Tropical plants come in many varieties. When you think tropical, imagine rainforest and humidity. You may not think of a cactus as one, but many cacti are epiphytic. Epiphytic plants hang in the tree canopy of tropical rainforests. Also, many types, such as the night-blooming cereus, have showy blooms lasting just a few hours. Instead of lasting all day, these usually bloom in the wee hours of the morning.

At Growing Hobby, you’ll find a large collection of tropicals, including

• Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter cactus (Schlumbergera)

• Rhipsalis cactus such as mistletoe cactus and dead stick cactus

• Air plants (tillandsia). Our favorite is xerographica. It reminds us of fettucine, and we’re always up for a big plate of pasta.

• Bright bromeliads: guzmania, neoregalia, and vrisea

• Money trees, pachira aquatica

• Ferns, including staghorn and bird’s nest ferns, platycerium and asplenium

• Cryptanthus