A favorite from Grandmother's day, canna has large leaves and bright blooms that help set a tropical mood. Amaryllis can be grown in containers or right in the garden. White bougainvillea, a lover of hot weather, cascades from this concrete planter. Alice du Pont, Macho, Bengal Tiger and a host of their warm-climate cohorts changed all that. You can't get those big, showy flowers from perennials.
Tropical plants bloom for weeks, sometimes months.
A few, such as gardenia and jasmine vines, boast heady fragrance. These benefits help offset tropicals' higher costs compared with traditional summer bloomers, and the need for an indoor wintering spot. Increasing numbers of gardeners believe the plants are worth the money and effort. Consider Alice du Pont. Macho is a new fern with long, beefy fronds that add freshness to porches and pair well with other shady tropicals, such as fuchsias and caladiums.