Style Secret: Tropical PlantsTake away those lush green plants and brilliant blooms, and the tropics would feel more like the tundra. Use potted versions to breathe vigor and vibrancy into your home — you can stick with pure green foliage to limit the palette or mass together a tumble of blooms such as bougainvillea and hibiscus. Just don't cram in so many that the space starts to feel like the Amazon. Easy does it: If you have a brown thumb, good news: There are plenty of tropical plants that will resist your best efforts to kill them. Try philodendron, croton, ponytail palms or the fun-to-say ZZ (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) plant. Big and showy, they offer maximum payoff for minimum effort — no fussy pruning and puttering to stand between you and your afternoon siesta.