Tropical house plants can radiate vibrance and exotic finesse to your house even if you live in a colder environment. Some tropical house plants are well-known for their beautiful and dazzling flowers, while others have unique patterns or variegated leaves as their charming points.
Tropical plants are great house plants because they are manageable to grow indoors. Most of them have similar basic needs. Many of these plants originate from tropical forests where they live beneath the shade of giant trees, which means they do not need lots of light. The exotic house plants also do not require complex maintenance. However, there are some basic reminders in growing tropical indoor plants, such as humidity and water.
How to care for tropical house plants
- Humidity
Jungle plants are accustomed to high humidity, making them hard to thrive in the dry air of North American houses, especially during the winter. Luckily, most popular tropical house plants will quickly adapt to living indoors, where the air is not strongly humid. You can do some tricks to increase the humidity level in your house and help your tropical house plants thrive.
Try to put your plants on a tray of pebbles filled with water to increase the humidity. Do not allow the plants to sit in the water. You can also run a humidifier near your tropical house plants or mist them frequently.
- Water
Tropical plants usually have similar special watering needs. They like soil that is somewhat moist all the time but not too wet. Lots of tropical plants are sensitive to root rot. It happens when the root being in the water for too long.
Some tropical house plants will survive under-watered every once in a while. But overwatering is a big no. It is the most frequent cause of death for tropical house plants.
Check the soil repeatedly and only water your tropical house plants when they need it. When your plant soil is still wet, you do not need to water it yet.
- Light
Tropical house plants terrifically adapt to the indoor low light conditions. It is best to check the right lighting conditions for your specific plants. Some plants can even thrive with no natural light at all. Some others might need bright and indirect sunlight, which is great for putting near a window.
- Potting soil
Most indoor tropical house plants will thrive well in general-purpose potting soil. If you overwater your plants, add more perlite or pumice into the potting soil to make the water drain out faster. On the other hand, if you underwater your plants, you can mix some vermiculite or peat moss into the general-purpose soil to help preserve moisture longer.
Some tropical house plants require specific soil, such as bromeliads and orchids. Again, it depends on the type of plants, so you need to research them first.
- Fertilizer
Feeding house plants are advantageous during hotter seasons like spring and summer. Make it your regular tropical house plant care routine throughout these periods. Do not fertilize exotic plants during the winter except for the plant that requires it.
- Pests
House plant pests can be troublesome to manage. For this reason, you need to keep your tropical house plants healthy and stay fresh because healthy house plants do not frequently have a lot of pest issues. But, at some point, when you grow house plants, you will probably have to handle pests. When that time comes, initiate treatment immediately.
When treating pests on plants, do not use chemical pesticides. They are not effective on some types of bugs, also harmful to humans and pets. Find a more organic and natural pesticide that will work well for your tropical plants.
Colorful Tropical Plants to Warm Up Your Indoor Space
- Orchids
Orchids are the most diverse of all plant groups. They come from all around the world, from deserts to tropical woodlands. But the orchids most people well know are from tropical and subtropical regions.
Flowering orchids are the most essentials tropical plant, especially when it comes to decorative and ornamental plants. It has various beautiful colors such as white, purple, yellow, pink, orange, red, and variegated.
To care for this exotic plant, provide humidity and avoid dry air. Also, get just enough bright and indirect light. Water once a week and do not overwater the plant.
Exotic orchids signify luxury, beauty, love, and strength. Some people also correlate orchids as a symbol of sexuality and fertility.
- Bromeliads
Bromeliads are presumably the easiest to grow of all tropical plants. These exotic air plants are well-adapted to planting in pots. They can grow in fast-draining potting soil. They can also be attached to boards for wall placement.
Bromeliads have a wide range of vibrant colors and textures that will make your house looks vigorous wherever you put them indoors. The colors and patterns of Bromeliads are red, green, orange, yellow, purple, spots, stripes, or other unique combinations.
These exotic house plants like bright and indirect natural light, so it is best to keep the plant near a window. But if your house does not get natural light exposure, Bromeliads can thrive under fluorescent lighting only.
Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans used almost every part of Bromeliad for food, fibers, shelter, and ceremonies. They regarded the Bromeliad as a gift from the gods in these homelands. Bromeliads symbolize protection, looking at the green foliage which encircles the pleasant colored part.
- Bird of paradise
Bird of paradise is one of the tropical flowering plants with large and distinctive flowers that many people say mirrors a bird’s head and beak. Bird of paradise has vibrant colors of flowers such as blue and orange, also can come out as white. They signify freedom and joy.
This tropical plant is also an easy type to grow indoors. While it is a fast-growing indoor plant, you should fertilize it weekly. Bird of paradise can build up to 6 feet tall.
Unlike other tropical plants that thrive in no natural light conditions, bird of paradise requires bright light and direct sun exposure. Keep the soil for this flowering plant moist.
