Tropical garden plant list

Top 8 Must-Have Tropical Plants – Easy To Grow Bulbs

Looking for a bit of drama in your garden? You really can’t go wrong by adding tropical plants! Their jumbo leaves, high voltage color, and amazing textures add height and interest while grounding and providing “heft” to garden spaces.

These plants are from parts of the world where the climate is frost-free, warm, and typically, though not always, moist (South and Central America, parts of Asia, and parts of Africa, for example). That means you can enjoy them outdoors when it's warm and then dig up the bulbs or bring containers inside for the winter when temperatures drop. Or, treat them as annuals — compost them and start fresh in the spring.

Each of these plants grows equally well in the ground or in containers, provided they're not sitting in completely boggy soils. Whether you live in a subtropical zone or garden where the snow flies each winter, you'll love these plants for the exotic touch they add to your landscape.

A heavenly scented patio tree with vividly colored blooms, Plumeria will satisfy nearly all of your tropical urges. Plus your friends will be seriously impressed when they see yours blooming. (Don't tell them that plumeria plants are super easy to grow!)

Plumeria are the quintessential tropical flowers used frequently in Hawaiian leis. We grow them as small patio trees, 15-18” tall. The scent of the flowers is deliciously potent without being overpowering, and makes them perfect for container plantings near patio seating.

Grow plumeria year round in full sun in Hardiness Zones 10-11. Bring indoors for the winter everywhere else.

Unlike some tropical plants, plumeria plants are incredibly drought-tolerant.

One of the most stunning and dramatic of the tropical flowering vines, passion vine grows from 8-30’ long with flowers that are nearly indescribable in their beauty. Train up a trellis in a container or allow to scramble over a mailbox or porch railing. For a unique and wild look, allow passion flowers to scramble up and through your perennial gardens.

Intricate layers of highly textured petals, filaments, stamens and anthers come in shades of white, purple, lavender, blue, pink, and red. Year-round cold hardiness in zones 8-11. Enjoy as a summer accent everywhere else.

Jasmine is the stuff of legends in literature, but we think it flies seriously under the radar as a garden plant. Small, waxy white flowers bloom from spring into summer, some even into the fall, on vines that grow up to 30’ long.

In warmer climates, jasmine will be an evergreen delight, in cooler areas, consider it a fragrant houseplant during the winter. Jasmine grows best in full sun to partial shade and likes consistently moist soils. Make a statement by planting jasmine in high traffic areas (such as near the front door or in a pot on your outdoor patio or deck) so you can enjoy the scent while flowers are in bloom.

How about foliage plants that look hand-painted? Although caladiums do bloom, you'll want to grow them for their over-the-top leaves in shades of red, pink, white, and green. They're one of the few plants that delivers true summerlong color in the shade — because the color is not dependent on the flowers.

The leaf shapes range from arrowhead- to heart- or lanced-shaped, with the overall size of the plant growing up to 25” with leaves up to 18” long. Most caladiums enjoy partial shade to dappled shade conditions. Their cold hardiness zones are 10-11, but gardeners everywhere enjoy growing caladiums during the summer.

These tropical beauties grow anywhere from 2-5 feet tall and up to six feet wide. Ornamental gingers instantly evoke the tropics but will bloom during the summer everywhere. Plants feature oversized elongated leaves and intricate flowers in a variety of colors.

Most prefer dappled sun to light shade in hardiness zones 8-11 and like soil on the somewhat moist, but not soggy, side.

Nothing quite surpasses the impressive size of elephant ears, the giants of the tropical garden. With heart-shaped leaves that can measure up to several feet across, elephant ears make a statement and provide a stunning focal point for your tropical garden.

These bulbs can grow anywhere from 3’ – 8’ tall and wide, and while most are predictably tender, some are actually fairly cold tolerant.

Go for Hilo Beauty for tri-color leaves with white accents or Esculenta Mojito with speckled leaves. You don't have to have a huge garden to enjoy their huge tropical flair. Some types have smaller leaves.

Check the hardiness zone on the variety you purchase. Bulbs are easy to dig up and overwinter indoors everywhere, though.

Calla lilies feature those wide leaves like most tropicals, but also boast their trademark spiral bloom form beloved in cut flower arrangements.

Both elegant and dramatic, callas come in hues ranging from reds, yellows, and oranges, to classic white, purple, and pink.

Some have speckled leaves that are great additions to the garden even when plants are not in bloom. Plants are cold hardy in zones 8-10 and make great container annuals everywhere else.

Ok, so crocosmia aren't technically tropical plants, but they look so tropical that we're including them in this roundup.

Crocosmia have exotic looking, tubular-shaped flowers in hot and spicy shades of red, yellow, orange, and hot pink — exactly what you need to add some heat to your garden!

Added bonuses? They’re great as cut flowers and they attract hummingbirds and butterflies. These mid-summer to fall bloomers grow from 24-36” tall in full sun to part shade in hardiness zones 6-10.

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Best tropical plants: 24 top picks to give your plot an exotic look

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Choosing the best tropical plants makes creating a lush, green garden sanctuary achievable even in cooler climes. Large, bold leaves, rich colors and interestingly shaped flowers are the hallmarks of this style of planting.

There are a few easy rules to follow for making a tropical-inspired garden. Blend a mix of shapes and sizes to create a jungle feel, layering the foliage to achieve a luxuriant effect. Choose plants with flowers in bold, exotic colors such as hot orange, purples and almost-black.

Another trick for achieving authentic looking tropical garden ideas is to pack plants close together to mimic the way they would grow in a natural setting. Restricting the space they grow in should mean that they will not overwhelm each other.

Opt for a mix of leaf shapes and sizes, including some long, strappy leaves, plus paddle-shaped and round ones. Plants with contrasting foliage color work well, and select some with big, bright blooms. Raised beds planted up with the best tropical plants is also an effective way of creating a leafy enclave, as the added height creates the effect of a canopy of green.

The best tropical plants: 24 picks for gardens big or small

Ready to introduce some of the best tropical plants to your plot? Whether you have a compact courtyard or a spacious backyard, you'll find plenty to choose from in our selection.

1. Canna

Canna 'Yellow King Humbert'

(Image credit: Clive Nichols/Getty Images)

With stunning flowers in hot colors, cannas are a top choice for the best tropical plants. Choose from sizzling orange, punchy pinks and red on huge architectural leaves.

They add height (up to 5ft/1.5m) and drama to garden borders, and they’re easy to grow. Plant the rhizomes in late spring (April or May) in a sunny, sheltered position and keep watered. They will then flower from June to September.

Cannas dislike cold winters, so lift the rhizomes and store somewhere dry and frost-free and replant the next year. In warmer regions, they can be left in the ground with a thick mulch of composted bark to keep them warm. You'll find more info on mulching in our guide.

Try Canna ‘Durban’ for hot orange blooms, and ‘Tropicanna Gold’ which has enormous black/bronze leaves and gold flowers.

2. Fatsia Japonica

(Image credit: DigiPub/Getty Images)

One of the simplest to grow of the best tropical plants, fatsia japonica are perfect for adding an instant jungle vibe to your small garden ideas.

These plants are grown for their large shapely leaves which stay green all year round. They thrive in shady, sheltered spots and dry soil, though they will need to be watered once a week in the summer. They will also be happy in a pot if you're keen to include them in your container gardening ideas, but they can grow up to 13ft (4m) in height and width, so make sure it’s a roomy one.

3. Phormium tenax

(Image credit: Studio 75/Alamy)

Arching, strappy evergreen leaves define this large plant, also known as New Zealand flax. It provides year-round interest and structure, and in hot summers, it will produce tall stems of red flowers.

They are hardy plants, and can survive frosts, but if a particularly fierce winter storm is forecast, wrap in some horticultural fleece as a precaution.

There's more tips on how to protect plants from frost in our guide.

4. Black bamboo

(Image credit: Zena Elea/Alamy Stock Photo)

The slim, polished black canes of Phyllostachys Nigra make a beautiful contrast with its fresh green leaves. Perfect for creating a living screen or for boosting your garden privacy ideas, bamboos also help to absorb sound from noisy roads and neighbors.

Black bamboo is hardy, so no winter protection is needed. Just plant in moist soil, in full sun or part shade, and water regularly until it is established. It does spread but is not as rampant as some varieties of bamboo.

There's more tips on how to grow bamboo in our dedicated guide.

5. Tree fern

(Image credit: Will Perrett/Alamy)

If you love the tropical look, it does not get much better than a tree fern. They are more of an investment than other options on our list of best tropical plants and they do need special care, but you'll be rewarded with a stunning garden feature.

They are best planted in moist soil in sheltered, dappled shade, so they are also a good choice for shade garden ideas. Make sure you leave plenty of space, as the fronds can grow to 6.5ft (2m) long. Mist the crown and trunk regularly, and regularly add a diluted seaweed-based feed.

In winter, the trunk and the crown need protecting from cold temperatures with fleece. Some gardeners also advise adding a thick layer of straw to cover the tree crown as an added measure in colder climates.

6. Musa Basjoo (banana palm)

(Image credit: Oleksandr Sokolenko/Alamy)

Exotic and dramatic, it's easy to see why this plant makes our list of the best tropical plants. They have huge, purple-green paddle shaped leaves on a sturdy stem and grow up to 8ft (2.5m) tall.

Although they look as if they would be tender, they can happily survive in the UK or similar climates with only precautionary fleecing in very cold snaps. The foliage will die back after frosts. Just cut the plant down to ground level and it should sprout again in late spring. For best results and to encourage healthy growth, feed monthly with an all-purpose soluble plant food.

7. Cordyline

Cordyline fruticosa

(Image credit: Torri Photo/Getty Images)

With textural, spiky leaves in greens and purples, this palm-like small tree is evergreen, and it will thrive in a pot. Young ones may need some winter protection, so do bear this in mind during cooler spells of weather.

They typically grow up to 10ft (3m) tall, making them an ideal feature for contemporary courtyard gardens, or they look equally at home as a striking addition to modern decking ideas.

8. Ginger lily

Ginger lily 'Assam Orange'

(Image credit: Alexandra Glen/Alamy)

Also known as Hedychium densiflorum, these large-leafed plants will produce tall spikes of fragrant flowers in exotic orange and they grow up to 6.5ft (2m) tall. In a border, plant in groups in moist soil to create a fabulous focal point. Mulch over winter.

They will also thrive in garden planters, and this means you can easily move them to a sheltered spot after the first frosts.

9. Aeonium

Aeonium arboreum (Schwarzkopf)

(Image credit: Howard Pugh/Getty Images)

Looking for something with a touch of drama for your best tropical plants? Beautifully shaped rosettes of fleshy leaves on branching stems make aeoniums a great choice, particularly as some varieties are purple-black which gives them a really exotic appearance.

They need a sunny spot to maintain the dark color, and should be planted in gritty, well-drained soil. Not sure about what sort of soil you have in your garden? Our guide to soil types explains what you need to know.

Aeoniums won’t survive freezing temperatures, so grow them in a pot, and move them inside for the winter months if you live in a cool climate. A north-facing kitchen window ledge or a conservatory is ideal for them. Allow the soil to dry out before watering in the colder months, or they may rot.

10. Bird of paradise

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When it comes to the best tropical plants, there can surely be few more stunning than the Bird of Paradise, also known as Strelitzia reginae. Native to South Africa, it has striking bright blue and vibrant orange flowers that resemble the profile of an exotic bird.

They grow best in well drained soil and need plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures to guarantee the best blooms. They will do well when planted in garden borders in warmer climates such as USDA zones 9 to 12 (they will produce flowers all year in tropical or sub-tropical climates), but you can also try growing them outdoors in containers in slightly cooler zones (such as the UK) over summer.

In these cooler areas, you will need to being them indoors over autumn and winter to protect them from the colder temperatures. Growing them in pots makes this an easier task as they can easily become part of your indoor garden ideas too. Keep them indoors, ideally in a bright, light spot such as a south-facing room, until the risk of any frosts has completely passed.

Do bear in mind that this plant can be toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. You can find out more of the most poisonous plants for dogs and plants that are poisonous to cats in our guides.

11. Pineapple flower

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These intriguing flower spikes are studded with tiny flowers. They're topped by a tuft of leaves, which adds to their interesting shape and look.

Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ has dark purple leaves and tall stems for added impact. Plant them from April-May, and they will grow to a maximum height of around 30in (75cm). These plants are also borderline hardy.

12. Peacock tiger flower

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The attention-grabbing Tigridia pavonia from Mexico is a striking option for the best tropical plants as it comes in bright shades that pop up on slender leaves from small bulbs.

The peacock tiger flower is an exotic Mexican corm with three-petalled summer blooms in bold, bright colors. In milder areas it can stay in the ground all year; elsewhere it should be grown in a pot that’s overwintered indoors.

13. Crown imperial

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The stems of these tropical plants grow up to 5ft (1.5m) and bear striking orange flowers with white anthers.

This very hardy crown imperial variety blooms in early summer. Do bear in mind that the bulbs will need very well drained soil – consider digging in some grit when planting – and plenty of sun.

14. Byzantine gladiolus

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Early summer sees spikes of elegant magenta flowers that will add interest to any space. Corms are inexpensive and perfect for edging borders, but they work equally well when planted as part of a wildflower meadow.

Look for G. communis subsp. Byzantinus in autumn. Grows up to 23in (60cm) in height.

15. Chusan palm

(Image credit: Getty)

Want one of the best tropical plants that can deal with lower temperatures? Trachycarpus fortunei or Chusan Palm is the one for you as it's capable of dealing with temperatures down to -4˚F (-20°C).

It forms a mass of 3ft (90cm) wide, fan-shaped leaves on stalks that emerge from the top of a stout trunk. A more compact species is Trachycarpus fortunei x wagnerianus, which is ideal for small gardens.

16. Dwarf fan palm

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This dwarf fan palm is a slow-growing species that can reach 6ft (1.8m). It is fairly bushy while young, forming a distinct trunk as it matures.

Tolerant of exposed plots, it will grow best in semi-shade. Make sure you feed and water it well and cut off any spotty leaves.

17. Cardinal climber

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This is a type of annual ipomoea native to tropical America. It bears small, bright red trumpets against feathery leaves and will bloom throughout summer. The flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds and other pollinators too.

Sow in poor, well-drained soil in full sun from May-July. It grows up to 13ft (4m) in height, and is a great option if you're looking for something to grow up your garden fence or over a garden arbor.

18. Trumpet vine

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Trumpet vine, also known as Campsis radicans, is vigorous and self-clinging. This woody climber needs plenty of space to grow, so it's more suitable for including in large gardens.

Its standout feature is the numerous clusters of bright orange or red trumpet-shaped flowers (hence the common name trumpet vine), each over 3in (8cm) long.

Best grown against a sunny garden wall to offer it some protection from cold winds, it will happily cling to the brick or stone wall to aid its growth. It flowers from late summer into autumn, typically July to September.

19. Cobaea scandens

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Cobaea scandens is a vigorous tropical annual that loves heat. It's a half-hardy perennial that easily climbs trellis by tendrils at the ends of the leaves.

Large purple (or slightly greenish white) bell-like flowers open all summer, twining over a large area of wall or fence. Sow seed early and pinch out the growing tip for bushy plants. Pollinated by bats, it will flower from July until the first light frost of the year.

20. Clematis armandii

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This Chinese native is a luxuriant climber, whose richly fragrant ivory or pink tinged blooms open in spring against a backdrop of older leaves and a swarm of new shoots. Reaches 10-15ft (3-5m) and is hardy in most areas.

You'll find plenty of advice on how to grow clematis in our expert guide.

21. Passion flower

(Image credit: Getty images)

Passifloras are one of the best climbing plants and will jazz up any wall or fence with exotic, eye-catching flowers from July to September. Orange fruits follow the flowers to give you added interest once the blooms have faded. Passiflora caerulea is the variety most often found in garden centers.

Best grown in a sheltered spot on a sunny wall as this can be a delicate plant. Make sure it has some protection from cold winds. It will also grow well in a container.

It grows up to 32ft (10m), and in cold areas of the UK it can be semi-evergreen.

22. Chilean glory flower

(Image credit: Future)

Eccremocarpus scaber, also known as the Chilean glory flower, is a slender climber that is smothered in pinky orange, tubular flowers from June to the first frosts.

In a sheltered spot in a mild garden it may be perennial; otherwise treat it as an annual.

23. Akebia quinata

(Image credit: Getty images)

If you're a fan of dark-toned flowers for your garden color scheme, then make sure you include this option in your selection of the best tropical plants. Semi-evergreen chocolate vine gets its name from the beautiful maroon-chocolate flowers. Produced in spring, they have a spicy vanilla scent.

The five-lobed leaves are bright green and, during warm summers, purplish sausage shaped fruits may form. It flowers from April to May.

24. Begonias

(Image credit: DT Browns)

Tropical-looking begonias are super for hanging basket ideas hung from a branch of a tree. ‘Santa Cruz’ from DT Brown produces cascades of fiery flowers, and are available as plugs to plant in June. Trails to around 15in (40cm).

How often do tropical plants need watering?

Tropical-style show garden at RHS Show Tatton Park

(Image credit: Ian Lamond/Alamy)

Plants with large leaves tend to need watering more frequently than those with smaller ones. If your best tropical plants are in pots or grown as part of your raised garden bed ideas, you need to water if you can push your finger into the soil and it feels dry all the way down. You will need to be watering plants frequently during hot spells, except for succulents, which have water-retaining leaves.

What is the easiest tropical plant to grow?

Calla lily

(Image credit: Michele Thulborn/Chapman/EyeEm/Getty Images)

Calla lilies are one of the easiest options for a beginner. These striking flowers grow from inexpensive bulbs and are reliable performers. It is just a matter of digging a hole, planting the bulb and letting nature do the rest.

Looking for more of the best plants for beginners? Our guide is a great place to start your search.

Which tropical plants are fast growing?

(Image credit: Dobbies)

According to plant expert and designer Laura Heybrook of Dale & Heybrook , the Japanese banana plant (musa basjoo) is a rapid grower. 'It will grow a mile a minute when it is happy,' she says. A small plant can reach 3m tall in 3 years. These plants prefer moist, well-drained soil and full sun or part shade. When planting, dig in plenty of well-rotted compost to boost growth and feed them regularly.

Will tropical plants survive outdoors in winter?

(Image credit: Dobbies)

Not all of the best tropical plants are needy, but some do require extra care and attention. Tree ferns, cannas and banana plants will need protection to survive cold, wet winters, but there are other hardy plants such as bamboo, which can happily survive unaided. The trick is to mix them up, so that looking after your tropical patch is not too labour intensive.

'For some tropical plants, you will need either a frost-free greenhouse to store them in, or some horticultural fleece to wrap them in over winter,' says Laura Heybrook.

Laura also has a top tip for a trouble-free tropical look for your flowerbed ideas. 'Blend in some frost-hardy plants such as fatsia japonica, bamboos and an evergreen magnolia, with one or two favorite tender plants which need extra care, such as a banana palm or some cannas,' she advises. 'That way, when winter comes, you won’t be looking out at a garden full of fleece-covered plants. '

An experienced freelance journalist, editor and columnist writing for national magazines and websites, Fiona now specialises in gardens. She enjoys finding and writing about all kinds, from the tiniest town plots to impressively designed ones in grand country houses.

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Rainforest - biomes, located approximately 10 degrees north and south of the equator. A biome is a biotic environment with homogeneous characteristics, with its own special plant, animal species and climate. Tropical forests are divided into tropical rainforests and dry deciduous tropical forests (subtropics). They are widely distributed in Asia, Australia, Africa, South and Central America, Mexico and many Pacific islands. Temperatures in these forests range from 20°C to 35°C, with no hot or cold seasons. And the average humidity reaches 77% - 80%. The Amazon rainforest is the most famous of the various rainforests in the world. Moist and warm tropical forests are home to 80% of all animal and plant species on the planet. These forests in the world are called "the world's largest pharmacy" because more than a quarter of modern medicines are made from plants growing in these forests. Undergrowth in the humid tropics is limited in many areas due to lack of sunlight at ground level. This fact makes the rainforests passable for humans and animals.

If the crowns of trees are destroyed or broken for some reason, then it reaches the ground and then everything very quickly becomes overgrown with vines, shrubs and small trees - this is how the jungle appears. They are also called the “lungs of the Earth”, since the humid climate contributes to effective air filtration due to the condensation of moisture on the microparticles of pollution, which generally has a beneficial effect on the atmosphere.

The struggle for existence in these forests led the vegetation to the fact that the forest began to be divided into separate layers. These include:

Emerging or new layer: it is formed from the crowns of trees reaching 30 - 70 meters. They are dome-shaped, umbrella-shaped, which receive the maximum amount of sunlight when they reach the high levels of the rainforest. The trees of this layer are home to a large number of animals and birds, such as eagles, monkeys, and bats.

Top tier: forms a dense "ceiling" of evergreen trees with broad leaves that grow close together. It is because of this layer that sunlight cannot penetrate into the lower levels and onto the ground. The growth of trees in this region is from 20 to 40 meters. This layer makes up the main life support of the rainforest and is home to most tropical animals - leopards, jaguars and exotic birds.

Lower deck - undergrowth. It is located immediately below the upper tier and consists of tropical plants that grow up to 20 meters. There is little air movement in this layer and the humidity is constantly high. Due to the lack of sunlight, this layer is constantly in the shade, and herbs, shrubs, trees and woody vines grow here.

Lastly, forest floor. She barely gets any sunlight. It is unlikely that any vegetation can be found in this layer, but it is rich in microorganisms. This layer is rich in animals and insects. Giant anteaters, beetles, frogs, snakes, lizards and a variety of insects inhabit the forest floor.

How animals and plants survive in such a warm and humid climate typical of these forests. Here are some examples of adaptation:

Tropical rainforest trees should not have thick bark to prevent moisture loss. Thus, they have a thin and smooth bark.
These forests are characterized by high rainfall and the leaves of the trees have developed "drip runoff" to allow rainwater to run off quickly. These are waxy grooves on the leaves.
The leaves of the trees at lower levels are wide, while at higher levels they are narrow in order to allow sunlight to pass through to lower levels.
There are creepers that climb tree trunks and reach the uppermost layers in search of .
There are plants like , which grow right on the trees.
Plants in the lower layers of tropical rainforests have spectacular blooms and attract insects for pollination as there is not much wind at these levels.
Carnivorous Plants: Many of the tropical plants get their food by eating animals and insects.

Other commercially important plants: cashews, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, cocoa, mangoes, bananas, papaya, peanuts, pineapple, nutmeg, sesame, sugarcane, tamarind, turmeric, vanilla, just to name a few. plants that we have to deal with in everyday life and which grow precisely in tropical rainforests.

Among the houseplants that are often found here are: monstera, spathiphyllum, stromantha, ferns (dendrobium, cattleya, vanda, oncidium, phalaenopsis, paphiopedilum, etc.), anthurium, medinilla, akalifa, selaginella, pineapple, banana, bromeliad, vriesia, heliconia, arrowroot, gloriosa, gusmania, diplatia, dieffenbachia, jacaranda, philodendron, zebrina, xora, calathea, caladium, ctenantha, klerodendrum, episcia, koleria, codiaum, coconut, columna, costus, crossandra, neoregelia, nepenthes, passionflower, pachistachis, plectranthus, poliscias, saintpaulia, synningia, scindapsus, Robelin date, eschinanthus. All of them need high humidity in room conditions.

The flora of the rainforest is extremely diverse. Among the trees that grow on the coasts, you can find a coconut palm. Their fruits - coconuts are very useful, used in cooking and cosmetology.

Here you can find different types of banana plants that people use as fruits and vegetables, depending on the stage of ripening.

Banana plant

One of the tropical plants is the mango, among which the Indian mango is the most famous.

The melon tree, better known as papaya, grows in forests and is of great economic importance.

Melon tree, papaya

Breadfruit is another representative of forests where nutritious fruits are highly valued.

One of the Mulberry family is the marang.

The durian plant can be found in tropical rainforests. Their flowers grow directly on the trunks, and the fruits are protected by thorns.

Morinda citrusleaf grows in South Asia, has edible fruits, which are part of the diet of the population of some Pacific islands.

Pitaya is a vine-like rainforest cactus with sweet and edible fruits.

One of the interesting tropical plants is the rambutan tree. It reaches a height of 25 meters and is evergreen.

Rambutan

Small evergreen guava trees grow in tropical forests.

Fast growing evergreen tropical tree Perseus americana is nothing but an avocado plant found in many forests.

Perseus americana, avocado

Various types of ferns, mosses and lichens, creepers and epiphytes, bamboos, sugarcane, cereals grow in tropical forests.

At the very top, trees grow up to 70 meters. These are evergreen trees. In seasonal forests, they shed their leaves during the drought period.

These trees protect the lower levels from wind, rain and cold. Then the crown layer (canopy) begins at the level of 30-40 meters. Here the leaves and branches are very close to each other. It is very difficult for people to reach this height in order to explore the world of flora and fauna of the canopy. They use special techniques and aircraft. The middle level of the forest is the undergrowth. A kind of living world has formed here. Then comes the padding. These are various herbal plants.

Tropical forest flora is very diverse. Scientists have not studied these forests yet, because they are very difficult to pass. In the future, new plant species will be discovered in tropical forests.

Julia Sokolova, Natalia Timofeeva

Research work

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Preview:

MOU "Morkinskaya secondary (full)

Research work on the topic

Rainforest

Completed by 2nd grade students

Secondary school No. 6 "

Julia Sokolova

Timofeeva Natalia

Head:

Primary school teacher

MOU "Morkinskaya average (full)

Secondary school No. 6 "

Kirillova Olga Erikivna

2013

Introduction

Main body

Rainforest zone

Rainforest location
Rainforest plants
Rainforest animals

2. Man and rainforest

Conclusion

List of sources used

Introduction

I really enjoy learning new things at school that I haven't heard about yet. It is especially interesting when you need to conduct a search, draw some conclusions and then tell your classmates about everything. In the lessons of the world around us, we got acquainted with different natural areas: their features, animals and plants. I had the opportunity to prepare a presentation on the topic "Rainforest".

Grade 2 students were asked the following questions:

22 students took part in the survey. The results are presented in the table.

	Number of positive answers to questions
question no.	2nd grade students	total
1. Where are tropical forests located?		0 of 22
2. Why are they called that?		0 of 22
3. What rainforest plants do you know?		0 of 22
4. What tropical forest animals do you know?		0 of 22
5. How do humans affect tropical forests?		0 of 22

Purpose of work: get to know the rainforest zone and its inhabitants

Tasks:

1. Study the literature on the topic.

2. Consider the diversity of animals and plants in tropical forests.

3. Learn about human impact on rainforests.

4. Tell Year 2 students about the rainforest zone.

Practical significance. The data of my work can be used in the lessons of the world around.

Main body

1. Rainforest zone

1.1 Location of tropical forests

Tropical forests grow near the equator, on both sides of it, between the northern and southern tropics. Tropical forests occupy large areas in America, Africa, in the southern and southeastern parts of Asia and on the islands adjacent to it. The largest massifs of the humid tropics are the Amazonian forests in South America. It's very hot and humid here. The annual amount of precipitation reaches 10 thousand mm in some places. This is 20 times more than in temperate forests. The abundance of heat and moisture is the main reason for the fabulous richness and diversity of plants and animals in the tropical rainforest.

The weather here is remarkably consistent. Before sunrise, the forest is rather cool and quiet, the sky is cloudless. The sun is rising and the temperature is starting to rise. By noon, the heat sets in, the air becomes suffocating. Two or three hours later, clouds appear in the sky, lightning flashes, deafening peals of thunder shake the air, and a downpour begins. Water flows like a continuous stream. Under its weight, branches of trees break and collapse. Rivers overflow their banks. The rain usually lasts no more than an hour. Before sunset, the sky clears, the wind subsides, and soon the forest plunges into the darkness of the night, which comes quickly, almost without twilight. With the sunrise, everything repeats itself from the beginning.

1.2 Rainforest plants

In the tropical forests, the seasons do not differ from each other, and eternal summer reigns with frequent showers. Such conditions are very favorable for the growth and life of plants, so tropical forests are lush, impenetrable thickets.

Vegetation in the tropical forest is arranged in tiers. The first tier consists of single perennial giant trees up to 60 m high with a wide crown and a smooth, branchless trunk. The second tier is formed by trees up to 20 - 30 m high. The third tier is represented by 10 - 20-meter trees, mainly palm trees of various types. And finally, the fourth tier is a low undergrowth of bamboo, shrub and herbaceous forms, ferns and club mosses.

Scientists count up to 400 different tree species in some tropical forests. Rainforest trees are similar in general appearance to our forest trees, but mostly have large leathery leaves. Such durable leathery leaves serve the trees for two or three years, and sometimes for a longer time. In addition, the leaves are not shed all at once, as happens in our forests in autumn, but one by one, at different times. Therefore, tropical rainforests are always green and never stand without leaves. . Can be found in tropical forests teak , a coffee tree , breadfruit , sausage tree . In tropical forests are dominated by evergreen deciduous trees, although there are also conifers, for example araucaria .

In Oceania, along with the coconut palm, which gives milk and butter, grows breadfruit . It bears fruit in "loaves" weighing up to 12 kg! In the pulp of oval fruits, starch accumulates, which, as it ripens, turns into ... dough. And if ripe fruits with a yellow-brown shell are baked, then their taste resembles sweetish wheat bread.

On one such tree, 700-800 "loaves" ripen annually. And three or four trees are enough to "feed" a person during the year. In addition, the breadfruit bears fruit for 70-75 years - just the average duration of human life.

Sausage tree , or kigelia pinnate reaches a height of 15m and has pinnate dissected leaves that look like walnut leaves. Kigelia grows in the East of Tropical Africa, where it is an excellent shade former in the dry and hot season. The flowers of the sausage tree are of a very exotic look, lilac bells bloom at night, and begin to exude a peculiar aroma. Bats flock to this fragrance and pollinate Kigelia.

Then the fruits begin to ripen. These are such huge sausages up to half a meter long, gray in color, which hang on huge, up to several meters, stalks. The weight of such a "sausage" can reach several kilograms. During fruit ripening, it is dangerous under the kigelia. The fruit consists of a very hard peel, inside there is some pulp with large seeds.

Even the local population does not eat the fruits; only elephants and rhinoceroses can gnaw them. But the bark and root of the sausage tree is used as a medicine. They are treated for constipation, pressure and many other diseases. Jewelry, dishes and amulets are made from the fruits of the sausage tree.

The grasses in the rainforest survive only if they settle directly on the trunks of trees, obtaining nutrients from rainwater. So orchids bloom their outlandish flowers on tree branches. Their beautiful flowers attract insects and small birds that drink nectar and carry pollen from one flower to another.

Other plants - creepers - cling to trees, braid their trunks, trying to climb as high as possible towards the light. Lianas can spread to neighboring trees and reach a length of 100 m. Light almost does not reach the ground. It is easy to guess why there are almost no herbaceous plants in such a forest.

One such plant is the giant rafflesia. Its flower with a diameter of more than a meter is the largest in the world. It resembles spoiled meat, has a corresponding smell and is pollinated by flies. It receives the necessary nutrients from the roots of the trees on which it settles.

The largest carnivorous plant capable of digesting the largest prey nepenthes . Frogs, birds and even rats fall into its traps and are digested with the help of enzymes. Grows in the tropical forests of Asia, on about. Borneo and Indonesia.

Rainforest animals

Life is literally teeming in this exuberant vegetable kingdom, many animals have found refuge here. First of all, these are birds - colorful parrots, hummingbirds, toucans (almost half of all birds known to scientists live in the tropical forests of the Amazon basin in South America).

The population of tree tops is invisible to man - it is far, high. Animals in the forest are not only not seen, but also not heard. A deep silence reigns in the forest during the day. Birds, even noisy parrots, sit silently on the branches of treetops and feed on fruits.

You walk through the forest and it seems that there is no one in it. But it is worth making a noise, for example, shooting, as an abundance of animals is immediately revealed: the parrots, taking off in a flock from nowhere, will scream sharply, the monkeys will rustle. But soon silence reigns again. No singing, no chirping, no calling sounds, no cries of fright can be heard in the branches.

Almost all species of large mammals (elephants, rhinos, hippos, buffaloes, lions, tigers, cougars, panthers, jaguars) and amphibians (crocodiles) can be found in tropical forests.

Lemurs are relatives of monkeys. They live only on the island of Madagascar and the neighboring Comoros, which broke away from Africa about 100 million years ago. Madagascar is home to over 50 species of lemurs and two-thirds of all chameleons living on the planet.

Armadillos and anteaters live in the forests of South America. The body of the armadillo is covered with a shell, a bit reminiscent of a turtle shield. The shell consists of two layers: inside it is bony, outside it is horny - and is divided into belts, movably connected to each other. The anteater is very interesting - tamandua, with a tenacious tail. He is great at running up sloping trunks and climbing trees, looking for ants and other insects.

Slow sloths hang upside down on branches all their lives: it is more convenient to eat leaves. Predators - such as the jaguar and panther are not inferior in dexterity to their victims.

Warm and humid impenetrable thickets - a real paradise for reptiles and insects. There are a great many of them here: poisonous snakes, huge boas, tarantulas, giant ants.

Frogs, lizards, snakes also live in trees. Lizards are helped to climb by tenacious suckers on their fingers. Tree frogs have adapted to lay eggs in water, which accumulates after rain at the base of large leaves.

Some birds and butterflies are painted in fantastic colors. Tropical butterflies reach a size of 20 cm.

You can't confuse a toucan with any other bird because of the huge motley beak, which in toucans is sometimes longer than the whole body. Toucans nest in the recesses of tree poles, but often they occupy hollows left by woodpecker families.

Hummingbird is a tiny bird (size 5.7 to 21.6 cm; weight 1.6 to 20 grams) with a long curved beak capable of flapping its wings so frequently that it manages to hang almost motionless in the air while sucking nectar from a flower . It is the only bird in the world that can fly backwards.

An unusually predatory piranha fish, 30 cm long, lives in many rivers of South America. In her strong jaws sit sharp, like knives, teeth. If a piece of meat is lowered into the river, piranhas immediately appear from the depths and instantly tear it apart. Piranhas feed on fish, attack ducks and domestic animals that inadvertently entered the river. Even such large animals as tapirs suffer from piranha. Fish damage the lips of water-drinking animals. Piranhas are also dangerous to humans.

Man and tropical forests.

Tropical forests are disappearing very quickly. It is estimated that between 500 and 1000 species of plants and animals die out in these forests alone every year. People destroy forests for many reasons. The main ones are:

1. . Fire cutting . People need more and more space and food. Therefore, they try to populate the spaces occupied by the forest. The settlers first felled the trees and then set them on fire. The fire releases the nutrients contained in the giant trunks. Cultivated plants are planted on the fertile ashes, but after one or two harvests, the soil ceases to give birth, since all of its already meager supply of nutrients is exhausted, and the natural cycle is disrupted. Settlers move on and uproot new plots. They, too, soon turn into barren deserts that will no longer be overgrown with forest.

2. Agriculture and animal husbandry . People have destroyed vast areas of tropical forests, primarily in South America, and planted in their place plantations of bananas, pineapples, oil palms, soybeans and other crops and started livestock farms.

3. Mineral exploration . A number of governments are planning to mine minerals and have already embarked on major projects that will lead to the destruction of vast areas of forests. Dams will be built to provide electricity to industrial enterprises for the processing of minerals. At the same time, the forest, where many Indian tribes live, will be flooded or cut down.

4. Logging . Mahogany, teak, black, white, brown, red and green ebony, and many other types of wood of exceptional beauty in pattern and color come from the tropics to the world market. In the tropics, during logging, lumberjacks do not cut down a section of the forest, but cut down only individual trees of especially valuable species. Unfortunately, people do not know how to cut down even selective trees with a sparing method. To take out huge trunks, you need to pave a clearing to the road, along which they will be delivered by trucks to sawmills or ports. When only one trunk is removed, up to 75% of the trees growing around the fallen one are damaged. On the roads where the tractors passed, settlers penetrate into the forest. They continue to destroy forests. Lumberjacks, having cut down all valuable trees, go further and lay new clearings in the forest that has not yet been touched. After two or three harvests, the soil is leached by rains, washed away by heavy rains, and becomes a barren wasteland.

Such changes in geographical areas reduce the natural wealth of our planet. The transformation of nature must be reasonable. We must not impoverish her, but make her even richer and more beautiful.

Conclusion

Summing up my work, I can say that: I have achieved my goal. I learned a lot of new and interesting things. In addition, I was able to tell my peers about it.

Tropical forests grow near the equator, on both sides of it, between the northern and southern tropics. That is why they are called tropical.

Favorable natural conditions, the absence of long dormant periods contribute to the rapid development and growth of plants. The evergreen vegetation of tropical forests is multi-tiered. The first tier consists of single perennial giant trees up to 60 m high with a wide crown and a smooth, branchless trunk. The second tier is formed by trees up to 20 - 30 m high. The third tier is represented by 10 - 20-meter trees, mainly palm trees of various types. And finally, the fourth tier is a low undergrowth of bamboo, shrub and herbaceous forms, ferns and club mosses.

Almost all species of large mammals (elephants, rhinos, hippos, buffaloes, lions, tigers, cougars, panthers, jaguars) and amphibians (crocodiles) can be found in tropical forests. The rainforest abounds with various snakes. The world of insects is also infinitely diverse.

Rainforests are home to 80% of all animal and plant species on the planet. Therefore, it is necessary to fight for the safety of forests and their inhabitants.

References

Vakhrushev A.A., Bursky O.V., Rautian A.S. The world. Grade 2 ("Our Planet Earth"). Tutorial in 2 parts. Part 2. - 3rd ed. revised – M.: Balass; School house, 2012. - 128 cm., ill. (Educational system "School 2100")
New Children's Encyclopedia. Per. from English Pokidaeva T. - M .: "Azbuka-Atticus" 2011. - 230 pp.: ill.
Tsekhanskaya A.F., Strelkov D.G. Complete Encyclopedia of Animals. - M.: CJSC "ROSMEN-PRESS", 2010. - 256 p.: ill.
Encyclopedia "Planet Earth" trans. from English Head of A.M. – M.: CJSC "ROSMEN-PRESS", 2010. - 143 p.: ill.
http://edu.zelenogorsk.ru/projs/eko/tur/tropik.html
http://kids.wosir.ua/ru/article/view/1663
http://www.junior.ru/students/chugreeva/ludi.htm

Hello, dear readers of the site "Me and the World"! Today we will talk about the so-called lungs of our planet - tropical forests. We will tell you: where they grow, what animals and plants can be seen in these forests, why they are called the lungs of the planet.

What is it?

What is a tropical forest? This is a vast territory in the tropical, equatorial and subequatorial zones, overgrown with evergreen trees, where only their own special plants and animals are found. The green belt of these forests stretches across Asia, Australia, Africa, Central and South America and through many islands of the Pacific Ocean. Quite mild climate without hot and cold weather with temperatures ranging from 20 to 35 degrees.

Tropical areas

Among all tropical forests, there are humid (rain) and seasonal. The former are characterized by a large amount of precipitation per year, while the latter grow where, despite moisture, there are periods of drought. The tropical rainforests of Atsinanana, growing in the east of the island of Madagascar, stand out separately.

These are ancient relict plants formed about 60 million years ago, but now they are under the threat of destruction. Unique places with more than 12,000 plant species and 78 wingless mammals.

In one of the Chinese resorts of Yalunvan, tropical forests are presented in a huge Botanical Garden. More than 1,200 species of plants grow on its territory, some of which are difficult to find in wildlife.

Another tropical jungle area in China is Yanoda, covering 123 square meters. km. Madly beautiful orchids, huge trees, exotic birds.

The park is located on the island of Hainan, 35 km from the city of Sanya, from which you can get both by regular bus and tourist bus. Here you can also relax on the beach in Dadonghai.

In one of the tribes of Latin America, local sorcerers daily pray that heaven will send rain to the earth. It would seem, well, why constantly water the already waterlogged soil. There is only one answer: there will be no showers - huge forests will disappear, and without them all of humanity will disappear, because it is not for nothing that the tropics are considered the lungs of the planet.

Flora and fauna

Many types of local vegetation grow only here, and the abundance of insects and snakes is a distinctive feature of these places. Animals mainly live in trees - these are mainly marmosets and cebids. There are quite a few ungulates: baker pigs and undersized pointed deer. Lots of reptiles and amphibians.

is a tropical vegetation zone of 6,700,000 sq. km, which is located along the river. The jungle is represented by a huge variety of flora and fauna. 40,000 plant species, 1300 birds, 5500 fish, 430 mammals and 1400 amphibians and reptiles.

The world's largest rodent, the capybara, lives in the Amazon, as well as the Brazilian otter, giant anteater, spider-like monkeys, howler monkeys, Amazonian dolphins, and many other animals, including titan lumberjacks, the planet's largest beetles. , dangerous to humans, because with their ticks they can easily break a pencil.

Barriers to growth

There is a problem of deforestation in the Amazon - more than 750,000 square meters have been destroyed since the end of the last century. km. Environmental problems associated with the disappearance of the tropics around the world are shown in feature and documentary films, as well as in cartoons for kids. We recommend watching one of these cartoons, Fern Valley, which is like a manifesto against corporations cutting down ancient trees.

The rainforest of India is a valuable tree species of more than 20,000 species. And if on other continents slowly, but the vegetation disappears, then India restores its wealth.

The diversity of the animal world is enormous. The inhabitants of only one of the islands of Kalimantan are 7 times more than in the whole of Europe. What are the names of all representatives of the flora and fauna of this beautiful country is difficult to list in one article.

The tropics on the world map are located between 25°N. and 30 ° S, as if encircling the planet with a green ribbon. The names and classification of forests are presented in the description and in the photo.

Video for children

Most people in our country consider the change of seasons to be quite natural. Indeed, how could it be otherwise. But in tropical rainforests, very little is known about this. And all because here the difference between summer and winter, spring and autumn is not felt at all. But here they know firsthand what rains and downpours are. And it is no coincidence that tropical forests are called humid.

Where are these tropical forests located?

Of course, their main habitat is the equatorial zone. On both sides, forests occupy a fairly large area. They take over South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. But most of all, all the inhabitants of the planet know the forests in the Amazon basin.

Amazon forests are recognized as reference. But there are also larger arrays. Tropical rainforests are found in Asian countries such as Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia and further extend into areas of Northern Australia. The African continent is replete with such forests.

There is no doubt that the rainforest, when viewed from above, resembles a green carpet. Sometimes it seems endless, as it often stretches from horizon to horizon. You can see winding rivers and even lakes there. But tropical plants often live on them too. The comparison with the sea comes to mind. It also sways and has the same mystery and power in it.

It is generally accepted that the climate is hot in the equatorial regions. However, on average, the temperature ranges from 24 - 20 to 33 - 36 degrees with a plus sign. Precipitation falls regularly, almost daily. Perhaps there is even some kind of "celestial timetable" when the day begins with clear skies and bright sun. By noon, clouds are gathering, and rain and thunderstorms are pouring. But the rains are short and soon the bright sun shines again against the background of a clear sky. This scenario may repeat itself several times during the day. Sunrise always occurs around six in the morning, but after six in the evening you can watch a rapid sunset. This mystery lasts every day, every month and for many, many years and millennia in a row.

Experts say that these amazing forests grow on the most ancient soils that can be found on the planet today. Their formation is attributed in time to the Tertiary period. All this time, the parent rocks were destroyed by tree roots, wind and water. Animals also played a significant role in this, scratching and tearing the rock with their claws.

It is the destroyed and ground rocks that make up the layer, the thickness of which reaches twenty meters. There is a large amount of iron oxides in the soil and all because heavy rainfalls wash out most of the chemicals. Therefore, the color of the soil has a reddish tint. They are also called ferralitic soils or silica, that is, rich in iron.

At first glance it may seem that in these heavenly places the soil is exceptionally fertile. Such abundant vegetation should create a lot of humus. But not everything is so simple. The most necessary substances, such as phosphorus, calcium and nitrogen, can be seen little. They are mostly found in the plants themselves. When they die, their substances do not even have time to get into the soil, as they are immediately "captured" by the roots of living plants. And so the eternal cycle goes on.

The first thing that comes to mind is that the rainforest is impenetrable. That is, it is so densely populated with various plants that it will not be possible to immediately find a piece of free space. But in reality, everything turns out to be exactly the opposite. Once in a tropical rainforest, you can find that there is not just enough free space, but a lot. And all because the trees, reaching for the sun and having large crowns, are literally intertwined with each other. This can be compared to a giant umbrella through which sunlight passes extremely poorly. He stays up there. Therefore, the soil around the trees does not dry out and it is always dark or twilight there. In such conditions, few plants will agree to live. This is the main reason for the large amount of free space. Although there are some plants that are ready to endure the deprivation of sunlight. But they often grow in such a way that their roots do not cling to the soil.

Imagine that when you are standing in the same place watching a tropical forest, you will not see two identical trees. It really is. On one hectare of tropical forest, up to one hundred species of plants can simultaneously exist. But even if you count only fifty, it is also not a little. Forests in the Congo Basin and Indonesia are often cited as examples.

Forest hierarchy

When people say the word forest, they most often think of trees. This is true for the rainforest as well. It is the trees that make up 70% of the basis of the forest. But this whole community is divided into three stages:

lower, rarely seen, about 10 meters high;
medium, these are trees 20 - 30 meters high;
top, these are giants, reaching up to 50 - 60 meters in height.

A huge multi-level green carpet is complemented by shrubs and various herbs. All of them have passed the test and are able to survive in conditions of constant shade. But they still have a subordinate position.

Lianas can be observed near the rivers. There are many of them and flexible trunks of creepers cover trees. So they grow and, descending from a height, form a real green curtain. Lianas grow mainly in tropical forests. Of all the plants, they are the most amazing. They exist on the trunks of tall trees, covering them with their flexible trunks. But if they are straightened, then the length of their creepers will surpass the largest giants. So they live a tree for a long time, until someday it falls.

In order to survive in difficult tropical conditions, some plants have come up with an ingenious way to retain moisture and nutrients. Existing on trees, sometimes their roots are not even able to reach the soil. Often they don't need it anymore. Indeed, in order to accumulate the necessary resources, they created special cavities in the stems. You can often see leaves as storage, they are like real reservoirs for rainwater. Roots that have not reached the soil are able to absorb the necessary substances directly from the air.

Breadfruit will feed everyone

Among the exotic trees growing in a humid and warm climate, there are those that allow the local inhabitants not to die of hunger. They are called "edible" trees. The inhabitants of Oceania highly value coke palms. Thanks to them, they are provided not only with milk, but also with butter. There are also breadfruit trees. For residents of the northern regions, this may seem like a fantasy. However, the dough from which something similar to bread is baked grows on a tree. A person receives it already in finished form. These are trees of the mulberry family. Each fruit, from which bread can be baked, can reach a weight of 12 kg. It is tempting to plant such a tree and not know the need for this product for 70-75 years. It is estimated that only one tree during the year will bear up to 800 fruits. But breadfruit can give not only bread. Fruits that are not ripe are used to make drinks.

The inhabitants of the African continent and the island of Madagascar are also familiar with breadfruit. In each locality, they have their own differences, but in general, the essence of its use does not change.

Trees can feed us not only with bread and milk. The sago palm, which grows in New Guinea, makes it possible to bake pancakes. But if it is cut down before flowering, then the core is rich in starch. It is processed in a special way and sago is obtained.

Milk that grows on trees not only resembles cow's milk in appearance, but also in composition. It is no coincidence that even real cottage cheese can be made at high temperatures. Well, sausage trees are usually familiar to all lovers of the exotic. But here the composition of the fruit only in appearance resembles this delicacy.

Elderberry jam: benefits and harms

Find out if we will meet. Dream interpretation of the house of the sun. How to correctly formulate a question in the process of divination

Tropical plants and their names. Tropical forests - "the second lungs of the Earth"

MOU "Morkinskaya secondary (full)

Research work on the topic

Rainforest

Completed by 2nd grade students

Secondary school No. 6 "

Julia Sokolova

Timofeeva Natalia

Head:

Primary school teacher

MOU "Morkinskaya average (full)

Secondary school No. 6 "

Kirillova Olga Erikivna

2013

Introduction

Main body

Rainforest zone

Rainforest location
Rainforest plants
Rainforest animals

2. Man and rainforest

Conclusion

List of sources used

Introduction

Grade 2 students were asked the following questions:

22 students took part in the survey. The results are presented in the table.

	Number of positive answers to questions
question no.	2nd grade students	total
1. Where are tropical forests located?		0 of 22
2. Why are they called that?		0 of 22
3. What rainforest plants do you know?		0 of 22
4. What tropical forest animals do you know?		0 of 22
5. How do humans affect tropical forests?		0 of 22

Purpose of work: get to know the rainforest zone and its inhabitants

Tasks:

1. Study the literature on the topic.

2. Consider the diversity of animals and plants in tropical forests.

3. Learn about human impact on rainforests.

4. Tell Year 2 students about the rainforest zone.

Practical significance. The data of my work can be used in the lessons of the world around.

Main body

1. Rainforest zone

1.1 Location of tropical forests

1.2 Rainforest plants

Rainforest animals

Almost all species of large mammals (elephants, rhinos, hippos, buffaloes, lions, tigers, cougars, panthers, jaguars) and amphibians (crocodiles) can be found in tropical forests.

Slow sloths hang upside down on branches all their lives: it is more convenient to eat leaves. Predators - such as the jaguar and panther are not inferior in dexterity to their victims.

Warm and humid impenetrable thickets - a real paradise for reptiles and insects. There are a great many of them here: poisonous snakes, huge boas, tarantulas, giant ants.

Some birds and butterflies are painted in fantastic colors. Tropical butterflies reach a size of 20 cm.

Man and tropical forests.

Such changes in geographical areas reduce the natural wealth of our planet. The transformation of nature must be reasonable. We must not impoverish her, but make her even richer and more beautiful.

Conclusion

Summing up my work, I can say that: I have achieved my goal. I learned a lot of new and interesting things. In addition, I was able to tell my peers about it.

Tropical forests grow near the equator, on both sides of it, between the northern and southern tropics. That is why they are called tropical.

Rainforests are home to 80% of all animal and plant species on the planet. Therefore, it is necessary to fight for the safety of forests and their inhabitants.

References

Vakhrushev A.A., Bursky O.V., Rautian A.S. The world. Grade 2 ("Our Planet Earth"). Tutorial in 2 parts. Part 2. - 3rd ed. revised – M.: Balass; School house, 2012. - 128 cm., ill. (Educational system "School 2100")
New Children's Encyclopedia. Per. from English Pokidaeva T. - M .: "Azbuka-Atticus" 2011. - 230 pp.: ill.
Tsekhanskaya A.F., Strelkov D.G. Complete Encyclopedia of Animals. - M.: CJSC "ROSMEN-PRESS", 2010. - 256 p.: ill.
Encyclopedia "Planet Earth" trans. from English Head of A.M. – M.: CJSC "ROSMEN-PRESS", 2010. - 143 p.: ill.
http://edu.zelenogorsk.ru/projs/eko/tur/tropik.html
http://kids.wosir.ua/ru/article/view/1663
http://www.junior.ru/students/chugreeva/ludi.htm

Rainforest is a very special forest. In such a forest it is always very humid and warm. It is very dense, often intertwined with each other, trees and various other plants grow. Because of this, it is almost impossible to move through the rainforest. And due to the fact that there are a lot of plants and they all tend to break through to the sun, it is always twilight in the rainforest.

On our planet, tropical forests occupy a very small area - only about 7% of the land. Central American rainforests Madagascar Island rainforests Congo River rainforests Southeast Asian rainforests Where are the rainforests? Australia Rainforest Eurasia Australia Africa North America South America Amazon Rainforest

Why is the air always humid in the rainforest? Because it rains very often in tropical forests - almost every day it rains. About 2 meters of rain falls there every year. This is almost 4 cm per week. And in some forests, even 4 meters of rain per year is not uncommon. Do you want to compare with the amount of rain we have? Take a flat-sided jar and put it in your backyard in a shady but open area. We'll see how much water it holds in a week. In addition, in tropical forests there is almost no soil - and there is nowhere for water to soak. Therefore, almost all of it remains on the surface. And since the air is quite warm, the water evaporates. The layer of soil in the rainforest is only about 10 cm. You can dig a hole that deep very quickly. And here, in order to dig to a place where it becomes impossible to dig deeper, you need to dig a very, very deep hole. You can see in this photo the roots of the trees lie right on the rocks.

How hot is it in the rainforest? The temperature in the rainforest is the same all year round - about degrees. This is the same as we usually have in the summer, in July-August. There is never frost in the rainforest, but the temperature does not rise above 27 degrees.

How do people live in tropical forests? Living in the rainforest is not easy, but both animals and plants have adapted perfectly. A real tropical forest resembles a multi-storey building. Since plants of different heights grow in it - from terrestrial and floodplain to tall and slender trees, animals have the opportunity to choose which tier they prefer to live on. And it so happens that certain types of animals prefer certain tiers. True, in search of food, they often wander from one level to another. Different types of plants also prefer to live at different levels - someone settles on the trunks of other trees, someone prefers to live on the ground, and some even in the water.

The cover level is the upper part of most medium-sized trees (about meters high). This level is full of life - insects, spiders, many birds and some mammals prefer this level. The litter is a habitat for a wide variety of animals - insects, snakes, spiders and a place where a huge number of plants live. The largest animals usually live here. The outer level is the tops of the tallest trees, significantly exceeding the rest of the trees in height. Such trees can reach 60 m in height. This is a real paradise for birds. The undergrowth is a dark and cool place under the crowns of trees, but above the ground. This is an area of growing trees. And how many floors are there in the rainforest?

More than half of the animals, birds, insects, spiders and plants known to man live in tropical forests. And each new expedition finds more and more new species. Who lives in tropical forests? Since tropical forests are scattered throughout the globe and on all continents except Antarctica, each of these forests is home to very special and unique animals.

But grass can be found in glades and forest edges where it grows as tall as your dad. What plants live in the rainforest? But, unlike grass, ferns are very fond of tropical forests and willingly live there, reaching enormous sizes. Unlike our forest, there is almost no grass in the rainforest. Moss and lichen carpets spread underfoot. In addition, the ground is covered with a thick layer of broken branches, fallen leaves and fallen trees.

What unusual and amazing plants can be found in the tropical forest? In the forests of South America, you can see giant water lilies. An adult can easily ride on such a water lily. There you can also meet bromeliad, the same as it grows in our house. Only ours grows in a pot, and this one grows in the forest.

Lianas occupy a special place among the plants of the tropical forest. The vines do not have their own strong trunk, they grow by clinging to other plants - either twisting around, or attached with special roots. Creepers can weave so tightly around a tree that they can even strangle it and the tree will die.

How do animals manage to hide in the rainforest? The rainforest is filled with many different animals, many of which are predators. Animals had to adapt to remain invisible. Most animals have mastered the art of camouflage. This caterpillar, a tropical silkworm, disguises itself as a snake. The eyes on her back aren't really eyes at all, but just a drawing to distract enemies.

People and the rainforest In some rainforests there are tribes that know no other life than living in a forest full of dangers. They have adapted well and have all the necessary knowledge - they know how to avoid encounters with predators, they know which plants can be eaten, how to properly hunt. These guys don't have a TV to watch cartoons, they don't have a computer, they don't have toys like you have and they'll probably never get the chance to go to a real school. But on the other hand, they know how to make their own toys, they know how to drive a boat and catch fish. They will be able to find jaguar tracks in the grass and distinguish between a poisonous snake and a non-poisonous one.

Why do we need tropical forests? Tropical forests are very necessary for our planet. Despite the fact that they do not take up too much space, plants growing in them absorb carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to most of our Earth. As you already know, tropical forests are home to a huge number of different inhabitants of the Earth. If tropical forests disappear, then all these living creatures will lose their homes and simply die out, just as dinosaurs died out in their time. Tropical forests, due to their impassability, keep many different secrets from people. And when there are secrets that have not yet been discovered by anyone, life in the world is much more interesting. And suddenly, it is you who will someday be lucky enough to find an animal similar to Cheburashka in the depths of the rainforest. This is going to be great! In the meantime, people need to keep their forests safe and sound.

Our environment is sometimes taken for granted. Even something unique, like, is forgotten. It seems a little bit of knowledge and a push in the right direction can make people appreciate the environment. So why not start with the wonder that is the rainforest?

Despite the fact that tropical forests cover less than two percent of the total surface area of the Earth, they are home to about 50% and. They are also found on every continent except Antarctica. It's very amazing! Now let's see what plants are found here. Out of 40,000 species, in this article, you will learn about 10 of the most amazing rainforest plants that will blow your mind and help you get closer to the amazing nature of our planet.

Bananas

Bananas are one of the amazing plants in the rainforest. Even though they look like trees, bananas are not trees but giant herbaceous plants. In a year they reach full height ranging from 3 to 6 m. The flowers eventually develop into fruits and then mature and are used as food by humans and animals. Banana stems can weigh almost 45 kg and are almost 93% water.

Distribution: Central America, South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, as well as non-tropical regions such as the United States of America, thanks to modern agricultural technology.

Orchid

Orchids are the largest plant family in the world. The species vary greatly in weight and size, with some petals reaching 75 cm in length and inflorescences growing up to 3 m in length. They can also have a different color, with the exception of black. Orchids grow on rocks, in soil, underground and on other plants, relying on certain insects or birds for pollination.

Distribution: is extremely well adapted and grows in Central America, South America and along the Andean mountains.

Coffee

What would you do if you didn't have a cup of coffee in the morning? Surely that would be terrible. For coffee, you can thank the rainforest coffee plant. It can grow up to 9 m in height, but is considered a bush or shrub. Coffee fruits resemble grapes, and contain two coffee beans inside. It takes six to eight years for a plant to grow, and its lifespan can be up to 100 years.

Distribution: Ethiopia, Sudan, and Latin America are home to more than two-thirds of the total number of coffee trees on the planet.

Brazil nut

Rising above all other trees in the rainforest, the Brazil nut can reach over 50 m in height. The plant is widely known for its nutrient-rich fruits. The outer layer of the fruit is so hard that only agouti, a large rodent with sharp teeth, can damage it.

Distribution: tropical forests of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.

Euphorbia most beautiful

This beautiful plant is found in tropical forests as a shrub or tree. One might think that the red part of the plant is the flowers, but they are actually the bracts. The flowers are small yellow inflorescences in the middle of the leaves. Also, to clear up the rumors, they are not poisonous, although some believe they are.

Distribution: Mexico and Central America.

Cocoa

The cocoa tree is an evergreen plant whose fruits are pods containing 20 to 60 reddish brown cocoa beans. To obtain 500 g of cocoa, 7 to 14 pods are required. It is very important that the cocoa is harvested correctly.

Distribution: grows below an altitude of 300 m above sea level in regions that receive about 10 cm of rain per month. Cocoa originated in the Amazon rainforest and can be found today in southern Mexico.

Hevea brazilian

This tree can grow up to 40 m in height. Hevea brasiliensis is characterized by its milky white sap, which is commonly referred to as natural rubber, and rubber is made from it. The tree is used to produce rubber at the age of six.

Distribution: Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.

Heliconia

This genus of plants includes almost 200 species distributed in tropical America. Depending on the species, these plants can grow up to 4.5 m in height. Flowers can be colored in shades of red, orange, yellow and green. The bracts actually hide the flowers of the plant and protect the nectar, so only certain birds, such as hummingbirds, can get to them. Butterflies also love to feast on sweet nectar.

Distribution: Central and South America.

Sapodilla

This strong wind-resistant tree has an extensive root system and a bark containing a milky sap called latex. The egg-shaped fruits contain a grainy yellow fruit inside and taste similar to a pear. It is considered the best fruit in Central America, and even the mammals of the rainforest love to snack on it. The first chewing gum was created from the fruit of the sapodilla by the Aztecs!

Distribution: southern Mexico, Belize and northeastern Guatemala.

Bromeliads

Bromeliads include more than 2700 species that grow on the ground, on rocks and on other plants. These beautiful plants have bright flowers. One of the most famous representatives of the bromeliad family is the sweet, wonderful fruit of the pineapple! Bromeliads are even sometimes a refuge for frogs, snails and salamanders, where they stay for life.

Distribution: Central and South America. One species is also found in West Africa.

The rainforest is home to many amazing plants, including those that many of us enjoy; so it is very important to keep this unique. Imagine that you live without bananas, coffee, chocolate, pineapples and beautiful orchids. It's quite sad!

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The tropical region of the globe crosses the American and African continents and also includes the southern part of Asia and the islands adjacent to it.

Especially rich and diverse is the vegetation of tropical rain forests, or, as they are also called, rain forests. These forests reach their best development where there is frequent and regular heavy rainfall. When a tropical downpour falls from the sky with a loud noise, more water falls in one and a half to two hours than we have near Moscow in a few months. The abundance of moisture and heat, the bright sun standing right overhead at midday hours - all this creates the most favorable conditions for vegetation, especially for trees.

The air temperature in the tropics remains almost unchanged throughout the year. For example, in West Java, in Bogor, where the best botanical garden in tropical countries is located, the coldest month - August (Java is located 8 ° south of the equator) is only 1 ° colder than the hottest month - February. The temperature difference between day and night is small: during the day it rises to + 30 °, and at night it drops to + 20 °.

A person who has come from the north finds it very hard to miss the absence of cool nights and colder seasons. But for plants, this constant warmth is extremely favorable: they grow all year round, with amazing speed. For some 10-15 years, tropical trees reach a height of 30-40 m and a thickness of up to a meter. In our climate, trees reach this size only by 100-150 years.

The harsh conditions of the northern winter leave a certain monotony on our forests. Very often, our forests consist almost entirely of one tree species that is best adapted to the climate and soil.

Tropical forest composition is very diverse. Among dozens of nearby trees, you will not always find two identical ones. In addition, they are so intertwined with branches that it is difficult to make out which trunk this or that leaf, flower or fruit belongs to. In the tropical forests of Brazil, there are about 250 different tree species. And none of them prevail.

In our forest, usually not a single tree rises above the others, and from a distance it seems that the “roof” of the forest is completely even. The main reason for this is the cold winter winds. They dry the tops that are too advanced beyond the total surface of the crowns. The trees, as it were, protect each other from the destructive effects of these winds.

There is neither frost nor cold winds in the rainforest. The rains fall almost daily, they keep the tops of the trees taller than the others from drying out. Some trees are spreading out in breadth, others are stretching up. From a distance, the profile of the rainforest is visible as a wavy line.

Many people mistakenly imagine that the tropical forest is made up of palm trees. Palm trees in the tropics grow more in open areas. For example, coconut palms form large groves along the seashores, and in the forest they are found only in some places, one by one, among other trees. Rainforest trees are similar in type to our forest trees, but most of them have large leathery leaves - such as, for example, indoor ficus. We are used to seeing it as a small tree growing in a pot or tub. At home, ficus is a huge tree, larger than our oak.

Durable leathery leaves serve the tree for two or three years, and sometimes longer. The tree does not shed its leaves all at once, as in our forests in autumn, but one at a time, at different times. Therefore, tropical rain forests are always covered with foliage, i.e., evergreen. There are many coniferous trees in tropical forests, such as araucaria, reaching enormous sizes. But evergreen deciduous trees predominate there. The branches of the trees are closely intertwined, the foliage on them is dense, and light almost does not penetrate to the surface of the soil. There is always, even in the midday hours of sunny days, a greenish twilight reigns. There are few herbaceous plants in tropical forests. The soil is covered mainly with mosses and ferns. There are tree ferns; they reach a considerable size and look like small palm trees. They are especially common in the forests of Australia and New Zealand.

Almost daily tropical rains flow down the branches and trunks of trees in powerful streams. Water lingers on the forks of branches, where epiphytes grow abundantly. Epiphytes themselves contribute to the retention of water by their stems and roots.

Among the epiphytes there are also flowering plants. Of these, orchids are the most beautiful.

There are also orchids in our forests: Lyubka (night violet) and orchis (cuckoo's tears). But they give only a faint idea of the beauty and variety of tropical orchids. With their bizarre shape and bright color, their flowers occupy one of the first places in the plant world and are extremely highly valued in horticulture. Just like love and orchids, tropical orchids have tubers, but they are not underground, but on tree branches. Orchid roots hang in the air. They are silver-white in color from the loose tissue covering them, which, like a sponge, greedily sucks up the water flowing down during the rain. In the soil, the roots of these air plants suffocate and rot. In greenhouses, they are also suspended in the air, placed in baskets filled with moss or simply on large pieces of cork, and instead of watering, they are sprayed daily with water.

In the tropical forests of South America, in addition to orchids, there are often representatives of the bromeliad family. They are almost entirely epiphytes. They are distinguished by brightly colored, very beautiful flowers. The bases of the leaves of these plants tightly cover the stems and form, as it were, a funnel in which rainwater stagnates. The leaves are covered with glands with caps. In wet weather, the lids are raised and let water pass through the leaves, and in dry weather they are tightly closed. Plants from the bromeliad family are also bred in greenhouses. The pineapple belongs to this family.

The insectivorous plant Nepenthes also belongs to the epiphytes of the tropical forest. Trapping organs hang from the ends of its leaves - beautiful, colorfully colored "jugs" (see Art. "").

It is a mistake to think of a tropical rainforest as a flowering garden. Flowering plants are not so common there, and it is many times more difficult to find an orchid flower in a tropical forest than a lyubka or an orchis in our forests. You can make your way through dense thickets all day long and find only one or two blooming orchids. In the semi-darkness of the tropical forest, the eye distinguishes only dark green foliage, moss and epiphytes on tree trunks and branches. The songbirds that so enliven our forests are not heard in this forest.

The characteristic plants of the tropical forest are creepers. They, like epiphytes, strive to seize a place under the sun at the lowest cost. Liana grows extremely fast. Her trunk is leafless, thin and flexible, she easily climbs to the tops of the tallest trees, spreading her shoots from tree to tree. Below, only thick trunks of vines are visible, wriggling like giant boas, and their leaves are lost high among tree crowns. It is even difficult to distinguish which leaves and flowers belong to the vines, and which ones belong to the trees on which the vines climbed. Lianas intercept sunlight with their leaves and thereby cause significant harm to the trees supporting them.

Even more dangerous for trees are those creepers that tightly wrap around their trunks and thus make it impossible to thicken. As the tree grows, the vine rings cut deeper and deeper into its bark and eventually cut it completely.

Then the normal sap flow is disrupted and the tree dries up. Such vines are called "tree stranglers".

The strength of the rainforest is amazing. Clearings and roads cut through it overgrow in a few months so that not a trace remains of them. Even continuous cuttings or conflagrations turn into completely impassable thickets after a few years. The same fate befell the cultural fields, abandoned for some reason. The inhabitants of the areas adjacent to the forests have to wage a continuous struggle with the forest advancing on the fields. One has only to weaken this struggle a little, as an impenetrable jungle grows on the site of arable land.

But still man conquers tropical forests. In more densely populated tropical countries, such as Indonesia, forests have been preserved mainly in the mountains.

Tropical garden plant list

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Best tropical plants: 24 top picks to give your plot an exotic look

The best tropical plants: 24 picks for gardens big or small

1. Canna

2. Fatsia Japonica

3. Phormium tenax

4. Black bamboo

5. Tree fern

6. Musa Basjoo (banana palm)

7. Cordyline

8. Ginger lily

9. Aeonium

10. Bird of paradise

11. Pineapple flower

12. Peacock tiger flower

13. Crown imperial

14. Byzantine gladiolus

15. Chusan palm

16. Dwarf fan palm

17. Cardinal climber

18. Trumpet vine

19. Cobaea scandens

20. Clematis armandii

21. Passion flower

22. Chilean glory flower

23. Akebia quinata

24. Begonias

How often do tropical plants need watering?

What is the easiest tropical plant to grow?

Which tropical plants are fast growing?

Will tropical plants survive outdoors in winter?

list, types, names, descriptions and photos

At the very top, trees grow up to 70 meters. These are evergreen trees. In seasonal forests, they shed their leaves during the drought period.

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Video for children

Where are these tropical forests located?

Forest hierarchy

Breadfruit will feed everyone

Tropical plants and their names. Tropical forests - "the second lungs of the Earth"

Bananas

Orchid

Coffee

Brazil nut

Euphorbia most beautiful

Cocoa

Hevea brazilian

Heliconia

Sapodilla

Bromeliads

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