Tropical Houseplants from A (African Violets) to Z (Zamioculcas)

A is for African Violet, with furry leaves and plumes of small purple flowers.

B is for Begonia, which can have leaves with silver or dark red marking to brighten things up when it is not flowering.

C is for Chlorophytum comosum, commonly known as "Spider plant", a green and white striped plant usually seen in hanging baskets.

D is for Dionaea muscipula, more commonly known as "Venus flytrap", will actually trap and devour small insects.

E is for Epipremnum aureum, commonly know as "Pothos", is a sturdy vine which usually has yellow or white marking on it's leaves.

F is for Fuchsia, normally kept in a hanging pot to accommodate the beautiful red or purple flowers that bloom under the cascading leaves.

G is for Gardenia, with large fragrant white flowers, probably best for a large indoor area with a lot of light.

H is for Hoya, which are vines with thick waxy leaves and clusters of sweet smelling white flowers.

I is for Ipomoea Batatas, better known as the sweet potato, can be sprouted indoors if suspended with toothpicks over a glass of water.

J is for Jasminum, which produces abundant white flowers with a heavenly fragrace if it is well cared for and has plenty of sunlight.

K is for Kalanchoe, with thick broad leaves and clumps of small flowers in a wide array of colors.

L is for Lithops, or living stones, look like tiny toes and are easy to care for as long as they have enough sunlight.

M is for Marantaceae, commonly known as "Prayer plants", which as large leaves accented with striking dark markings.

N is for Nephrolepis exaltata cv. Bostoniensis, or the "Boston Fern", is a beautiful big fern seen in many indoor gardens.

O is for Orchids, the huge family of striking flowers including the big Cattleya, the cascading Cymbidium, and the delicate Phalaenopsis.

P is for Peperomia, which has shiny green leaves in a variety of shapes, and which thrives under fluorescent light.

Q is for Quandary, which Q so often is for for these A to Z lists.

R is for Rosemary, which is a fragrant woody herb that can do well indoors if given enough light and care.

S is for Sansevieria trifasciata, commonly known as "Snake Plant", with leaves that are tall spikes with yellow margins on each side.

T is for Tradescantia zebrina, commonly known as "Wandering Jew", a sturdy plant with trailing stems bearing two toned leaves.

U is for Unicorn, which seems like it would make a great common name for a tropical houseplant but does not seem to be.

V is for Variegation, which are white or yellow markings on green leaves, and make many houseplants more colorful.

W is for Weeping Fig, or Ficus benjamina, which can be grown indoors as a small tree with interesting intertwining branches.

X is for Xanthosoma, sometimes known as "elephant's ear" because of it's beautiful large leaves.

Y is for You, as in you should try growing some tropical plants in your home.

Z is for Zamioculcas, which has an almost fern like architectural appearance, and which is said to be very easy to grow.

See more resources for buying and growing Tropical Houseplants with listings of local garden centers and specialty mail order nurseries at http://www.GardeningWithLarry.com.