Grow Tropical Flowering Trees Indoors

Tropical flowering trees are spectacular ornamentals in the landscape. But if you don't happen to live in a year-round warm climate, you can enjoy their breathtaking beauty close-up by growing them indoors.

Photo Jan Haerer

Flowering Maple

This exquisite beauty from Brazil gets its name from the mapleleaf-like foliage that covers its upright stems.

It's the colorful, papery bell-shaped flowers, however, that makes flowering maple a stand-out. Many captivating colors are available, including pink, crimson, golden yellow, orange, and more. 

Plenty of sunshine will produce the most flowers. Put your tree directly in front of a window or scoot it outdoors to a sundrenched patio for the summer.

• Botanical name: Abutilon hybrids
• How big do flowering maples get? Mature plants can grow up to 10 ft, if not pruned back. It responds well to pruning, so you can easily keep it under 4 ft.
• Is it easy to grow? Yes! Flowering maple adapts well to being a houseplant, and blooms abundantly in spring and summer.

Hawaiian Plumeria

An island favorite, the plumeria tree is magnificent. Clusters of fragrant flowers bloom like bouquets at the branches' tips. Those gorgeous blooms are used to make flower leis in Hawaii.

Give your tree plenty of warmth, sunlight and humidity and you'll watch it bloom for months on end.

You'll want to give this glorious tropical flowering tree some room to grow, too. Even planted in a pot, you can expect plumeria tree to reach several feet tall. It's a good candidate for a greenhouse or a sunroom.

• Botanical name: Plumeria rubra
• Native to Central America
• Is it easy to grow? Maybe. If you can provide the tropical lifestyle plumeria wants, you'll enjoy this head-turner in your home for many years.

Photo Andy M.

Citrus Trees

Some small citrus trees are adaptable to indoor growing. If you have room in front of a sunny window, consider a calamondin orange tree (shown here). This sun-loving dwarf fruit tree will bear flowers and fruit for months on end.

If you love to cook with fresh ingredients like I do, you may also want to add a 'Meyer' lemon tree to your plant collection. Mature trees will bear fragrant, white flowers that are followed by fruit that turns from deep green to bright yellow as it ripens.

• Native to China
• Plenty of bright sunlight will bring on the sweetly scented blooms. 
• How big do citrus trees get indoors? Up to 10 ft, but they can be kept compact with regular pruning.

Banana Shrub © Hoang Le | Dreamstime.com

Banana Shrub

Captivating cup-shaped, creamy-yellow flowers with a strong banana-like fragrance makes Banana Shrub a must-have houseplant. Although slow-growing, it blooms even as a young potted plant, so you won't wait long for those lovely, scented flowers.

You can successfully grow this tropical flowering shrub indoors with little effort. Warm temperatures, regular watering, and plenty of bright light will keep it healthy and make it bloom in spring and summer.

• Botanical name: Magnolia figo or Michelia figo
• Native to China
• How big does it get? Mature banana shrubs may grow to 10 ft (3 m) tall, but you can easily keep your potted plant compact with regular pruning.

Powder Puffs

Colorful, bright, fuzzy blooms are the hallmark of the South American Powder Puff Tree. It's also easy to grow -- and, well -- just plain fun to have around.

Those puffy flowers can grow up to 3 inches (8 cm) wide. You'll enjoy a succession of blooms on this evergreen shrub that will last for several months.

If you can meet its needs for warm sunlight and moist air, you'll keep this beauty blooming every year.

• Botanical name: Calliandra haematocephala 
• Native to Bolivia
• How big do powder puff trees get? 6 ft or more, but is easily kept to 3 ft by yearly pruning. 

More to Explore

Flowering House Plants

Perennial Flowering Vines

Tropical House Plants

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