The foliage generally curves downward and can be as much as two feet long and just an inch wide. Because the foliage is quite long, ponytail palms require a generous amount of space.

Heart-shaped green leaves with yellow 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.

The shrimp plant is a perennial flowering shrub native to Mexico. Its name derives from the drooping clusters of flower bracts that resemble the shape and color of shrimps. The plant is known for its unusual and colorful display, typically showcasing a mix of green, white, and bright pink hues. An annual except iin zones 8 through 11, it appreciates well-drained soil, partial to full sun, and regular watering. It can reach a height of up to 48", making it a striking addition to borders, beds, or as a container plant. Regular pruning encourages bushiness and more blooms. This hummingbird-friendly shrub, with its year-round blooming, offers a tropical feel to any garden landscape.

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!

Cordyline Harlequin is a vibrant and eye-catching plant known for its green and pink-striped foliage. Cordyline 'Harlequin' features leaves that are variegated with shades of green and pink, creating a striking and colorful display. The foliage has a striped pattern, adding visual interest to the plant.

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.

This erect, upright tropical shrub has gray-green, leather like leaves striped with white. Tolerates indoor and low-light conditions.

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.