There’s no doubt about it – low maintenance tropical landscape plants make a garden look amazing. With their lush foliage and brightly colored flowers, they can turn even the most basic outdoor space into a relaxing oasis.
And while many people think that caring for tropical plants is difficult, that’s actually not the case at all. In fact, there are plenty of low-maintenance tropical plants that will thrive in any garden setting.
If you’re looking to add some tropical flair to your landscape, here are 25 plants that you should consider:
Table of Contents
- 1 1. Bird of Paradise
- 2 2. Bougainvillea
- 3 3. Coneflower
- 4 4. Croton
- 5 5. Hibiscus
- 6 6. Creeping Thyme
- 7 7. Creeping Sedum
- 8 8. American Beautyberry
- 9 9. Hosta
- 10 10. Meadow Sage
- 11 11. Peppermint
- 12 12. Coreopsis
- 13 13. Russian Sage
- 14 14. Catnip
- 15 15. Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
- 16 16. Dusty Miller
- 17 17. Lamb’s Ear
- 18 18. Arkansas Blue Star
- 19 19. Catmint
- 20 20. Clematis
- 21 21. Coral Honeysuckle
- 22 22. Butterfly Bush
- 23 23. Daylilies
- 24 24. Echinacea
- 25 25. English Ivy
1. Bird of Paradise
This iconic plant is a must-have for any tropical garden. With its large, showy flowers and sword-like leaves, it’s sure to make a statement. Bird of paradise plants are very easy to care for – they thrive in full sun and require little water.
Flowers of the bird of paradise come in a variety of colors, including orange, yellow, and blue.
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2. Bougainvillea
Bougainvilleas are another must-have for any tropical garden. These plants are known for their brightly colored flowers, which can range in color from purple to pink to red. Bougainvilleas thrive in full sun and require little water.
They make a great addition to any landscape and can be used as a hedge or a screen.
3. Coneflower
With their cheerful flowers and long-lasting blooms, coneflowers are a great choice for any garden. These plants thrive in full sun or partial shade and require little water. Coneflowers come in a variety of colors, including pink, purple, white, and yellow.
They make a great addition to any landscape and can be used as a hedge or a screen.
4. Croton
If you’re looking for a plant that will add some color to your garden, look no further than the croton. These plants come in a variety of colors, including red, orange, yellow, and green. They thrive in full sun or partial shade and require little water.
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5. Hibiscus
Hibiscus plants are a must-have for any tropical garden. These plants come in a variety of colors, including red, orange, yellow, and green. They thrive in full sun or partial shade and require little water.
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Hibiscus flowers are large and showy, making them a great addition to any garden.
6. Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme is a popular plant among both home chefs and lazy gardeners. This plant is known for its fragrant flowers, which come in a variety of colors, including pink, purple, white, and yellow. Imagine if you could have a yard that is always vibrant, flowers bloom year-round, and visitors flock to your home.
Then imagine growing this plant in containers as a houseplant or in the ground at the edge of your patio area. It’s hardy and drought tolerant, so it’s an excellent lawn substitute. Its tiny white blooms attract
7. Creeping Sedum
Creeping Sedum, also known as stonecrops, may grow in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can endure any weather or condition that would kill other plants. You can propagate succulents easily from a leaf cutting. This is a good idea if you have friends who also like growing succulents. Be sure to get their names so that you can share cuttings and ideas with them later on.
They come in colors that include shades of green, blue, gray, pink, and red. Some have variegated leaves with streaks or patches of white, cream, or gold on the surface.
8. American Beautyberry
The beautyberry shrub is the ideal choice for those who seek a low-maintenance, year-round color plant. This shrub is known for its purple berries, which will attract birds to your garden. It thrives in full sun or partial shade and requires little water.
Beautyberry shrubs come in a variety of sizes, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
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9. Hosta
Looking for a low-maintenance, adaptable groundcover? Despite the amount of sunlight in your yard, leafy hosta plants may thrive almost everywhere—particularly Zones 2 through 10—making it an excellent choice for shade gardens. You can find hosta in a variety of sizes, colors (from blue to green), and leaf shapes.
The large leaves make an excellent backdrop for other perennials planted around it. Leaves may reach 12 inches long and widths of up to 18 inches across on mature plants.
10. Meadow Sage
Meadow sage, a drought-tolerant perennial, is an excellent choice for gardeners in search of low-maintenance plants. Long stalks are a simple method to add rich and vibrant purple hues to your yard. It is a late bloomer, so be patient if you don’t see any action during the first year.
This herbaceous perennial plant can reach up to 36 inches in height and spread 12 inches wide. The leaves are gray-green, lanceolate, and opposite. Flowers bloom from June to August and are purple or white.
It can be planted in full sun or partial shade and requires little water once it’s established.
11. Peppermint
You may be familiar with the aromatic mint plant’s mosquito-repelling abilities and wonderful mojitos, as well as its capacity to produce a refreshing menthol flavor. It is a perennial that can reach up to 36 inches in height.
The leaves are opposite, lance-shaped, and dark green with serrated margins. The flowers are purple, pink, or white and bloom from June to September.
It grows best in moist soil but will tolerate dry conditions once it’s established. Peppermint prefers full sun but can also grow in partial shade.
12. Coreopsis
This member of the aster family is a low-maintenance perennial that’s native to North America and blooms from late spring through early fall. There are over 80 species of this plant, so you’re sure to find one that will thrive in your garden.
Coreopsis come in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, red, pink, and white. They typically have daisy-like flowers that reach diameters of up to six inches.
They grow best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. The plants are drought tolerant and should be watered only during periods of extended drought.
13. Russian Sage
Russian Siege is a low-maintenance addition to any garden and can reach up to 36 inches in height. It has grayish-green leaves that are lanceolate with serrated margins.
The flowers are blue, purple, or white and bloom from July to September. They attract butterflies and hummingbirds
14. Catnip
This herb is a member of the mint family and is best known for its ability to drive cats wild. However, it’s not just kitties who love this plant—bees and butterflies also flock to the flowers.
Catnip reaches heights of up to three feet and has lance-shaped leaves that are gray-green in color. The flowers are white and bloom from late spring to early fall.
It grows best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Catnip is drought tolerant and should be watered only during periods of extended drought.
15. Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
These brilliant yellow blooms with big, brown-to-purple centers are easy to add to any garden because they are drought tolerant and disease resistant. The yellow-budded perennial attracts a variety of animals to your garden, so it’s wise to put them near plants that are repulsive, such as lavender and rosemary.
Rudbeckia is drought tolerant and should be watered only during periods of extended drought.
16. Dusty Miller
This striking coneflower lends a sophisticated touch to your garden. With vibrant green foliage, it makes a lovely backdrop for shorter plants or a border among taller plants.
Dusty Miller reaches heights of up to 18 inches and has silver leaves that are lanceolate with a serrated margin. The flowers are white and bloom from late summer to early fall.
17. Lamb’s Ear
Lamb’s-ear, which is also known as purple or silver-green mulch, gets its name from the soft, fuzzy fabric of its leaves, which are similar to those of a genuine lamb’s ear.
The plant is a perennial that reaches heights of up to 12 inches and has gray-green leaves.
18. Arkansas Blue Star
This lovely blue wildflower is a member of the lily family and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It’s easy to grow and does well in both full sun and partial shade.
Arkansas Blue Star reaches heights of up to 12 inches and has lance-shaped leaves that are gray-green in color. The flowers are blue and bloom from late spring to early fall.
It grows best in moist soil but will tolerate dry conditions once it’s established. Arkansas Blue Star prefers full sun but can also grow in partial shade.
19. Catmint
The scented mint, also known as catmint, is a long-lived perennial with lovely purple-blue blooms and gray-green leaves. It’s a member of the mint family and attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
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Catmint reaches heights of up to 36 inches and has lance-shaped leaves that are gray-green in color. The flowers are blue and bloom from late spring to early fall.
20. Clematis
Clematis is tremendously popular among American gardeners since the late Victorian era, when it was first cultivated in America. Its rapid development, as well as its lovely inclination to climb and cover outdoor buildings with shade, privacy, and undeniably appealing curb appeal, make it a favorite. It is one of the most popular vines in the world.
Clematis is a perennial that reaches heights of up to 20 feet and has lance-shaped leaves that are green in color. The flowers are blue, purple, or white and bloom from late spring to early fall. Clematis prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
21. Coral Honeysuckle
In the Northern Hemisphere, Virginia-native coral honeysuckle blooms throughout most of the United States, from northern Maine to southern Florida and as far west as western Illinois. The vine’s trumpet-shaped flowers come in shades of red, orange, yellow, and pink. Hummingbirds are especially drawn to the tubular flowers.
Only keep in mind that if you want the vine to climb rather than develop into a shrub or ground cover, you must train it with tiny supports.
22. Butterfly Bush
The shrub is adorned with stunning trusses of pink, white, or purple flowers that give it the appearance of being hardy. In the wild, it is found in areas of light scrub and open woods.
Butterfly bush is a deciduous shrub that reaches heights of up to 12 feet and has lance-shaped leaves that are green in color. The flowers are pink, white, or purple and bloom from late summer to early fall. Butterfly bush prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
23. Daylilies
Daylilies are perennials that reach heights of up to 36 inches and have lance-shaped leaves that are green in color. The flowers are orange, yellow, or red and bloom from late spring to early fall.
24. Echinacea
The purple coneflower is a North American native that’s one of the low maintenance tropical landscape plants. It attracts butterflies and birds, and the flowers are long-lasting fresh-cut flowers.
Echinacea is a perennial that reaches heights of up to 36 inches and has lance-shaped leaves that are green in color. The flowers are purple and bloom from late summer to early fall. Echinacea prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
25. English Ivy
English ivy is a climbing vine that reaches heights of up to 100 feet and has lance-shaped leaves that are green in color. The flowers are white and bloom from late winter to early spring. English ivy grows best in moist soil but will tolerate dry conditions once it’s established. English ivy prefers full sun but can grow in partial shade.