• The leaves of tropical bromeliads are colorful as well as the flowers.Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Tropical flowers are those that require a growing environment that is warm, humid and with minor temperature fluctuations. In other words the type of environment found around the equator. Tropical flowers thrive when their native growing conditions are followed as close as possible. This may require a greenhouse or indoor growing room to over winter plants in colder climates.
  
  

Orchids

• While some orchids are found outside of the tropics zone, most are native to tropical areas. They grow in trees, attaching themselves to the branches with air roots, without harming the host tree. Other species grow in the ground. They prefer indirect light, since that's what they would receive in their native rain forests. Orchids belong to the Orchidaceae family, with 25,000 different species found in the wild. It is one of the largest plant families, according to Gustav Schoser, author of "Orchid Growing Basics." Orchids are difficult to breed from seed, because the seeds do not contain any food-storage tissue but must land near a certain type of fungus. The fungus then feeds the roots of the seed.
  
  

Bromeliads

• The pineapple is probably one of the best known bromeliads. The family consists of a wide variety of plant shapes and sizes that are exclusive naturally to the New World tropics. The plant forms a rosette around a central core. The leaves may be brightly colored or green and variegated. The flowers bloom on a stalk from the center. Once the flower blooms the plant does not continue to grow. However, it most likely has pups that have formed around the mother plant that may be separated and planted.
  
  

The Giants

• Titan arum is one of the more unusual tropical flowers and the largest flower growing to more than 10 feet in height. The titan arum, also called corpse flower attracts insects for pollination with its stinking rotting meat odor. The Victorian water lily has leaves up to 8 feet across with upright edges. Thorns cover both the underside and top of the leaves. Because of the construction of the leaves, they can support 50 lbs. of weight. The flower is up to 1 foot in diameter and lasts several days. Torch ginger grows stalks up to 10 feet high topped by cones of tightly packed flowers in red or pink. The flowers are cultivated for florists.