These low-maintenance tropical landscape plants will add alluring textures, colors, and scents to pots and planting beds.
Here are 23 plants that will help you create a tropical look in your garden.
The 6- to 12-inch-long trumpet-shaped flowers capture the attention of the eyes and the nose.
Credit: Carson Downing
In the evening, they perfume the garden with a sweet scent.
Grow angels' trumpets near abackyard patioor anywhere else you canenjoy the fragrance.
Also, check local restrictions before planting angels trumpet, as several communities have banned it.
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In cold climates, dig and store the tubers in a cool location following afoliage-killing frost.
With arrowhead leaves splashed with pink or white, or both, caladiums deliver color all summer.
Native to tropical regions in South America where they occupy the understory, these tuberous plants thrive in shade.
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Flowers are the highlight in summer, while bold swordlike foliage adds texture to the garden year-round.
Its 3- to 4-inch white or pink blooms lighten up dark foliage.
Vines bridge the gaps between tall and short tropical growers by trailing color from the ground up.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Crepe-paper-like flowers unfurl in mid to late summer duringhigh temperatures.
The vibrant blooms are actually modified leaves called bracts, and put on their show in spring.
The plants like it hot and are drought tolerant once established.
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Their large leaves can anchor a planting bed or be planted in a row for high impact.
In other areas, plant them as annuals or potted perennials (bringing them indoors in winter).
Jasmine is deer-resistant and, in the right conditions, a vigorous grower.
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In warm, tropical regions such as south Florida, jasmine grows vigorously to the point of being invasive.
Many vining jasmines root wherever a stem piece touches the ground, creating dense mats of foliage.
They both grow quickly in warm conditions, producing massive paddle-shaped leaves.
Credit: Bob Stefko
The leaves come in all kinds of vivid colors, often with contrasting edges, and interesting shapes.
It’s a relatively low-fuss plant for gardeners, requiring just a well-draining, consistently moist soil.
Most bromeliads prefer shade, but some varieties can handle full sun.
Credit:Bob Stefko
The flowers appear for about a month in midsummer.
The dramatic leaves grow 2 feet long, with sharp spines along the edges.
Red-hot poker is impressive in small groupings at the back of theperennial borderor as a single specimen plant.
Credit: Denny Schrock
The flowers bloom from the bottom up, attract hummingbirds, and are excellent in cut-flower arrangements.
Itworks beautifully as a groundcovertoo.
Native to Asia and Australia,lotusis considered sacred by the Buddhist and Hindu religions.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Their bell-shaped flowersin yellow, orange, pink, or redopen wide and dangle slightly from slim stems.
Some types have variegated foliage.
While they can survive in some shade, they flower best with ample sunlight.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Growing Conditions:Part shade to full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Size:8-15 feet tall
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