The tropical regions of the world are home to an enormous variety of plant life, including countless tropical plants. Whether you live in a tropical environment or not, you can still enjoy these plants inside your home or in your garden during the warmer months of the year. This list brings you 50 favorite types of tropical flowers with a few fun facts and care tips to help you grow them, too.
50 Popular Types of Tropical Flowers and How to Grow Them
1. Amaryllis
Not to be confused with plants from the Amaryllis genus, the Hippeastrum genus of the Amaryllidaceae plant family contains about 90 species and over 600 hybrids of bulbous flowering plants that are commonly called amaryllis flowers. These tropical flowers are native to Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil. The cherry-red varieties have become popular to grow and gift around the holidays.
| Scientific Name: | Hippeastrum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 7 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Partial sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, burgundy, pink, orange, salmon, yellow-green, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Spring or summer but can be force-bloomed in winter |
2. Paperflower or Lesser Bougainvillea
Native to eastern South America, the Bougainvillea glabra is a species of climbing shrub in the Nyctaginaceae plant family, and one of the most commonly grown types of bougainvillea. They produce large clusters of blossoms with large and showy bright, purplish and pink flower bracts that surround smaller, white flower blossoms. Grown as hedges, the lesser bougainvillea is quite striking when it is in bloom, as the bright blossoms completely overtake the dark-green foliage.
| Scientific Name: | Bougainvillea glabra |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 (with winter protection) to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Showy pinkish-purple bracts with small white flowers |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in native climate. Summer to fall in cooler climates. |
3. Garden Cosmos or Mexican Aster
These flowers are native to Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, the Cosmos bipinnatus belongs to the daisy plant family (Asteraceae) and is, perhaps, the most popular variety of cosmos to grow from seeds in the garden. This herbaceous flowering plant produces cheerful 8-petaled blossoms in various pretty colors with prominent golden-yellow pom-poms at their centers.
| Scientific Name: | Cosmos bipinnatus |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 2 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, pink, purple, white, and yellow |
| Flowering Season: | Summer through fall |
4. Anthurium or Flamingo Flower
Native to the rainforests of Columbia and Ecuador the Anthurium andraeanum is species of flowering plant that belongs to the Araceae plant family. In their native habitat, these epiphytes grow from the sides of trees or from rocky outcroppings, primarily pulling nutrients in from the air and water rather than through their roots and soil. They have lush, broad foliage and produce heart-shaped pinkish-red spathes with a central yellow-white spadix. Anthuriums also offer up a host of uses and benefits.
| Scientific Name: | Anthurium andraeanum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 11 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Red or pinkish-red |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in three-month intervals |
5. Bush Lily
Native to South Africa, the Clivia miniata is a rhizomatic flowering plant that belongs to the Amaryllidaceae plant family. The plant has also been naturalized in Mexico and is commonly grown in gardens in Australia and New Zealand. This plant produces thick, strappy leaves that span out from a central stem in two opposite rows, almost like fans or wings. The plant produces bright-orange funnel-shaped flowers that are quite ornate and beautiful. In some rare cultivars, the flowers are a buttery yellow hue.
| Scientific Name: | Clivia miniata |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Orange and rare yellow flowers |
| Flowering Season: | March or April (later for less-mature plants) |
6. Blood Lily
Belonging to the Amaryllidaceae plant family, the blood lily has a broad native range which includes the Arabian Peninsula, most of Sub-Saharan Africa, and Seychelles. Blood lilies grow from rhizomatic bulbs and produce false stems that are made of leaves. At the top of these closely wound leaves, they produce a globe-shaped cluster of 10 to 200 small, individual flowers that range from a fiery red to a faded pinkish-red hue. Certain species of this plant are highly toxic and have been used to make poisons for fishing hooks or arrows.
| Scientific Name: | Scadoxus multiflorus |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Flowering Colors: | Scarlet, pinkish red, or orange-red |
| Flowering Season: | Late summer through fall |
7. Jewel Pagoda Ginger
Native to Jawa, Zingiber neglectum, commonly called jewel pagoda, is one of nearly 200 species of ginger plants belonging to the Zingiberaceae plant family. This family contains the true gingers, which have a prominent place in the culinary arts thanks to the unique zing of their aromatic flavors. This specific species of ginger plant is most beloved for its ornate and fleshy cone-shaped flowers that feature ruffles of lime-green petals that are rimmed with a fiery red.
| Scientific Name: | Zingiber neglectum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 and up |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Partial sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Lime green rimmed with red |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and summer |
8.’Ohe Naupaka
The ‘ohe naupaka is a flowering shrub that belongs to the Goodeniaceae plant family and is native to Hawaii’s Oahu and Kauai islands and endemic to the entire state. The shrub can grow to be up to 12 feet tall. With lush, green, ovate foliage, the ‘ohe naupaka produces long, tube, or trumpet-shaped yellow flowers with a slight flare at their tips and purplish, almost-black fruit.
| Scientific Name: | Scaevola glabra |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 and 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours daily) |
| Flowering Colors: | Yellow |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in native habitat, summer in cooler climates |
9. Hawaiian Hibiscus or Chinese Hibiscus
The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis belongs to the Hibsceae tribe of the Malvaceae plant family, and its common names include the Chinese Hibiscus, Hawaiian hibiscus, China rose, rose mallow, and shoeblack plant. Although the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is widely cultivated throughout the tropics, its native range is actually relatively small as it originally comes from the volcanic island nation of Vanuatu. It features exotic-looking, papery, trumpet-shaped flowers in fiery tropical colors with prominent red and yellow stamens.
| Scientific Name: | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, yellow, apricot, orange, white, and several shades of pink |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in warm climates, late summer to fall in cooler climates |
10. Bird of Paradise
Native to South Africa, the Strelitzia reginae is a species of flowering plant that belongs to the Strelitziaceae plant family. It can most easily be recognized by its unique bird-shaped blossoms. Birds of paradise can be cultivated indoors outside of their natural habitats, but they can be tricky to care for. They do not bloom until they are three or four years old and simply won’t bloom if they do not receive enough sunlight and the proper nutrients. Coaxing an indoor bird of paradise into full bloom, however, can be a greatly rewarding experience for indoor gardeners.
| Scientific Name: | Strelitzia reginae |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun (at least 6 hours daily) |
| Flowering Colors: | Predominantly bright-orange with three blue petals and red accents |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to early spring in natural habitat |
11. Sacred Lotus
Nelumbo nucifera, commonly called the sacred lotus, is one of two living species of flowering aquatic plants that make up the Nelumbonaceae plant family. They have a relatively wide native range, growing naturally in India, Indochina, East Asia, Russia, and locations around the Caspian Sea. The seeds of the sacred lotus are impressively long-lasting; the oldest seeds known to have been successfully germinated and grown into plants were about 1,300 years old. For this reason, the sacred lotus has become a symbol of longevity.
| Scientific Name: | Nelumbo nucifera |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 8 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun (at least 6 hours daily) |
| Flowering Colors: | Most often white with pink tips or accents, but also pink, red, yellow, blue, purple, and white |
| Flowering Season: | June through August |
12. False Bird of Paradise or Hanging Lobster Claw
Native to parts of Central and South America, the Heliconia rostrata is one of nearly 200 species of flowering plants that belong to the Heliconaceae plant family. This plant is an excellent choice for growing in tropical gardens, thanks to its impressive size, large banana-shaped leaves, and eye-catching flowers that give way to showy fruit. These plants can grow to be up to 6 feet tall, and their predominantly red flowers that are shaped like lobster claws hold nectar that attracts hummingbirds.
| Scientific Name: | Heliconia rostrata |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Flowering Colors: | Predominantly red marked with yellow and green at the tips |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and summer |
13. Orchids
All of the plants which we know as orchids belong to the Orchidaceae plant family, a highly diverse and widespread plant family that contains somewhere around 28,000 officially accepted species of orchids that come from a variety of regions all around the world. While many orchids come from tropical regions, others grow naturally in temperate zones and much cooler climates. About 70% of orchid species are epiphytes, meaning they have aerial roots that help them cling to trees instead of roots that hold them in the ground. Additionally, the appearance of their flowers and blossoms is highly varied, depending on the species.
| Scientific Name: | Orchidaceae |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 6 to 11 (depending on species) |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Almost every shade and combination of pink, red, blue, purple, green, yellow, orange, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Winter, spring, summer, or fall depending on the species |
14. Scarlet Sage
Salvia splendens, commonly called scarlet sage, belongs to the Lamiaceae (sage) plant family and is native to Brazil, where it grows in the warm humidity at elevations between 6,600 to 9,800 feet. Its wild form grows to just over 4 feet in height, but more compact cultivars are much more popularly cultivated for growing in garden beds. They typically feature brilliant racemes of scarlet-red flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Still, the flowers of cultivars also come in various other colors and combinations of colors.
| Scientific Name: | Salvia spendens |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 2 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Usually scarlet red but also pink, salmon, lavender, purple, blue, white, and color combinations |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring to early fall |
15. Star Flower or Egyptian Star Cluster
The Pentas lanceolata belongs to the Rubiaceae plant family and has a native range spanning from Yemen to East Africa. This species is commonly called the star flower or Egyptian star cluster in reference to the five-petaled, star-like shape of the small flowers, which comprise the shrubby plant’s globe-shaped flower clusters. These beauties are a perfect choice if you wish to attract butterflies to your garden, and they can be grown as annuals in cooler climates.
| Scientific Name: | Pentas lanceolata |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Lilac, magenta, pink, or white |
| Flowering Season: | Summer |
16. King Protea
The Protea cynaroides, commonly called the king protea, has the most prominent flower head of all species in the Protea genus in the Proteaceae plant family. It is both native to and the national flower of South Africa. The king protea is widely beloved for its alluring blossoms that have an almost alien or otherworldly appearance with flower heads that can be 6 to 12 inches across and bowl-shaped brightly colored bracts surrounding a central pom-pom of flower blossoms. King proteas are commonly included in cutting gardens and used in floral bouquets and arrangements.
| Scientific Name: | Protea cynaroides |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Pink, red, purple, green, white, orange, and yellow |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round but primarily during warmer months |
17. Chenille Plant
Native to Malesia, Acalypha hispida, commonly called the chenille plant, is a flowering shrub that belongs to the Euphorbiaceae plant family. Other common names for the chenille plant include the Phillippine Medusa and the red hot cattail. Both names reference the shrub’s racemes of flowers which appear fuzzy and red (or sometimes purple). Smaller blossoms have a shape similar to that of a chili pepper, while longer blossoms look similar to tails or red snakes. They make very popular indoor hanging plants.
| Scientific Name: | Acalypha hispida |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Flowering Colors: | Bright red to purple |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in tropical climates |
18. Indian Shot
Canna indica belongs to the Cannaceae plant family and is native to Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, and South America. These perennial flowering plants produce large, dark-green foliage and flowers in bright yellow or red and, sometimes, orange in certain cultivars. The plants are edible and used in various ways, such as making sweet starch or other desserts from the roots and wrapping foods in the leaves for cooking.
| Scientific Name: | Canna indica |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade (with at least 4 hours of direct sun daily) |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, yellow, or orange |
| Flowering Season: | Late summer through fall |
19. Christmas Cactus
Native to the tropical and humid coastal mountains of Southeastern Brazil, the Schlumbergera truncata belongs to the Cactaceae plant family and is commonly called a Christmas cactus thanks to the timing of the plant’s flower blossoms in the northern hemisphere around Christmastime. The plants have attractive, fleshy segments instead of stems and leaves. Each segment is marked by toothed edges. The flowers and buds sprout from the ends of these segments and are ornate, frilly, and funnel-shaped.
| Scientific Name: | Schlumbergera truncata |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, pink, purple, lavender, orange, apricot, yellow, cream, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Late fall to mid-winter (mid-spring in natural habitat) |
20. Persian Cyclamen
Native to Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, the Cyclamen persicum (or Persian cyclamen) belongs to the primrose plant family (Primulaceae). They feature deep-green and sometimes silvery-green, heart-shaped foliage that sprouts into a rosette. The blossoms shoot up from the center of the foliage and are shaped like shooting stars. During dormant months, cyclamen plants appear dead, but their growth will return the next autumn. Cyclamen flowers symbolize devotion, empathy, and a sincere heart, making them a wonderful gift for anyone about whom you care deeply.
| Scientific Name: | Cyclamen persicum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, magenta, lavender, pink, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to early spring |
21. Damask Rose
A member of the Rosaceae (rose) plant family, the Rosa x damascena is a cultivated plant that does not grow naturally in the wild. However, it is thought to be a hybrid of three different species of plants from the Rosa genus, placing the native habitat of its parent plants in central Asia. This particular rose grows as a shrub and has several common names, including damask rose, Arab rose, Turkish rose, Bulgarian rose, Taif rose, and lokelani rose. The large, multi-petaled flowers produce a strong and sweet fragrance that is used in perfumes around the world.
| Scientific Name: | Rosa x damascena |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 4 to 8 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Deep pink to white |
| Flowering Season: | Summer |
22. Wild Lantana
Lantana camara belongs to the Verbenaceae plant family and is native to Central and South America. Although it produces pretty foliage and ornate flowers in variegated combinations of warm colors that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, it is considered an invasive species in many tropical regions worldwide. Common lantana is notoriously difficult to eradicate from these areas because its roots have a spreading habit, making the plant quite difficult to kill. That being said, it is a lovely tropical plant to grow in container gardens in cooler climates where it cannot survive the winter.
| Scientific Name: | Lantana camara |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 7 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, yellow, pink, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in tropics, spring and summer in cooler climates |
23. Florist’s Daisy
The Chrysanthemum x morifolium belongs to the Asteraceae (daisy) plant family. It is a hybrid cultivar that is thought to have likely come from species of chrysanthemums that were native to China or East Asia since there were more than 500 varieties recorded there as early as 500 BC. This type of chrysanthemum comes in several varieties with flat, daisy-like blossoms and large pom-pom-shaped blossoms in various colors.
| Scientific Name: | Chrysanthemum x morifolium |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 5 to 9 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, purple, pink, orange, gold, yellow, green, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Autumn |
24. Bromeliads
Native to the American tropics, the bromeliad plant family (Bromeliaceae) contains nearly 3,600 species of flowering plants, including the pineapple plant. Bromeliads from the Aechmea and Guzmania genera are commonly grown as ornamental plants for their attractive rosettes of lance-shaped foliage and prominent flowers that blossom in bright, tropical colors. Bromeliads can be enormously rewarding to grow, but they only bloom once in a lifetime before producing offshoots that can be potted and grown into new plants.
| Scientific Name: | Bromeliaceae |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, orange, yellow, pink, and blue |
| Flowering Season: | Bromeliad plants bloom just once at any time of the year. |
25. Tropical Milkweed
Native to the American tropics, Asclepias curassavica belongs to the Apocynaceae plant family. Other common names for this species of milkweed include bloodflower, Mexican butterfly weed, and cotton bush. These plants are subshrubs that reach about 3 feet in height. They have narrow, ovate leaves and globe-shaped flower clusters that feature fiery red corollas with yellow or orange corona lobes. The flowers are a strong attractant for monarch butterflies, but it is thought that the presence of tropical milkweed outside its native range could potentially be harmful to the migration patterns of monarchs.
| Scientific Name: | Asclepias curassavica |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 8 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, yellow, and orange |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring to early fall |
26. Māmane
Native to Hawaii, where it goes by the common name, māmane, the Sophora chrysophylla is a flowering plant that belongs to the pea or bean plant family (Fabaceae). This plant is considered polymorphic, which means it can grow as either a tree or a smaller shrub. In tree form, it can reach heights of up to almost 50 feet. When in bloom, it produces copious amounts of showy, pendulous golden-yellow flowers that make the tree or shrub look as if it could be on fire.
| Scientific Name: | Sophora chrysophylla |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Yellow |
| Flowering Season: | Winter and spring |
27. Blanket Flowers
Gaillardia (aka blanket flowers) is a genus of flowers that are native to both North and South America, belonging to the Asteraceae (daisy) plant family. The genus consists of several species, cultivars, and hybrids that are bred to produce flowers that are even more showy and ornate than their wildly growing varieties. The flowers feature fuzzy brown centers surrounded by tri-tipped ray florets in sunset colors that fade from red to orange to yellow at the tips.
| Scientific Name: | Gaillardia |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 3 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red and/or yellow |
| Flowering Season: | Summer through fall |
28. Barberton Daisy
The Gerbera jamesonii is native to southeastern Africa and belongs to the daisy or composite plant family (Asteraceae). It is commonly called the Barberton daisy or Transvaal daisy, and it produces showy, daisy-shaped flowers in single or double styles. The blossoms are normally orange-red in color, but hybrids and cultivars of the species have brought about a wide range of shades that range from deep red to pastel pinks, yellows, and whites.
| Scientific Name: | Gerbera jamesonii |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 8 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade or moderate sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Shades of Red, pink, orange, yellow, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Summer and fall |
29. African Violet
Streptocarpus sect. Saintpaulia is a section of the Steptocarpus subgenus containing about 10 species of flowering plants that belong to the Gesneriaceae plant family. These plants are commonly called African violets, and they are native to southeastern Kenya and Tanzania. African violets produce rosettes of fuzzy, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves. Slender stalks of flower blossoms sprout from the centers of the plants and produce five-petaled, velvety flowers in a variety of beautiful colors and color combinations with bright-yellow stamens at their centers.
| Scientific Name: | Streptocarpus sect. Saintpaulia |
| USDA Growing Zones: | i.e. 9 to 12, 9 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | i.e. full sun exposure / bright, indirect sunlight / partial shade |
| Flowering Colors: | i.e. Pink, red, blue, and yellow |
| Flowering Season: | i.e May to September |
30. Showy Medinilla or Rose Grape
The Medinilla magnifica is native to the Phillippines and belongs to the Melastomataceae plant family. Commonly called the showy medinilla or rose grape, the plant produces large (8 to 12 inches) leaves that are ovate with a glossy, leathery texture and showy flowers that consist of bell-shaped bracts and small pendulous flowers that resemble bunches of grapes.
| Scientific Name: | Medinilla magnifica |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, pink, violet, or coral |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring to late summer |
31. Morning Glory or Purple Moonflower
The Ipomoea muricata belongs to the Convolvulaceae (morning glory) plant family. It is a flowering vine that most commonly produces delicate, trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of purple or lavender. This species of morning glory is thought to possibly grow natively in Bolivia, but they are common throughout the tropical regions, making the plant’s specific origin unclear. Their flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.
| Scientific Name: | Ipomoea muricata |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 3 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Purple, lavender, pink, blue, magenta, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Early summer to fall |
32. Hinahina or Silver Geranium
The Geranium cuneatum is a flowering shrub that belongs to the Geraniaceae plant family and is native to the higher elevations of Hawaii. The plant grows naturally in drier areas and is surprisingly drought tolerant for being native to such a wet, humid climate. It produces silvery-green foliage and pretty clusters of delicate flowers that blossom in a snowy shade of white that is sometimes touched with stripes of purple flowers that are most prominent toward the base of the petals.
| Scientific Name: | Geranium cuneatum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 13 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | White or white with purple stripes |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in natural habitat, spring or summer in cooler climates |
33. Kahili Ginger or Ginger Lily
Native to the Himalayas of Bhutan, India, and Nepal, the Hedychium gardnerianum is a species of flowering plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae (ginger) plant family. Despite belonging to the ginger plant family, this species is primarily grown as an ornamental plant in gardens thanks to its impressive size (up to 8 feet tall) and its showy, attractive bright-green foliage and spikes of yellow flowers that feature fiery-red stamens.
| Scientific Name: | Hedychium gardnerianum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 8 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Yellow flowers with red stamens |
| Flowering Season: | Summer through early fall |
34. Powder Puff
Native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Americas, the Calliandra haematocephala is one of about 140 species of the Calliandra genus that belongs to the Fabaceae (pea and bean) plant family. This species grows into shrubs that spread with a rambling habit or small trees. The plant’s common name, powder puff, comes from the appearance of its fluffy, globe-shaped flowers, each of which features a puff of airy stamens in a deep crimson hue.
| Scientific Name: | Calliandra haematocephala |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red |
| Flowering Season: | Spring to fall |
35. Molokai Ohaha
Native to Hawaii’s island, Molokai, the Brighamia rockii is a species of flowering plant, commonly called the Molokai ohaha, that belongs to the Campanulaceae (bellflower) plant family. It features rosettes of bright-green, egg-shaped leaves. From between the leaves, large, white, trumpet-shaped blossoms protrude. With only five known occurrences of the plant growing naturally in the wild and an estimated 200 total growing in the world, the Molokai ohaha is officially on the endangered list.
| Scientific Name: | Brighamia rockii |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 12 to 13 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Part sun to light shade |
| Flowering Colors: | White or cream |
| Flowering Season: | Late summer to early fall |
36. Kadupul Flower or Queen of the Night Cactus
The Epiphyllum oxypetalum is native to Sri Lanka and is a type of cactus that belongs to the Cactaceae plant family. This alluring plant only blooms at night, one night per year, making its flower blossoms a rare and treasured sight to behold. When the kadupul flower does bloom, its milky white flowers can open up to 9 inches in diameter before they wilt right in front of your eyes.
| Scientific Name: | Epiphyllum oxypetalum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | White |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and summer |
37. Sampaguita or Arabian Jasmine
Jasminum sambac, commonly called Arabian jasmine or sampaguita, is a species of flowering shrub or vine that belongs to the Oleaceae (olive) plant family. It has a twining or scrambling growth habit and produces lush, vibrant-green foliage in addition to delicate, pure-white flowers that fade to a gentle shade of pink as they mature. The flowers are powerfully, yet pleasantly, fragrant and have been traditionally used to make jasmine tea.
| Scientific Name: | Jasminum sambac |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 8 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | White fading to pink |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round in native climate, summer to fall in cooler climates |
38. Peace Lily
Native to the tropical regions of East Asia and the Americas, Spathiphyllum is a genus of 47 species of herbaceous flowering plants (commonly called peace lilies) that belong to the Araceae plant family. Peace lilies produce lush, full clumps of foliage from which shoots carrying spoon-shaped spathes and rod-shaped spadices rise. As the common name for plants of this genus implies, peace lilies are a symbol of peace in addition to prosperity, purity, innocence, and sympathy.
| Scientific Name: | Spathiphyllum |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 11 to 12 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright to low indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | White, yellowish, or green |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and fall |
39. Common Jasmine
Jasminum officinale is a species of flowering herb or vine, commonly called common jasmine or jasmine, that belongs to the Oleaceae (olive) plant family. The plant has a very wide native range with natural habitats spread throughout western China, the Himalayas, India, Nepal, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, northern Iran, and the Caucasus. Jasmine flowers are prized for their fragrant essential oils which are released at night and also used in perfumes, skincare formulas, and for aromatherapy.
| Scientific Name: | Jasminum officinale |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 8 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | White |
| Flowering Season: | Summer and fall |
40. Angel’s Trumpet
Native to the tropical regions of South America, Brugmansia is a genus containing seven species of woody, flowering shrubs or trees that belong to the Solanaceae (nightshade) plant family. They have fluttery foliage and large, trumpet-shaped flowers that hang like clusters of bells. The plants of this genus contain tropane alkaloids and are some of the most toxic plants that are grown for ornamental purposes. If you introduce them to your garden, be extremely careful to keep animals and young children away from them.
| Scientific Name: | Brugmansia |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 8 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Purple, magenta, pink, red, orange, yellow, peach, cream, white, and almost black |
| Flowering Season: | Spring through fall |
41. Yellow Ilima or Golden Mallow
Native to Hawaii and other Pacific islands, Sida fallax is a species of herbaceous flowering, shrub-like plant, commonly called golden mallow or yellow ilima, that belongs to the Malvaceae (hibiscus) plant family. The plant produces dusty-green foliage and small golden or yellow-colored flowers that are usually no larger than an inch in diameter. In ancient Hawaii, these flowers were used to weave traditional lei, and just one lei required about 1,000 blossoms.
| Scientific Name: | Sida fallax |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Yellow |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round |
42. Nānū or Forest Gardenia
Commonly known as nānū in its native Hawaii, the Gardenia brighamii belongs to the Rubiaceae (coffee) plant family. The plant is a small tree that produces glossy, deep-green, ovate leaves and small, snow-white flowers. Each flower features six lobes or petals that connect at the base to form a tube-like shape. The flowers are highly fragrant.
| Scientific Name: | Gardenia brighamii |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | White |
| Flowering Season: | Spring, summer, and winter |
43. Blue Passionflower
Native to South America, the Passiflora caerulea is a flowering deciduous or semi-evergreen vine that belongs to the Passifloraceae plant family. Its common names include blue passionflower, common passionflower, and bluecrown passionflower. Its flowers have an unusual and alluring appearance with symbolic white sepals surrounding a fringe of a blue-white corona of filaments that further encircles a few purple stigmas and greenish-yellow stamens that protrude prominently from the complex flower’s center.
| Scientific Name: | Passiflora caerulea |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 7 to 9 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Blue |
| Flowering Season: | Summer |
44. Orchid Trees
Bauhinia is a genus of flowering trees that belong to the Fabaceae (pea or bean) plant family. While many of the individual species have their own common names, many are referred to as orchid trees or mountain ebony. Plants of the genus have a broad native range and grow commonly in tropical regions worldwide. The five-petaled flowers are fragrant and resemble orchids or hibiscus flowers with their exotic colors and prominent stamens.
| Scientific Name: | Bauhinia |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Pink, purple, red, orange, yellow, or white |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to mid-spring or fall (depending on the species) |
45. Allamanda
Native to the tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, and South America, Allamanda is a genus of 15 species of flowering vines, evergreen trees, and shrubs that belong to the Apocynaceae (dogbane) plant family. They produce large, trumpet-shaped flowers. The flowers of most species are yellow or golden colored, and these species are commonly called golden trumpet. Other species and cultivars, however, produce flowers in a variety of different hues.
| Scientific Name: | Allamanda |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Yellow, apricot, white, cream, purple, pink, and red |
| Flowering Season: | Year-round |
46. Tobacco Flower
Native to South America, Nicotiana alata belongs to the Solanaceae (nightshade) plant family, and it is toxic to pets. Commonly called the tobacco flower, sweet tobacco, or jasmine tobacco, the Nicotiana alata is primarily cultivated as an ornamental plant for its pretty clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers. These plants mainly bloom in the late afternoon into the evening, and their blossoms emit a lovely, sweet fragrance into the night air.
| Scientific Name: | Nicotiana alata |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 10 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun to partial shade |
| Flowering Colors: | White, red, maroon, pink, yellow, and yellow-green |
| Flowering Season: | Summer through fall |
47. Mussaenda
Native to the tropical regions of Asia and Africa, Mussaenda is a genus of flowering shrubs or small trees that belongs to the Rubiaceae (madder or coffee) plant family. They have vibrant green foliage and produce copious clumps of flowers in various colors ranging from a bright crimson red to soft pinks and mauves. Several species and cultivars of Mussaenda are commonly grown as ornamental plants for gardens.
| Scientific Name: | Mussaenda |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight to partial shade |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, white, pink, mauve, and apricot |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring through fall |
48. Begonias
Begonia is a genus containing about 2,000 species of flowering undershrubs and herbs that belong to the Begoniaceae plant family. Thes plants are commonly called Begonias. They feature attractive foliage that can be fuzzy or glossy and range from dark or vibrant green to a deep burgundy color. Their flowers are ornate and beautiful to behold. Begonias grow naturally in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, but they are primarily native to South America, Central America, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
| Scientific Name: | Begonia |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 11 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Bright, indirect sunlight |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, pink, orange, yellow, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Summer |
49. Freesia
Native to South Africa, Freesia is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants that belong to the Iridaceae (iris) plant family. These perennials grow from bulbs and produce fragrant, funnel-shaped flowers atop leafy stalks. They are popularly used in perfumes for candles, soaps, and lotions thanks to their pleasant fragrance. They bloom in just about every color and shade you can imagine, making them a popular addition to floral designs and cutting gardens everywhere.
| Scientific Name: | Freesia |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 9 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, pink, purple, mauve, lavender, orange, yellow, cream, and white |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to early spring |
50. Crown Imperial
The Fritillaria imperialis is a perennial, flowering, herbaceous, bulbous plant that belongs to the Liliaceae (lily) plant family. Commonly called the Kaiser’s crown, imperial fritillary, or the crown imperial, the plant grows natively in a wide range of regions, including Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, northern India, and the foothills of the Himalayas. The 3-foot-tall plant features flame-shaped leaves in a vibrant shade of green and a prominent stem from which a whorl of bell-shaped flowers hangs. This cluster of flowers is topped with even more spikes of green foliage.
| Scientific Name: | Fritillaria imperialis |
| USDA Growing Zones: | 5 to 10 |
| Sunlight Requirements: | Full sun |
| Flowering Colors: | Red, orange, reddish-orange, and yellow |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
Types of Tropical Flowers FAQs:
What are the main tropical flowers?
Some of the most popular and main types of tropical flowers include Amaryllis, Paperflowers, Mexican Aster, Anthurium, Bush Lily, Hibiscus, Bird of Paradise, Orchids, Scarlet Sage, Proteas, Persian Cyclamen, Wild Lantana, Bromeliads, and Tropical Milkweed.
What is the most exotic flower?
Hibiscus is often considered one of the most exotic types of flowerss, thanks to its large, brilliant petals and protruding, pollen-tipped stalks.
What is the flower of the Caribbean?
Yellow bells are the national flower of the Virgin Islands and also the Bahamas. These tropical blooms are native to several Caribbean nations, including the West Indies, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands.
What is the most popular tropical flower?
The Amaryllis is a beautiful bulbous plant that produces stunning, vibrant flowers. Native to South African shores, these charming tropical flowers are incredibly popular and are steeped in history, and have several fascinating stories to tell.
What flowers are native to Jamaica?
There are many types of tropical flowers native to Jamaica, including Turkey Tangle Fogfruit, Orchids, Hibiscus Elatus, Trumpet Tree, and Yellow Passionflowers.
What is the name of the national flower of Barbados?
The Official National Flower of Barbados is the Pride of Barbados (Dwarf Poinciana).
Warm Up Your Garden With Tropical Flowers Like These
Even if you don’t live in a tropical climate, you can still warm up your garden or your home with flowering tropical plants. Be sure to keep indoor tropical flowers away from cold drafts and to overwinter outdoor tropicals in a warm location to continue enjoying them year after year.
Andrew is the Editorial Director at Petal Republic. He holds a BSc degree in Plant Sciences and has trained professionally at leading floristry schools in London and Paris. In amongst overseeing a global editorial team, Andrew's a passionate content creator around all things flowers, floral design, gardening, and houseplants.
Comments are closed.