Among the most popular categories of plants among collectors are Aroids (that's the family that includes things like Philodendrons--both trailing and upright, Anthuriums, so-called "Elephant Ears", and many other large-leaved, stunning foliage plants.)
Though the variety of Aroids is stunning, as a general rule, they all enjoy some things in common: as understory plants, they like "bright shade" (we know, we know--Steve's favorite words!) and a well-drained soil mix that's high in organic matter. Depending on variety, some are tolerant or more or less humidity, though all enjoy a nice spritz occasionally.
Beyond this, they fall into a handful of broad categories:
Anthuriums--You're probably most familiar with the bright, heart-shaped leaves
of the florist's Anthurium, now available in a variety of shades. It turns out there
are lots of other plants in this large genus that are equally desirable for their foliage,
with a range of shapes and textures to suit almost any taste!
Philodendrons--In the mid-twentieth century, "Philodendron" almost certainly meant
a single type of green, trailing vine, often seen growing around windowsills. Today,
this genus is represented by dozens of varieties, all of which fall into one of two
categories:
Trailing--These Philos grow as vines, often with multiple growth points, and need
something to cling to like a moss pole or other support.
Self-Heading Philodendrons naturally form "crowns", with leaves emanating from
a central point, rather than vining.
Alocasias & Colocasias are often referred to as "Elephant Ears", due to the shape and
sometimes enormous size of their leaves. These plants offer a wide variety of colors,
shapes, and textures and always grow from a central point, similar to the self-heading
Philodendron varieties.
There are lots of other plants in the Aroid family, but these represent some of the most
desirable and commonly encountered ones for the hobbyist. In order to help you learn
to identify and differentiate the various varieties we offer, we've created this handy guide:
All of these are plants we normally offer (though some may be in production right now, and not currently listed on the site), but they represent only a fraction of the amazing variety out
there! We're constantly looking for new types of Aroids to bring to our customers and if you
have one you're trying to find, please get in touch! We're always happy to track down plants
for our customers, sourcing them from among our many partners and suppliers!
Happy Growing!
-Steve, Kristi, Sawyer & Cooper
The Specialty Tropicals Crew
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