Collection: Aroids & Exotics

Aroids & Exotics — Collector-Grade Foliage for Serious Growers

Every plant in the American Adenium catalog earns its place the same way — it has to be worth growing. Not just interesting on paper, but genuinely rewarding in the ground or container, in the hands of a grower who takes the hobby seriously. The aroids in this collection meet that standard.

Alocasia, Colocasia, Philodendron, Monstera — these are plants that have generated one of the most active collector communities in horticulture over the last decade, and for good reason. The foliage architecture on a named collector variety is in a completely different category from what you find at a garden center. We’re talking about plants with fenestrated leaves the size of a dinner plate, Alocasia with metallic sheen and deeply ribbed venation, Colocasia with near-black coloration and a presence that anchors a garden bed the way nothing else can. These are statement plants.

I approach aroids the same way I approach everything else I grow — I source named varieties, I grow them myself, and I carry what performs. Thirty years of working with exotic plants in Zone 6 has taught me that variety selection matters as much as cultural practice. A well-chosen cultivar from a reputable source outperforms generic stock every time.

What I carry:
The focus here is on named collector varieties with documented characteristics — not unlabeled tissue culture liners from a wholesale rack. Alocasia and Colocasia selections chosen for foliage impact, cold tolerance where applicable, and container performance. Philodendron and Monstera varieties sourced for genuine collector interest rather than mass-market availability. If it’s in this collection, it’s here because it’s worth growing.

Growing aroids in Zone 6 and colder:
Most of what I carry in this collection is treated as a warm-season container plant or summer annual in Zone 6. That’s not a limitation — it’s a management strategy. The tropical foliage impact you get from a well-grown Alocasia or Colocasia through a Kentucky summer is significant, and many of these plants can be overwintered successfully as dormant corms or brought indoors as houseplants when temperatures drop.

Zone 3–5 growers: container culture is your primary strategy here. These plants move in and out with the season. Focus on varieties with strong summer performance and plan for indoor overwintering of the corms or rhizomes. Most handle it without any difficulty.
Zone 6 growers like me in Northern Kentucky: I’ve overwintered Colocasia corms in my garage for years with no losses. A cool, dry location above freezing is all they need. Some Colocasia varieties will even push through Zone 6 winters in a protected ground planting with heavy mulch — it’s worth experimenting once you have a plant established.

Zone 7 growers in Tennessee and the Carolinas: several Colocasia varieties are reliably root-hardy in your range. Plant them in the ground, mulch heavily in fall, and expect them to return. Alocasia is more variable — some species handle a Zone 7 winter in a protected microclimate, others prefer to come inside.

Availability:
This collection ships when conditions are right — warm nights, stable temperatures, and plants that are ready to perform from the moment they arrive. I don’t ship cold-sensitive aroids into a cold forecast. Expect availability to open in late spring and run through summer.