Air Plant

Also known as: Tillandsia

Max growth: 3 to 18 inches

Maintenance: Robin Petersen of Sharon’s Plants recommends light sprays of water, two to three times per week, preferably in the morning.

Why it works: “These plants are small enough to be used anywhere, and they don’t need pots or soil,” Petersen says. You can mount them on large pieces of driftwood for a dramatic effect in areas you might not be able to plant, such as on a pool deck, or on smaller pieces for clever picnic-table centerpieces.

Bromeliads

Also known as: Vriesea and Neoregelia

Max growth: 1 to 3 feet

Maintenance: Petersen suggests flushing the plants with water several times per week. She also advises using a liquid fertilizer sparingly in the central cup.

Why it works: Like the air plant, which is also in the same family, these bromeliads absorb nutrients through their leaves. This means they don’t require any media, or soil, to thrive. They are “super compact” and come in a wide variety of sizes and colors.

Xanadu

Also known as: Philodendron “Xanadu”

Max growth: 2 to 3 feet

Maintenance: Petersen recommends watering a few times per week and fertilizing once every four months with slow-release fertilizer.

Why it works: Although it can get bushy, it stays compact. It’s easy to grow, “yet provides an interesting mass of textured foliage from its distinctive leaf shapes,” Petersen says.

Parrot’s Beak

Also known as: Heliconia Psittocorum

Max growth: 2 to 4 feet

Maintenance: Water and fertilize regularly.

Why it works: This version of the heliconia stays compact and blooms year-round. “Year-round tropical flowers provide color for the garden or lanai and make excellent cut flowers for the home,” Petersen says.

Maidenhair Fern

Also known as: Adiantum

Max growth: 1 to 3 feet, depending on the variety

Maintenance: Give this plant bright, indirect light, and water consistently, making sure the soil doesn’t dry out.

Why it works: This fern maintains a small form, while its feathery texture gives it plenty of contrast. “It has beautiful, thin, light-green leaves extending from thin, black stems that give it a look like no other plant out there,” Petersen says.

Ornamental Taro

Also known as: Colocasia

Max growth: 2 to 4 feet

Maintenance: Water daily and keep in rich humus soil. (Humus soil is an extremely fertile type of soil formed by decomposing organic matter, such as leaves or other plant material. You can make your own humus soil through composting.)

Why it works: “Just one plant provides a striking focal point for the home or garden,” Petersen says. “The variations in color are just amazing.”