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When thinking about exotic plants for the home, the first word that comes to my mind is tropical. I love tropical plants, and for people who live in zones where tropical plants and flowers are not hardy, growing them as houseplants an ideal way to remedy the situation. Before you actually go out and purchase any "exotic" plants, take the time to think about some basic considerations.

How much light do you have? Some plants will want full sun for as much of the day as possible. Where do you live? Are your winters very cold? If they are, and you heat your house, how warm is it during the day and at night? Some of the more exotic tropical plants require warm daytime temperatures and night time lows that don't drop below 65 degrees. Unless you are willing to provide that much heat for your plants, you probably shouldn't consider growing varieties that are that delicate when it comes to temperature. Some exotic tropical plants will require regular watering and fertilizer. Are you willing to care for plants that may be quite demanding? If you are, here are some ideas.

Some varieties of elephant ears will grow quite well as houseplants. Some can be successfully grown in water and without any soil. Although many types of Elephant Ears can grow quite large, containing them in pots or in a large container filled with water will prevent them from growing as large as they would in the ground. Illustris, Black Magic, Black Stem and Nancyana are all varieties that though typically grown outdoors can be grown as houseplants. They will thrive best in full sun and when given lots of water.

Angel Trumpets or Brugmansias can be grown in pots and grown indoors. They produce beautiful large flowers that are often quite fragrant and that hang down. The flowers are probably called Angel Trumpets because the flower is shaped like the bell of a trumpet. Most angel trumpets will not grow as large in pots as they would if they were in the ground. Although they need full sun, they can tolerate cooler temperatures and survive. They do, however, require a lot of attention because they are susceptible to fungal disease and mites. I deal with that by spraying them with pure Neem Oil. Neem Oil serves as an organic insecticide, miticide and fungicide. They also like to be fertilized often with a bloom boosting fertilizer and iron.

Bromeliads are quite fun. Most varieties require a lot of sun, but since they don't have deep root systems, they don't require much water. They produce beautiful flowers,

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