How to Grow Tropical Plants Indoors

“Apricot Brandy” hibiscus

Hibiscus (Hibiscus)

This woody plant produces usually gigantic velvety blooms with prominent reproductive parts. Each flower lasts only a day, but a vigorous plant starts blooming as days get longer and stays in bloom all summer.

Hibiscus blooms only in bright light and thrives in full sun. In winter, it tolerates lower light levels, staying reasonably healthy but at rest. Even if some leaf drop occurs, the plant perks up quickly when taken outside as a patio plant in summer and begins blooming again. Buds form on new growth. Although it requires frequent watering, it tolerates lower humidity levels.

Yellow spiral ginger (Globba winitii) cultivar "Dancing Girl"

Ginger

Gingers make up a diverse family of about 1,300 species that includes a wide range of flower forms, colors and culture requirements. Yellow spiral ginger (Monocostus uniflorus) does well in a bright window or sunroom, producing deliciously fragrant yellow spiral blossoms all summer. The epiphytic Hedychium horsfieldii has spidery petals and smells like gardenia. In these gingers, the lighter the color, the stronger the scent.

Shield from direct sun with sheer curtains. All gingers require heavy fertilization.

Mandevilla (Mandevilla splendens)

Silky, 2 ½- to 3-inch trumpet pink (or sometimes white) flowers blooming en masse on a tendril-climbing woody vine are sure to make you think of balmier climes. The mandevilla looks stunning climbing a trellis or trailing from a basket.

For best bloom, the light has to be very bright, with no direct sun. A large south-to-southwest window or a sunroom is best. Use sheer curtains in the afternoon. Water thoroughly, allowing soil to dry slightly between waterings. Fertilize every two weeks. In the summer, you may want to move it outdoors.

Citrus (Citrus)

Imagine reaching to a plant, and not to the refrigerator, for some lime or lemon to drop into a guest's drink. Citrus aurantifolia (lime) and Citrus limon (lemon) include dwarf plants that are ideal for bright windowsills. Don't worry about humidity or temperature with this plant, but make sure spring and summer light is optimum for best flowering and fruit production. Better yet, put them on the patio or deck for at least partial sun. In the winter, let them go dormant, cutting back on water and fertilizer. In the summer, you'll enjoy a fruit crop that develops a few at a time throughout the season.

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)

The intoxicating scent of the flowers on this glossy-leaved evergreen makes this plant a great specimen for the home. If you simply must have one -- and there’s no denying its allure -- give it plenty of light. A sunroom or large bay window is best. And if possible, keep it where winter temperatures drop to about 50 degrees but not below the mid-40s. Summer temperatures should be 70 to 85 degrees, although gardenias tolerate hotter days. Humidity should be high year-round. Put the plant on a tray full of pebbles and fill it with water to just beneath the bottom of the pot, group plants together, and consider adding a humidifier to the room.

Feed your gardenia with a fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants; an azalea-rhododendron fertilizer will work fine. Prune to help stimulate formation of new buds. Whitefly can be a serious pest.

Photos by Charles Brooks
Photos 'Apricot Brandy' hibiscus and yellow spiral ginger, courtesy of Stokes Tropicals.