Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 8 Nov 2024

Six colorful plants for your indoor garden

Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather

Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather

Anthurium vittariifolium- Long Leaf Anthurium

Anthurium vittariifolium- Long Leaf Anthurium

Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant, Phaya-Yor

Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant, Phaya-Yor

Aeschynanthus speciosus - Lipstick Plant

Aeschynanthus speciosus - Lipstick Plant

Tibouchina multiflora (grandifolia) - Glory bush, Quaresmeira

Tibouchina multiflora (grandifolia) - Glory bush, Quaresmeira

Calathea zebrina - Zebra Plant

Calathea zebrina - Zebra Plant

🌈 Six colorful plants for your indoor garden



🎶 Q: I've read your post about growing tropicals indoors and you got me inspired! Can you recommend something unusual, colorful and bright, preferably with flowers, that I can grow as house plants?

🌸 A: House plants don't have to be boring and just green! Below are a few excellent choices for your indoor garden that will brighten your sunroom. Just make sure to follow the 10 key tips for growing tropical plants indoors.
  1. Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather - spectacular red feathery blooms and and soft, fussy leaves.
  2. Anthurium vittariifolium - Long Leaf Anthurium - super rare, an eye stopper, with long leaves up to 2 ft long, and bright pink fruit.
  3. Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant, Phaya-Yor - exotic flower from Thailand resembling snake's open mouth.
  4. Aeschynanthus speciosus - Lipstick Plant - popular house plant with bright showy orange blooms.
  5. Tibouchina multiflora (grandifolia) - Glory bush, Quaresmeira - can be grown outside in Southern gardens, as well as in a pot indoors. Showy purple flowers, velvet leaves are wonderfully soft 6-8"in diameter!
  6. Calathea zebrina - Zebra Plant - the brightest zebra-striped large leaves up to 1 ft long.


👍 What flowering plants do you grow in shade? Share in comments⬇️

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Date: 31 Jul 2025

Anthurium Collector Set

Giant  Bird's  Nest,  Long  Leaf,  and  Black  Dragon  Anthuriums  side  by 
 side,  showcasing  their  dramatic  foliage  and  size

These aren't your typical tropicals - they're collector-grade Anthuriums grown for foliage and texture. Each one brings something different, but they all thrive in the same kind of setting: shade or filtered light, warmth, and humidity. Perfect for growing in containers indoors or out.

Anthurium Black Dragon

This is the most dramatic of the trio. Upright, leathery leaves shift from dark green to nearly black depending on light. Instead of bright flowers, it produces a dark brown spadix and glowing red berries. A hybrid not found in the wild, it's grown from seed - no two are exactly alike.

  • Best for: Indoor focal plant, shaded patio, black ceramic pot
  • Height: 2–4 ft in container
  • Texture: Thick, architectural leaves
  • Highlight: Color shifts with light intensity

Grow Your Own Black Dragon

Read more about Black Dragon Anthurium

Anthurium hookeri – Giant Bird's Nest

This one's about scale. Broad, crinkled leaves with a cardboard-like texture form a bold rosette. It can get huge with time - up to 6 feet across. Perfect for gardeners who want the "instant jungle" look.

  • Best for: Shaded garden, large pots on porches
  • Height: Up to 5 ft; width even more
  • Texture: Wrinkled and leathery
  • Highlight: Bright red berries in maturity

Buy Giant Bird's Nest Anthurium

Read more about Giant Bird's Nest Anthurium

Anthurium vittariifolium – Long Leaf Anthurium

Graceful and rare, this species sends out narrow strap-like leaves that can reach 5–6 ft long. Ideal for hanging baskets or mounting. Bonus: it produces small pink fruit against deep green foliage.

  • Best for: Hanging displays, vertical planters, bright bathrooms
  • Height: Leaf length, not upright height - up to 6 ft
  • Texture: Smooth, ribbon-like
  • Highlight: Cascading growth and color contrast

Buy Long Leaf Anthurium

Read more about Long Leaf Anthurium

✅ How to Care for Anthuriums

  • Light: Bright, indirect light is best. Avoid direct sun, especially mid-day. These plants evolved in rainforest understory - think "dappled light under trees."
  • Water: Keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy. Let the top inch dry before watering. They hate wet feet.
  • Humidity: These are tropicals - they'll do fine in 50-60% humidity, but thrive at 70%+. Use pebble trays or place near other plants. Bathrooms with windows work great.
  • Soil: Use an airy mix: orchid bark + perlite + peat or coco coir. Drainage is key. Never use plain potting soil.
  • Fertilizer: Feed with SUNSHINE Robusta every 2–4 weeks during warm seasons. It's formulated for aroids and won't burn roots.
  • Potting: Use shallow, wide containers. Repot only every 2–3 years, or when roots crowd the pot. They don't like frequent disruption.
  • Temperature: Ideal: 65–85 F. Short dips to the 30s F are tolerated by mature plants, but avoid cold drafts.

Shop All Anthuriums

Date: 17 Jan 2026

Ti plant leaf color meaning

Hawaiian Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)

Hawaiian Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)

🌈 Ti plant leaf color meaning



The Hawaiian Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) is more than just a colorful tropical accent. Across Polynesian, Hawaiian, and Southeast Asian cultures, the color of ti plant leaves has long been associated with different meanings, moods, and uses - both symbolic and practical.
  • 🌈 Green leaves
  • Green ti plants are linked to peace, balance, and steady growth. Traditionally, they were planted around homes for protection and good fortune. In the garden, green varieties are usually the toughest and most shade-tolerant.
  • 🌈 Red and deep burgundy leaves
  • Red ti plants are associated with strength, power, and protection. In Hawaiian tradition, red ti leaves were believed to ward off negative energy and were often used in ceremonies. Garden-wise, deeper reds usually mean more sun exposure and stronger pigmentation.
  • 🌈 Pink, magenta, and multicolor leaves
  • These colorful ti plants symbolize joy, celebration, and creativity. They are often used as ornamental focal points and in festive plantings. Variegated and pink types tend to prefer brighter light to keep their colors sharp.
  • 🌈 Purple and dark-toned leaves
  • Purple ti plants are linked to mystery, spirituality, and transformation. Their dramatic color comes from high anthocyanin levels and usually intensifies in bright light with good nutrition.
  • 🌈 Yellow or light variegation
  • Yellow tones often represent optimism and new beginnings. Plants with lighter variegation may grow a bit slower and need protection from harsh sun, but they add a softer contrast in tropical landscapes.
  • 🌈 One practical note
Leaf color is influenced not just by variety, but also by light, temperature, and nutrition. Fading color usually means too little light or depleted soil, while rich, bold tones signal a happy plant.

Ti plant colors tell a story - part cultural tradition, part plant health, and part personal style in your garden.

🛒 Ti plants rainbow: collect them all

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Cordyline fruticosa, Cordyline terminalis
Hawaiian Ti Leaf
USDA Zone: 9-11
Large shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall plant 2-5 ftSemi-shadeShadeFull sunRegular waterOrnamental foliageUnusual colorPink flowersSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
  • Cordyline fruticosa in Plant Encyclopedia
  • Ti plant: bold color, easy care
  • Color that lasts year-round

  • #Container_Garden #Hedges_with_benefits #Shade_Garden #Discover #Horoscope

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    Date: 3 Feb 2026

    Four popular plants of friendship, appreciation, and shared connection

    Heliconia flower

    Heliconia flower

    Ixora flower

    Ixora flower

    Bougainvillea flower

    Bougainvillea flower

    Gardenia flower

    Gardenia flower

    💕 Four popular plants of friendship, appreciation, and shared connection



    Not all love is romantic. Many tropical plants symbolize warmth, friendship, hospitality, and human connection.
    • ❣️ 1. Gardenia


      Gardenia symbolizes quiet devotion, gratitude, and unspoken affection. It is often given to express deep appreciation rather than dramatic romance.

    👉 Gardenia gift
    • ❣️ 2. Heliconia


      With its interlocking bracts, heliconia represents unity, partnership, and celebration. It is often linked to joyful relationships and togetherness and is widely used as a long-lasting cut flower in tropical arrangements.

    👉 Heliconia gift
    • ❣️ 3. Bougainvillea


      Bougainvillea symbolizes enduring love and protection - beauty supported by strength. It is often associated with commitment and resilience in relationships.

    👉 Bougainvillea gift

    ❣️ 4. Ixora


    Known in parts of Asia as the "flower of love", Ixora represents friendship, emotional closeness, and community bonds.

    🛒 Explore gift plants
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    Date: 9 Mar 2026

    Dont Wait Years: 8 Fruit Plants You Can Harvest the Same Season

    Don't wait years for fruit! Harvest papayas, berries, figs, and more in the very same season you plant them with these fast-growing varieties.

    Don't wait years for fruit! Harvest papayas, berries, figs, and more in the very same season you plant them with these fast-growing varieties.

    Don't Wait Years: 8 Fruit Plants You Can Harvest the Same Season 🍒

    Growing fruit at home usually requires years of patience. Most gardeners view fruit trees as a long-term investment that may not pay off for a decade.
    But you don't have to wait.
    Certain tropical and subtropical plants are "fast-track" growers. In warm climates like Florida, choosing the right varieties means you can see flowers and fruit within months of planting - often in the very same season.
    If you want a backyard harvest without the wait, here are the fastest-producing fruits you can plant today.
    • 🍓 1. Blackberry Jam Fruit (Randia formosa)



      A compact shrub perfect for containers. It produces star-shaped flowers and dark purple fruit that tastes exactly like blackberry preserves. Established plants often fruit in their first season.
    • 🍓 2. Peanut Butter Fruit (Bunchosia)



      This fast-growing large shrub produces orange pulp with the uncanny flavor and texture of peanut butter. Expect flowers and bright red berries within months of planting in warm conditions.
    • 🍓 3. Papaya (Carica papaya)



      The "giant herb" of the fruit world. Papayas are legendary for their speed, often flowering just months after planting and providing sweet, vitamin-rich fruit within the same year.
    • 🍓 4. Grumichama Cherry (Eugenia brasiliensis)



      A stunning Brazilian evergreen. Grafted plants can fruit the same season they are planted, offering glossy, dark cherries with a sweet, mild finish.
    • 🍓 5. Black Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora var. Lolita)



      The 'Lolita' cultivar is a game-changer. It grows quickly as an edible hedge and produces nearly black, resin-free fruit that is significantly sweeter than the common red varieties.
    • 🍓 6. Mysore Raspberry and Tropical Blackberries (Rubus sp.)



      Unlike traditional berries that require chill hours, these Rubus species thrive in the heat. Their vigorous canes grow rapidly, often fruiting the same season they hit the soil.
    • 🍓 7. Everbearing Mulberry (Morus sp.)



      Mulberries are incredibly generous. Everbearing varieties produce sweet berries over an extended window and often begin fruiting the very first year they are planted.
    • 🍓 8. Fig Trees (Ficus carica)



      Figs are the champions of container gardening. They are highly drought-tolerant and famous for setting honey-sweet fruit even at a very young age—often just months after being established.


    🏡 Where to plant them?
    • 👉 Tips for Faster Results


    • •  Start Large: Buy "nursery-established" plants rather than seeds.
    • •  Feed the Need: Use high-quality organic fertilizer to support rapid growth.
    • •  Sun is Fuel: Most of these varieties require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight to trigger flowering.


    🛒 Plant these fruits now - some can produce within months

    📷 Freshly picked tropical fruit bounty: don't wait years for fruit! Harvest papayas, berries, figs, and more in the very same season you plant them with these fast-growing varieties.

    #Food_forest #How_to #Discover

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