The tropical regions of the world have abundant lush green environments filled with exotic plants, bright colors and contrasting foliage shapes. Luckily, the tropical look isn’t limited to a tropical environment. By selecting the best combination of tropical foliage plants you can create a tropical garden paradise wherever you are, indoors or outdoors.
Tropical foliage plants are valued for architectural leaf shapes, colored or patterned leaves, or for their luscious green leaves that provide a backdrop to showcase more exotic plants. Understanding how to create the right combination of foliage size, shape and color and group plants with similar care needs is the secret to creating your own tropical paradise. Our guide to tropical foliage plants includes both tropical plants and other plants that have foliage with tropical characteristics but are native to colder climates. Read on for examples of the best tropical foliage plants for all growing conditions or select from the options below to skip to that section.
Use lush dark green foliage to recreate the look of tropical rainforests
The most important consideration when planning a collection of foliage plants in a single color is to vary the leaf shapes and sizes. As shown in our guide to common tropical leaf shapes below, there are many different shapes to choose from. Aim for a combination of strappy leaves, rounded or heart-shaped leaves, oval leaves, fan or palm-shaped leaves, leaves with saw-toothed or wavy margins, and of course different sizes. This principle applies to both outdoor gardens and collections of tropical indoor plants.
Tropical foliage plants with sagittate and heart-shaped leaves:
Plants with sagittate or heart-shaped leaves include Alocasia varieties, Colocasia varieties, Arum and Calla lilies (Zantedeschia), as well as some varieties of Philodendron and Caladium.
These plants are mostly used as the mid and low-height fillers, although some giant varieties of Alocasia can contribute to a canopy. Leaves may feature white/cream or colored variegation, contrasting stalk and/or veins and have glossy, matte, or even velvety textures. Examples include the popular tropical houseplants African mask plant (Alocasia ‘Polly’) and the Green Velvet plant (Alocasia micholitziana).
Arum and Calla lilies are summer-flowering tubers. Arum lilies in particular like a moist environment and will grown in swampy conditions. Calla lilies prefer a growing medium that is moist but not wet.
Elephant Ear (Alocasia) and Taro (Colocasia) have varieties that range in height from 30 cm/12 in up to a giant 1.5 m/5 ft. They are perennials with similar care needs, specifically filtered light or part shade and a moist growing medium. Additionally, they appreciate plenty of nutrients to support their rapid growth during their peak growing season during the warmer months.
Caladium foliage comes in shades of green, white, red and pink. They are tender perennials meaning that in cold climates they will go dormant over winter. If you grow them outdoors and your soil freezes make sure you dig them up and store them in a cool, dry place. In temperate climates they can be left in the soil or if grown indoors or in warm climates they are on show all year round.
Tropical foliage plants with ovate leaves:
Ovate leaves are the most common leaf shape but there is still plenty of variety in size and texture to create interest in your garden.
Tall ovate foliage plants
Strelitzia nicolai, the Giant Bird of Paradise grows to a towering height of up to 8 m/25 ft and is suitable for screening and as a canopy plant. Its leaves are very similar to the banana (Musa) plant, but can tolerate cold, frost and drought so is a great alternative for colder climates. Its smaller cousin, the regular Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) grows to 2.5 m/8 ft and is also cold, frost and drought tolerant.
Bananas grow in tropical and subtropical climates however there are a couple of varieties that will grow in cooler areas as long as they are not exposed to freezing temperatures. If grown in cooler areas they are unlikely to fruit successfully but they will still produce gorgeous large dark green leaves.
Low and medium height ovate foliage plants
Mid-height plants with large ovate leaves include Heliconia and the ginger varieties such as Zingiber and Alpinia. Alpinia will grow in warm temperate regions but Heliconia and Zingiber prefer the tropics. Canna lilies are another good choice for those looking for a drought hardy and cold tolerant option. In cold climates they will die back over winter and can be dug up or heavily mulched ready for them to be replanted or re-emerge in spring. They grow quite quickly and some varieties can reach 1.5 m/5 ft. Canna and Strelitzia can both handle positions that get hot afternoon sun.
Philodendrons and Taffeta plant (Hoffmannia ghiesbreght) are good low-mid height plants but don’t like full sun and need moist soil. If you are growing them outside a tropical climate they are best grown indoors or on a patio. Rubber tree (Ficus elastica) and weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) are both popular houseplants that like medium light and humidity levels. Dieffenbachia varieties, known by the common name of Dumb Cane, are also popular houseplants.
Tropical foliage plants with linear leaves
Just like with the ovate leaves, linear shaped tropical foliage plants are abundant but have so many sizes and colors that you can use many of them in your garden successfully.
Tall linear foliage plants
Taller plants like the Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata or Dracaena draco) and Gymea lily (Doryanthes excelsa) are low maintenance and very drought tolerant but are also slow growing. Both tolerate full sun or part shade. Gymea lilies can tolerate frosts but Dragon trees are more sensitive to them, with established trees tolerating only a very light frost. Gymea lilies grow to 1.5 m/5 ft high and wide and when mature will produce a long stalk of red flowers that can reach 3-4m /10-13 ft. This red spike gives rise to the other common names it has such as Spear Lily, Flame Lily and Giant Lily.
Dragon trees are slow-growing trees making them suitable to be grown indoors and outdoors. They are native to subtropical climates. Initially a dragon tree grows from a single stem and then once reaching maturity produces a flower spike and then starts producing branches. Eventually it can reach 15 m/50 ft high but takes a long time to get there. If grown indoors it will only reach around 3-4 ft/1.2 m which will take 10-15 years. It doesn’t like to get too wet so ensure that it has good drainage and allow it to dry out a bit between watering.
A cousin of the Dracaena family, Cordyline varieties have similar sun, heat and drought tolerance but are a little more frost sensitive. Cabbage tree or Cabbage palm (Cordyline australis) is the hardier variety and has long narrow strappy leaves. Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) has wider leaves but is frost tender. Both come in a range of bright tropical colors. See the colored foliage examples in this article for examples.
Low and medium height linear foliage plants
Ground covers include spider plants and liriope varieties. These both prefer low light conditions if outdoors, such as full or dappled shade. Liriope has plain green or striped leaves and white, purple or pink flowers in summer. It is the better choice outside tropical and subtropical climates as it is able to survive cold temperatures however the grass-like forms of Chlorophytum such as Starlight spider plant are cold tolerant. Some varieties of spider plants and liriope can tolerate dry conditions once established. Growing slightly higher, up to 60 cm/2 ft are the Renga Renga lilies from New Zealand, snake plant, and pineapple lilies.
Pineapple lilies (Eucomis) are summer flowering annual bulbs and bloom in shades of green, pink, purple and cream. Foliage can be green or purple. Renga Renga lilies (Arthropodium cirratum) are a clump-forming perennial that produces 1 m/3 ft high stalks of white flowers in summer. They are a hardy plant that can tolerate full sun or part shade, dry conditions, frost and heat.
Bromeliads are better suited to conditions that replicate tropical climates, which is their natural environment. They give the best results when consistently exposed to warm temperatures and high humidity. However, they are prone to root rot so need a free draining growing medium.
Bromeliads are generally low-growing so like a shady position, similar to their natural habitat on the rainforest floor. Some are epiphytic and their native habitat is on trees. These varieties like a little more light, but still just bright indirect light. Periods of exposure to direct sunlight will burn the leaves. They make ideal houseplants as long as you can maintain humidity. Place on a humidity tray or mist the leaves occasionally if needed. There a thousands of different varieties including many with green foliage with colored flowers or colored foliage.
Tropical foliage plants with fan-shaped leaves
Plants with fan-shaped leaves are generally varieties of palm. Palm trees can be used in a tropical garden as part of the canopy, or make ideal specimen plants in large gardens. While palms are synonymous with tropical climates, there are frost hardy palms that can be grown in much cooler areas. If you live in a very cold area you don’t need to miss out. Many palms are suitable to be grown in pots indoors or on a patio.
Bismarck Palm (Bismarckia nobilis) comes in dark green or a silver color. It makes an ideal feature plant but needs a large garden as it will eventually grow to up to 21m/70ft high and 4.5m/15ft wide. It can recover from temperatures that briefly drop to -4 oC or 25 oF and is very drought tolerant.
A better choice in a smaller garden is the Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii). This palm grows to 3 m/10 ft high and 2 m/7 ft wide and can tolerate temperatures that dip to freezing point but not below.
Fishtail palms (Caryotis mitis) can be grown indoors or outdoors in tropical and subtropical climates. They will grow up to 8 m/25 ft if grown outdoors in optimal conditions. Fishtail palms need a humid environment so are not drought hardy. They can tolerate full or part sun and if grown indoors will benefit from an outing on occasions to soak up some extra light.
The Majestic palm, or Majesty palm (Ravenea rivularis) is another that can be grown indoors or outdoors and prefers a humid environment. It can even handle being wet for periods of time. It is frost sensitive so needs to be grown indoors in cold climates. Outdoors it can grow up to 12 m/40 ft.
Tropical foliage plants with lobed leaves
Lobed foliage helps to create a sense of texture in the tropical garden. This is because the lobes give the leaves a more three dimensional appearance, creating shadows and visual interest. Philodendron varieties such as Lickety Split (Philodendron bipinnatifidum Lickety Split) and Hope (Philodendron bipinnatifidum Hope) have large leaves while Xanadu (Philodendron bipinnatifidum ‘Winterbourn’) has smaller leaves. On all three varieties the lobes become more pronounced as the plant matures. All three look fantastic in a massed display or as an underplanting to a larger specimen tree. The lobes become more pronounced as the plant matures.
Lickety Split and Hope will grow in full or part shade and will recover from brief exposure to frost. Xanadu is more sensitive and needs protection from full sun and frost.
Oyster plant or Bears Breeches (Acanthus mollus) is perennial that has large glossy lobed leaves with a sawtooth edge. They produce white and purple flower spikes 1m/3ft high in summer months. It tolerates full sun but needs a moist soil.
A popular option for indoor tropical plants is the Mini Monstera. This isn’t actually a true monstera plant, its botanical name is Raphidophora tetrasperma. The leaves have a cut-out appearance similar to that of Monstera deliciosa, which is where it gets its name.
Tropical foliage plants with palmate leaves
The broad palmate leaves are ideal for masses of color, creating a canopy or screening. I’ve included ovate leaves in a palmate arrangement, such as Plumeria and Money Tree in this category. Even though they aren’t technically palmate they serve a similar appearance.
Frangipani and fig trees perform best in a sunny position. In a shadier location they may not produce flowers or fruit.
Japanese Aralia (Fatsia japonica) and Money Tree (Pacihra aquatica) prefers a part or full shade position and can grow indoors. Money Tree comes from the rainforests of Central America and likes a moist growing medium, but doesn’t like sitting in water. Japanese Aralia is actually native to Europe, not Japan. Its leaves grow up to 30 cm/12 in wide and if grown outdoors reach up to 5 m/16 ft. In pots it generally reaches a height of 1.5-2 m/5-7 ft. Keep an eye out for the variegated leaves with shades of cream, white, gold and lime green.
Heuchera come in a rainbow of colors. The amount of sun they receive impacts the vibrancy of their color so check the ideal light conditions when making your plant selections. You will find there are options for full sun and part shade.
Other interesting tropical foliage leaf shapes:
It’s not hard to see where the Tractor Seat Plant (Ligularia reniform) gets its name. It is also known as Ragwort. Perfect for mass planting, Tractor Seat Plant likes a part shade position with moist soil.
The Rush-leaf Bird of Paradise has leaves with an elongated stalk with a small paddle-shaped leaf at the tip. The flowers are the same as the regular Bird of Paradise, and it shares the same growing conditions. Juvenile plants will appear similar to Strelitzia reginae as they develop the rush-shaped leaves when they reach maturity. It’s worth the wait! If you are planning a contemporary tropical garden design you’ll want to include this plant.
Monkey Face Vine or Fruit Salad Vine (Monstera adansonii) is a fast growing and easy-care tropical plant that is a popular houseplant. The leaves are much smaller than the Monstera deliciosa and the Mini Monstera (Raphidophora tetrasperma).
Create interest with variegation and other patterns
Variegated foliage plants are coveted by collectors of rare and unusual plants. Variegation is a disruption to the production of green pigment (chlorophyl) in leaves. It can be the result of a genetic mutation or from viral or chemical damage to the plant. The variegated area is usually white or cream but can be other colors such as yellow and pink.
Patterned variation, such as in many Calathea varieties, isn’t caused by random mutations. Rather, it is a normal genetic trait of that plant and will be consistently passed as the plant reproduces. Calathea varieties have a range of variegation patterns and include shades of pink, purple, yellow and cream. They are a great addition to your living room indoors where you can create a collage of colors and patterns with a group of plants.
Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is a popular indoor climbing plant. Its heart-shaped foliage that is green with yellow variegation. As shown in the picture above, it is a groundcover in tropical and subtropical climates. Being a climber, if a support is available it will climb so be prepared for it to start growing up the trunks of trees.
Plants like the Pink Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) and Pink Princess philodendron (Philodendron erubescens ‘Pink Princess’) have pink variegation in their leaves.
Plants with colored foliage:
Persian Shield (Strobilanthes dyeriana) is a tender evergreen perennial that is grown as an annual in cold climates. It is also ideal as a houseplant as it prefers full shade outdoors so is suited to bright indirect light indoors. The purple and green leaves have an iridescent quality to them and can grow up to 20 cm/8 in long.
Black Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is often sold under the names Black Magic or Black Coral and prefers temperate to tropical climates. It grows in full to part shade and moist or wet soils, reaching a height of up to 1.5 m/5 ft.
Croton makes a great border or hedge planting in colors of green, gold, red, pink and bronze. In tropical settings it can reach a height of 3 m/10 ft but is smaller in subtropical environments. In cold climates it needs to grow indoors in pots and needs lots of bright light. Outdoors it likes a sunny position. Hot afternoon sun may scorch the leaves but won’t otherwise harm the plant.
Tiger Plant (Sanchezia nobilis ‘Ellen’) is an evergreen perennial suited to frost-free environments and is great for underplanting trees. Alternatively it makes a great potted specimen plant. It needs full or dappled shade outdoors or bright indirect light indoors.
Aglaonema are sometimes called Chinese Evergreens and are native to the tropical rainforests of Asia. They like a full shade position and some varieties can tolerate low light indoors.
Phildendron Prince of Orange has new growth that starts out as orange and then fades to green as it matures. This means that the plant’s leaves will have a variety of different colors at any given point in time. It can grow outdoors in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate environments in part or dappled shade. It is also a popular houseplant.
Combining colored and patterned leaves for a tropical look
If you are planning to use a plant with architectural or brightly colored foliage as a focal point don’t mix it into a densely vegetated area with other similarly colored plants. Instead, use them as an ornamental plant as they need to stand out and get all the admiration they deserve. Either give them space or plant them against a backdrop of contrasting colored foliage to make them stand out.
This image demonstrates effective use of colored foliage. The pink of the croton matches the pink of the ginger flowers, accentuating each other rather than competing for attention. The croton provides interest in the garden year-round when the ginger isn’t flowering.
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