Top 5 Indoor Plants for Tropical Environments

Thinking of going to a place that has a tropical climate? If you’re wanting to get a dwelling south of the (USA) border than look no further than Mazatlán, Mexico! If you’re wanting to add some living organisms in the form of house plants to liven up your tropical space, then look no further than these five we’ve thrown together for you. (Your welcome!)

The following plants not only handle tropical environments like the champs they are, but some of them can also help keep your house naturally cool (say goodbye energy draining air conditioner units…not quite, but they’ll help!).

Mokkie [CC BY-SA 3.0]

1. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema): The Chinese Evergreen is well known to help purify toxins in the air. It requires very little maintenance so it’s best to water it lightly and keep it in low light.

Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

2. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura): The Prayer Plant’s leaves are large and decorative in color and patterns. The fascinating part of Prayer Plants is that the leaves curl to a close at night and reopen in the morning. Avoid direct sunlight and keep the soil mildly moist. It helps clear the air to filter pollutants.

3. Palms (Areca, Fern, Livistona, Fishtail and Lady palms): There are a variety of Palms that can brighten up your house and they also take in CO2 to then release O2. You’ll get more oxygen released if your Palm has a large leaf surface and misting it weekly will help keep it healthy.

Mokkie [CC BY-SA 3.0]

4. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia): The ZZ Plant is easy maintenance. It can thrive in low light and does not need frequent watering. Like other plants in this post, it helps remove toxins from indoor air. Not only does it help brighten up a room, but it also has a cool name.

Mokkie [CC BY-SA 3.0]

5. Snake Plant or Mother-in-Law Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata): The Snake Plant is a bit of a triple threat. It releases cool evaporated moisture into the air due to the leaves having a high water content, gives off oxygen and also helps remove toxins from the air. It’s best positioned in front of the window as it can take direct sunlight and also act like a shade to the room.

These are our Top 5, but there are sooooo many other indoor plants that can work. Start with these and let us know how it goes!