11 Tropical Flower Plants That Will Enliven Any Room
Plants that come from tropical regions often grow well in our warm homes. In addition to their lush leaves, many of these tropical flower plants will produce gorgeous blooms indoors. Some are even fragrant! A few of these plants can be a little more finicky than others to grow regarding water and light, but most are pretty easy-care. Even if you're just beginning your houseplant collection, most of these varieties will reward you with colorful flowers without much effort on your part.
Here are the best tropical flower plants to grow and tips for keeping them healthy so you can enjoy their beautiful blooms for as long as possible.
African Violet
A classic favorite among tropical flower plant parents, African violet (Saintpaulia) produces velvety green leaves on short leafstalks. It has clusters of single, semi-double, or double flowers in white, pink, red, violet, purple, blue, lime green, pale yellow, or bicolor. Petals of this tropical flowering houseplant are ruffled, rounded, or fringed.
Size: Up to 12 inches tall
Light: Bright to low, indirect light
Watering: Water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Avoid getting water droplets on the leaves (which will damage them); place the pot in a shallow dish filled with about an inch of water for 30 minutes so the roots can soak up water from the bottom.
Anthurium
A popular tropical houseplant, Anthurium is available in numerous varieties that produce stately, brightly colored blooms. These plants adapt to most homes' low light and erratic humidity and can bloom almost constantly.
Size: Up to 20 inches tall
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Water when the soil is dry to the touch (Anthurium doesn't like consistently moist soil)
Begonia
Often used as an annual in gardens and outdoor containers, begonias make a pretty indoor plant, too, particularly fibrous and rhizomatous varieties. Many begonias produce foliage that's just as attractive as the clusters of small, colorful blooms.
Size: Up to 18 inches
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Avoid getting water droplets on the leaves (which will damage them). Place the pot in a shallow dish filled with about an inch of water for 30 minutes so the roots can soak up water from the bottom.
Bromeliad
Striking and unusual, a bromeliad is a tropical flower plant that blooms only once, then slowly forms offshoots before the main plant dies. The offshoots can be repotted as their own plants.
Size: About 3 feet
Light: Medium to bright light
Watering: Pour a small amount of water into the cup-shaped leaves in the center of the plant to keep it moist. Empty the water weekly and refill to prevent it from becoming stagnant.
Calla
The elegant flower of the calla (Zantedeschia) isn't a flower at all. Instead, it's a spathe (a petal-like leaf) that curls around a column of fragrant yellow flowers. A popular choice for bouquets and flower arrangements, you can find calla in white, pink, yellow, orange, or red.
Size: Up to 3 feet tall
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Keep the plant consistently moist while it's in bloom, then let it dry out as it dies to encourage new growth.
Clivia
Large clusters of trumpet-shaped orange blooms top leathery, dark green leaves on this tropical flower plant. The flowers fade in late spring and are followed by pretty red berries. After repotting Clivia, it may take years to bloom again.
Size: Up to 3 feet tall
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Water deeply to keep the soil a little moist between waterings. Let your plant dry slightly before giving it another drink.
Goldfish Plant
Look closely at the reddish-orange blooms of Columnea gloriosa, and you'll see they resemble small goldfish hiding among the small glossy leaves. This plant grows long trailing stems, so it's a good choice for a hanging basket.
Size: 18 to 24 inches
Light: Bright, indirect light
Watering: Keep the soil slightly moist during the summer, then let it dry out somewhat between waterings in the winter.
Gardenia
Gardenia blooms from spring through fall with large, glossy, dark green leaves and fragrant creamy-white flowers. However, it's tricky to grow as a tropical flower indoors because it won't set flowers when warmer than 65°F at night. It also needs high humidity and lots of sunlight, so it works best in a cool greenhouse.
Size: Can grow up to 8 feet outdoors but are commonly up to 3 feet indoors.
Light: Place in a spot with at least half a day of direct sunlight.
Watering: Water when the soil is dry to the touch.
Lipstick Plant
The unusual blooms of the lipstick plant are made up of a dark purple tubular cup holding a scarlet flower bud, which inspired its name. This tropical flower plant may only bloom occasionally when grown as a tropical houseplant. However, during the warmer months, you can take your lipstick plant outside, where it'll get some extra sun to encourage more flowers.
Size: Up to 20 inches tall
Light: Medium light
Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist
Moth Orchid
The moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) is better known for its striking flowers than its leathery leaves. It's one of the easier orchids to grow indoors and comes in many flower colors. It blooms once or twice a year, usually in the cooler winter months.
Size: Up to 1 foot indoors
Light: Low to bright light
Watering: Water once a week or so, just before it feels completely dry to the touch
Peace Lily
The distinctive peace lily flower is a pure white bract that forms a softly curved backdrop for the central column of tiny, closely set flowers, known as a spadix. It's a favorite indoor tropical plant for its attractive deep green foliage and long-lasting blooms.
Size: Up to 3 feet
Light: Bright to low, indirect light
Watering: Let the soil dry out between waterings.
Indoor Plant Care and Decor Ideas
After you've picked out houseplants, whether tall and impressive or small and sweet, it helps to know how to care for them so you can enjoy them for a long time. Don't be alarmed if the leaves turn yellow; there's a way to fix that. If your room is dark, an indoor plant light will make a big difference where there's little sun. A plant stand will elevate your greenery off the ground for better impact in the room, and hanging plants emphasize the height of a room or add vertical design to a low ceiling. Keep your plants sufficiently watered and fertilized based on their needs for the healthiest plants and to encourage growth.