The Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA was a trade event that (according to the sponsoring Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association website) offers everything foliage, floral and tropicals…all in one location, at one time, at one place.

With 200,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space housing 500 exhibitors, the TPIE is one of the largest shows of its kind in the United States and certainly the premier event on the East Coast. It's a virtual time machine into the near future of new and hot plants and trends for fanatics of the tropical lifestyle. of living and vibrant plants creating a virtual indoor garden of showstopper displays. With more than 500 exhibiting companies, TPIE offers wholesale buyers the widest array of resources for foliage and tropical plants in the country.Tropicsphere contributor and Leu Gardens' Eric Schmidt attended this year's shindig and came back with the following eye candy for all to enjoy. Expect to see these beauties at a porn shop...errrrrrr...garden center near you very soon! 

Here are some of the highlights:

Aglonemas:

'Crete'

'Vesuvio'

'Sterling' (looks similar to one I have called 'Alumina', cold tolerant)

LEFT-'Pride of Siam', MIDDLE-'Sapphire Suprise', RIGHT-'Donna Carman'

 Aglaonema 'Calypso' (cold tolerant)

 'Gold Dust'

Anthurium 'Otazu'

 Anthurium 'Tweed' (even had a tag that said "fool the cops!")

Alocasia

'Purple Cloak'

'Stingray'

Alocasia infernis 'Kapit', that foliage was almost as black as it looks in the photo.

 Alocasia lauterbachiana

Alpinia purpurata 'Sunspice'

Caladium 'Red Pear' (lots of unusual colored Caladium hybrids coming out of Thailand).

Beaucarnea guatemalensis

Ananas bracteatus 'Ivory Coast'- smooth leaves instead of the usual spiny ones.

Codiaeum variegatum 'Rudy Bachman'- Croton.

Coccoloba rugosa- big leaves.

Cordyline fruticosa 'Antares'- Ti Plant with narrow black leaves.

'Brian's Diamonds'

Crested Pachypodium lameri.

Ctenanthe 'Charlie'.

Epipremnum aureum 'N Joy'- a differented variegated pothos vine.

Euphorbia punicea- makes a small tree, flowers almost all year

Ficus binnendijkii 'Amstel'

Ficus dammaropsis- gets leaves up to 3ft (1m).

Ficus natalensis ssp. leprieurii 'Variegata' (F. triangularis).

Heliconia orthotricha 'Imperial'

Musa 'Black Thai' (may be M. balbisiana).

Ludovia integrifolia (a Cyclanthaceae)

Medinilla scortechinii

Neoregelia 'Ardie'

Nephrolepis 'Emina' (a weird sword fern).

Oxera pulchella (winter flowering vine).

Christmas tree made from Tillandsias.

Dracaena marginata 'Tarzan'. Leaves are much wider than the species, looked almost like a yucca.

Dracaena deremensis

'Artie'

'Hawaiian Sunshine'

'Jade Jewels'

'Spearmint'

'Super Lemon Tips'

TOP MIDDLE- 'Jade Jewel', LEFT- 'Malaika', RIGHT- 'White Suprise'

Awesome effort and thanks to Eric for sharing these pictures with the Sphere.