Imagine stepping into your home and feeling as if you’ve been whisked away to a lush, tropical paradise. The vibrant greens, bold textures, and exotic beauty of tropical plants can transform any space into a serene oasis. Whether you’re looking to create a jungle-like retreat in your living room or add a splash of the tropics to your office, the right plants can make all the difference. Let’s explore some stunning tropical plants that not only thrive indoors but also bring that sought-after tropical vibe into your home. Let’s turn your space into a slice of paradise.
CROTON (Codiaeum variegatum)
Grow these highly ornamental plants for their vividly coloured, variegated leaves that look like a graphic artist has sketched on them. There are many hybrids to choose from, the leaves of which can be slim and narrow or broad and bold, with green, red, orange and yellow markings. They are easy to grow from slips and pieces cut for the vase that will root in the water. They prefer the sun to partial shade.
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Also recommended for colour: Acalyphas, Pseuderanthemum alatum (chocolate plant), solenostemon and aucuba.
DELICIOUS MONSTER (Monstera deliciosa)
Their big, bold, dramatic leaves make these shade-loving plants an absolute must for any tropical garden. Also known as fruit salad plants because of their aromatic, edible fruits, they’ll need some support so give them a wall or tree trunk to scramble up. Sections with aerial roots may be cut off and planted to produce new plants.
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Also recommended for statement leaves: Philodendrons, palms like Trachycarpus fortunei, dieffenbachia, alocasias and Fatshedera lizei (tree ivy).
MARANTA LEUCONERA ‘TRICOLOUR’ (Prayer plant)
Best planted in filtered sunlight, these low-growing foliage plants have attractive oval leaves. Mass them where they can act as a carpet, adding depth to your beds, or use them as a foil for more dramatic upright plants like dracaenas and cordylines. Although moisture-loving, they need good drainage and require regular feeding.
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Also recommended as a groundcover: Ctenanthe oppenheimiana ‘Tricolour’ (The never-never plant), begonias and Calathea makoyana (peacock plant).
FERNS
There’s an amazing variety of ferns to choose from, including tall tree ferns, bold bird’s nest ferns and those, like maiden hair ferns, with delicate, feathery fronds. The new fronds of some ferns, like blechnums, also have wonderful pink and red tones. No matter which type you pick, ferns will give your garden a lush, green look and can be used both as fillers and for creating contrast in terms of leaf texture and shape. They’re moisture-loving and prefer a spot with filtered sunlight.
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FLAMINGO LILY (Anthurium spp.)
With their shiny, wax-like flowers offset by large, heart-shaped leaves, flamingo lilies are synonymous with the tropics. Flowering for much of the year, they need indirect or filtered sunlight, high humidity and warm temperatures to thrive. They grow best in loose, well-drained soil to which generous quantities of organic matter have been added.
Also recommended for exotic flowers: Begonias, fuchsias, impatiens, bromeliads and orchids.
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RED TI OR GOOD LUCK PLANT (Cordyline fruticosa)
With their vibrant red leaves cascading down like fireworks, colourful cordylines make the perfect choice for an accent plant in a tropical-style garden. They prefer a sheltered position with filtered light rather than direct sun and love the high humidity and warmth associated with the subtropics. If one of your cordylines has grown too tall, simply nip off the top and replant it; new shoots will often develop along the stalk.
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Originally published in Garden&Home Magazine.
