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Tropical Flower Names

Tropical flowers add an exotic touch to flower arrangements and gardens. Homeowners in USDA Zone 9 and 10 gardens can successfully grow many different tropical flowers. Gardeners in colder climates can display tropical flowers in both flower arrangements and as houseplants. Many tropical flowers feature names as colorful and exotic as the flowers they display.

African Moon
- African moon (Dimorphotheca pluvialis/Osteospermum spp) features white daisy-like flowers growing up to 2½ inches in diameter. Native to Namibia, the African Moon is also called the rain daisy, cape daisy and oxeye daisy. The African moon flower produces two different types of florets: hermaphrodite disc florets and female-fertile ray florets. Each type of floret produces a different type of seed.
Heart of Hawaii
- Anthurium andreaenum, known as the "heart of Hawaii," is considered the longest lasting tropical flower for arrangements. According to Hawaii Tropicals' online flower guide, anthurium remains fresh up to 2½ weeks. Originally from Colombia, this red heart-shaped flower was introduced to Hawaii in 1889 by Samuel Damon, an English missionary.
Bird of Paradise
- Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) originates in South Africa. A close relative to the banana, the plant derives its common name from the unique flower, which resembles a tropical bird in flight. Leathery leaves grow up to 18 inches long on a stalk, forming a 5-foot-tall clump. Widely used in tropical arrangements, bird of paradise is a combination of blue petals and orange sepals. The University of Florida IFAS Extension considers the plant an "attractive landscape plant" throughout Florida, recommending it be moved indoor during freezing temperatures.
Amazon Lily
- Amazon lily (Eucharis grandiflora) features large white flowers that produce a sweet fragrance. Resembling a daffodil, the Amazon lily flower blooms in clusters of three to six flowers. The Amazon lily is grown from a bulb. The Flower Expert website recommends the Amazon lily as a potted plant.
Bleeding Heart Vine
- Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae), also known glorybower, produces a bushy, tropical vine featuring dropping flowers. With over 400 species, a wide variety of flowers exist. Most plants feature deep red corollas at the tips of white, balloon-like calyxes, which form clusters of white and red flowers. Native to West Africa, the vine grows up to 6 feet tall and 2 feet wide, remaining evergreen in the proper climates.

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