Tropical Plants

What is a tropical plant?

A tropical plant refers to the plant family derived from the tropics with bold evergreen style and bright summer blooms. 

They have been sourced from a climate with high humidity, warm temperatures and varying amounts of sun, light and rain year round. For your tropical plant to grow, they require access to conditions which resemble the tropical climate native to them. 

By caring for them correctly, tropical plants and their lush appearance can add different textures, shade, colours and styles of leaves to your garden which complements the subtropical Queensland climate.

How do I take care of a tropical garden?

If you’re looking to transform your green space into an oasis, the tropical look requires certain care techniques. When growing tropical plants outdoors in the ground, they need a copious water supply and to be fed generously with compost and mulch to mimic their tropical native environments. In cooler seasons, it is recommended to water your tropical plants once a week, and at least twice a week in spring and summer. 

To maintain their growth, it’s important to monitor the dryness of the soil and re-pot or transplant when needed. This can vary for each tropical plant and the Cobblepatch team can provide you with the knowledge you need to care for the specifics of your tropical garden. 

What tropical plants can be grown indoors?

If you are drawn to the look of tropical foliage but don’t have access to outdoor spaces or just want to bring tropics into your living space, some tropical plants are better houseplants than others. 

The Amazon’s Elephant Ear is an evergreen tropical plant with large pointed dark leaves with silver accents. It can make a great houseplant, requiring shaded or filtered sun but copious water. 

The Dumb Cane is another popular indoor tropical plant, recognised for its large light green leave, outlined in a dark green. Dumb Canes require filtered or indirect light during spring and summer and bright light during the winter season and watering twice a week. 

The Peace Lily plant is a tropical plant which can thrive indoors and grows a structural white flower. These plants need medium to indirect light and moist soils to grow. The combination of these three can create a fantastic indoor oasis in your living space, not needing to be planted with access to full sun. 

Which tropical plant is best for beginners?

If you are only just beginning with tropical gardens or have a rookie green thumb, Cobble Patch recommends picking plants which are low maintenance and easy to care for to maximise your chances for gardening a lush garden. The Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Banana Plant, Areca Plant and ZZ Plant are some tropical plants perfect for beginners to grow and grow relatively quickly so you get to reap the rewards of your hard work sooner rather than later. 

Cobble Patch can help you design your ideal tropical garden landscape, which is suited to your gardening skill and care level.