- Rows of tropical taro plants.PNC/Photodisc/Getty Images
Cultivated across the globe for their exotic features, tropical plants are popular ornamental garden and houseplants. Many tropical plants showcase spectacular foliage with broad, glossy leaves whether or not the plant is flowering. Gardeners who want to add lush greenery to their home have a number of tropical green leaf plants from which to choose. - Cultivated across the globe for their exotic features, tropical plants are popular ornamental garden and houseplants. Many tropical plants showcase spectacular foliage with broad, glossy leaves whether or not the plant is flowering. Gardeners who want to add lush greenery to their home have a number of tropical green leaf plants from which to choose.
- Also called flame nettle or painted nettle, coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) is a low-growing perennial that matures to 1 to 3 feet tall. The plant has a dense, mounding habit with scalloped leaves. Though coleus is often chosen for its brightly colored red or purple leaves, varieties, such as Amazon, offer green leaves that are equally striking. Plant coleus indoors in a container, or outdoors as an annual. The plant grows as a perennial only in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 11. Coleus does best in a well-draining, damp soil in partial or full sunlight. Look for mealybugs and scale if growing the plant indoors.
- A member of the arum family, taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a wetlands plant native to tropical Asia. The plant has large, elephant ear-shaped leaves that are about 2 to 3 feet long, depending on the cultivar. Taro produces fleshy tubers similar to potatoes that can be cooked and eaten. Taro is suitable for USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 8 to 11, ideally in a well-draining, slightly acidic soil. Enhance the soil with organic matter-, and frequently water it. Taro thrives in partial or full sunlight. Taro may become aggressive or even invasive in some regions.
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