Exotic plants add life to any home. When I was a kid, my parents' house was filled with exotic plants: ferns, cacti, and one giant green monster that I still don't know the name of (when you weren't looking it would stretch its roots out the window and into the ground outside). I have inherited my mom and dad's fondness for plants, and recently made a purchase of my first banana tree.

The Benefits of Exotic Plants

The only possible negative to keeping a lot of plants in your house is their need to be watered. In my college years, this meant that the only thing green in my apartment was usually a moldy loaf of bread. But as I grew older (and more responsible), the benefits of keeping exotic plants in my house began to easily outweigh this single lazy man's negative.

A great thing about exotic plants is that many of them have been bred to survive in harsher northern climates. I recently read that certain palm trees are now able to survive winters above the Mason-Dixon Line. Of course, not many of us really want (or need) palm trees in our house, but there are loads of other, more reasonable alternatives.

My banana tree is a real favorite among friends. It's big, green, and leafy, and while it takes up a lot of space, it also adds a lot of atmosphere to my home. It has yet to sprout fruit, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If you're interested in adding exotic plants to your home, there are plenty of suppliers on the internet who can deliver them right to your door.