Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date:

Zero Sugar fruit: forget lemonade - new perfect summer drink discovered! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Costa Rican Guava, Cas Guava - Psidium friedrichsthalianum

Zero Sugar fruit: forget lemonade - new perfect summer drink discovered!
  • 🍋 Costa Rican Guava, or Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum) is the boldest fruit you can grow for refreshing drinks. Its flavor is sharp, tangy, and unforgettable - perfect for anyone who loves acidic fruit. Cas Guava has sugar at all, unless you decide to add some.
  • 🍋 The trees are super prolific - even young ones fruit heavily, and we make gallons of juice at Top Tropicals.
  • 🍋 The best part? You can freeze the fruit or boil it into a concentrate with a bit of sugar. That drink lasts in the fridge for months without going bad, thanks to Cas Guava’s natural antibacterial punch.
  • 🍋 Cas Guava juice is Costa Rica’s traditional Agua de Cas - tart, refreshing, and perfect for summer heat. And if you save enough, you’ll still be sipping it through the winter.


♨️ Agua de Cas Quick Recipe
We boiled this fruit and the drink lasted for months!
  • ▫️Boil halved fruits in water with sugar to taste
  • ▫️Simmer 5-10 minutes, let sit, then mash the softened fruit to release all the flavor
  • ▫️Strain through a colander, bottle, and refrigerate - just dilute with water when serving


✔️ Why choose Cas Guava?
  • • Packed with vitamin C - four times more than lemons - for a powerful immune boost.
  • • Rich in antioxidants to combat stress and inflammation.
  • • Hardy and low-maintenance, thriving in poor soils and resisting pests.


🛒 Grow your own Cas Guava

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Guava

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Guava grilled cheese: quick and fun exotic. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Guava grilled cheese: quick and fun exotic

Guava grilled cheese

Guava grilled cheese

🍴 Guava grilled cheese: quick and fun exotic recipes
  • 🔴Spread fresh mashed guava (or guava paste) between slices of bread with cheese
  • 🔴Grill until golden.
  • 🔴Sweet and savory twist on a classic sandwich!


🛒 Explore Guava varieties

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Guava

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Six guava varieties that will keep you picking year-round. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Six guava varieties that will keep you picking year-round

Tropical Guava - Psidium guajava

🍉 Six guava varieties that will keep you picking year-round
  • 🍉 Everyone loves guava! Sweet, fragrant, and packed with flavor. At TopTropicals, we have a whole guava forest, with varieties for every space and taste: Tropical Guava - Psidium guajava.
  • 🍉 Why we love Guava?

💋Fast-growing and sun-loving
  • 💋Thrives with plenty of water but handle short droughts
  • 💋Starts producing right away - no years of waiting
  • 💋Abundant fruit harvests
  • 💋Perfect for containers or small gardens

  • 🍉 What are the best Guava varieties? Our favorites are:

💋Dwarf Guava - stays under 6 feet but produces full-sized fruit.
  • 💋Honeymoon Variegated - leaves and fruit have variegated patterns, turning golden when ripe.
  • 💋Barbie Pink - pear-shaped yellow fruit with thick pink flesh, low in pectin, perfect for fresh eating or juice. Larger than Ruby Supreme and cold-hardy for a tropical fruit.
  • 💋Hong Kong (Hawaiian) - large, round fruit with smooth pink skin, sweet flavor, and few seeds. Very productive, with a spreading growth habit.
  • 💋Kilo White - huge fruit (up to 1 kilo = 2 lbs) with soft white flesh and few seeds. Great container plant, fruits even when small.
  • 💋Tikal - compact tree with yellow-skinned, pink-fleshed fruit. Fruits year-round and starts young. Great for beginners.

  • 🍉 Health boost in every bite:

    • Guava is one of the richest sources of vitamin C – even more than oranges. It’s loaded with antioxidants, fiber, potassium, and lycopene, which support immunity, heart health, and digestion.
  • 🍉 Whether you’ve got space for a tree in the yard or just a container on the patio, a guava will reward you with beauty, fragrance, and sweet fruit in no time.


🛒 Pick your guava variety

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Guava #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Tuxedo cat planting tropical tree with Sunshine Boosters bag, orange cat waving to kitten with backpack by school bus in sunny garden scene.

🌺 Back to School and Back to Planting – Cats in the Garden

Back to School, Back to Planting – Why August Works for Tropicals

Planting Season Isn't Over Yet

August is still a good month for planting tropicals in warm climates. The soil stays warm enough to push root growth, and late-summer weather gives plants time to settle in before winter. In drier areas, regular watering will keep them moving along just fine.

Tropicals in warm climates aren't usually harmed by cooler Winter weather, but as days get shorter, growth may slow down. This is why planting in late Summer-Fall lets roots grow during this last warm stretch, so the plant enters winter already established.

By spring, those roots are ready to drive new shoots, flowers, and fruit. There's no lost time to transplant shock - plants can get straight to blooming and fruiting earlier in the season.

August Planting FAQ

How can heat be prevented from harming new tropicals?

Water in the morning so plants start the day hydrated. Warm soil is good for root growth, but don't let it dry out.

How should new plants be protected from strong sun?

For the first couple of weeks, use a shade cloth or even a white bed sheet to soften midday sun and prevent leaf scorch.

What fertilizer works best for planting in summer heat?

Controlled-release types are best. We use professional grade Green Magic. You may pair it with Sunshine Boosters for steady, gentle feeding through the warm months.

Which tropicals grow best when planted in August?

Most tropical plants do well when planted in warm end-of-summer conditions, including Mango, Avocado, Guava, Jackfruit, Annona, Bananas, Orchid Trees, Jasmines, Allamanda and most of flowering trees, shrubs and vines.

Can tropical trees planted in August produce fruit next year?

Many can, especially fast growers, since they have established roots by the time spring growth begins.

How can tropicals be kept healthy when planting in August?

Mulch around the base to help prevent soil from drying out too quickly. Water deeply in the morning to help plants handle the heat.

Shop Flowering trees

Shop Fruit trees and edibles

Date:

Strawberry Guava for best Margaritas - the easiest fruit tree you'll ever grow! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Strawberry Guava for best Margaritas - the easiest fruit tree youll ever grow!

Strawberry Guava, Cattley Guava - Psidium littorale

🍓Strawberry Guava for best Margaritas - the easiest fruit tree you'll ever grow!
  • 🍓 If you're looking for a cold-hardy tropical fruit tree that thrives on neglect, you’ve found it: Strawberry Guava, or Cattley Guava (Psidium littorale). It's our favorite Guava at Top Tropicals!
  • 🍓 This fast-growing, evergreen small tree or dense bush doesn’t mind poor soil, limestone, or salt. It’s hardy to the low 20s F, drought-tolerant once established, and can even handle short-term flooding. Great as a hedge, windbreak, or container specimen, it also adds beauty year-round with glossy green leaves, peeling reddish bark, and soft red new growth.
  • 🍓 You’ll get round, tangy-sweet fruit from spring through fall - perfect for snacking, jams, or jellies, juices, and adding to all kinds of drinks, especially Margaritas and Mojitos! 🍸
  • 🍓 The red and yellow types are both tasty, with the yellow often a bit larger and sweeter. The sweetest and the most flavorful Cattley Guava variety is Hawaiian Gold - Psidium littorale var. Lucidum. This one is our favorite for eating out of hand!
  • 🍓 Cattley Guava is productive, low-maintenance, and ornamental - one of the easiest tropical fruit trees to grow in poor or alkaline soils.


🛒 Add a sweet guava hedge to your yard

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Guava

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Five best fruit trees to plant in Summer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

James Coconuts and Bob introducing Five best fruit trees

🌳 Five best fruit trees to plant in Summer

☀️ Summer might be scorching, but it’s actually a great time to plant fruit trees that love the heat. If you've got sunshine and a little space, these five tropical picks will reward you with fresh, homegrown fruit - some you’ll never find in a store!

1. Mango - the King of all fruit, a must have in every garden. Fiberlress varieties only! You can't buy those in the store.

2. Avocado - a must have super-fruit in everyone's diet, grow your own!

3.🐲 Dragon fruit - heat tolerant easy plant with low water needs, sweet fruit-bearing cactus

4. 🍉 Guava - by far the most flavorful tropical fruit, great for Summer drinks

5. 🍐 Black Sapote - fast growing, heat- and flood-tolerant, fruit tastes like chocolate pudding

📚 Learn more from previous posts:

🛒 Explore the finest rare tropical fruit trees

#Food_Forest #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

How to grow tropical fruit outside the Tropics. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Tropical fruit trees grown in containers

Tropical fruit trees grown in containers

How to grow tropical fruit outside the Tropics

👨‍� Can you grow tropical fruit in colder climates? Absolutely! The key is growing them in containers so you can move them indoors during cold weather. With the right plant selection, a bit of motivation, good plant food, and a little love, you can enjoy a delicious harvest of exotic fruit - enough to treat your family and even share with friends. Here's everything you need to start your own Tropical Fruit Garden in containers.

🏆 Top tropical fruits and expert tips for growing in containers

🛒 Shop top picks for your container tropical garden:

Condo Mango
Cold hardy Avocado
🍒 Tropical Cherries - Eugenias
⭐️ Carambola (Start Fruit)
🍉 Guava
🍈 Annona
🍍 Pineapple
🌶 Herbs and spices - tropical edibles right away
🕙 Fast-fruiting trees
🍊 Shop all fruit trees
Supplies and Boosters

#Food_Forest #How_to #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Pineapple Guava: fragrant fruit, beautiful blooms, and real health benefits. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Pineapple Guava: fragrant fruit, beautiful blooms, and real health benefits

Pineapple Guava blooming

Pineapple Guava blooming

Pineapple guava fruit

Pineapple guava fruit

🍓 Pineapple Guava: fragrant fruit, beautiful blooms, and real health benefits
  • Feijoa sellowiana, also known as Pineapple Guava or Guavasteen, is an evergreen shrub or small tree that brings together beauty, fragrance, and edible rewards.
  • With its soft pink, edible flowers blooming in late spring and strongly scented fruit ripening in late summer to fall, it offers interest across multiple seasons.
  • The fruit is especially unique. When fresh fruit blended with a little sugar, many describe the flavor as forest strawberries with hints of mint or pineapple - some even say it reminds them of Juicy Fruit gum. The texture is smooth and slightly gritty, similar to a pear.
  • Nutritionally, Feijoa fruit is low in calories, high in fiber, and an excellent source of Vitamin C and antioxidants. You don’t need to guess when it's ready - the ripe fruit drops to the ground.
  • Pineapple Guava is easy to grow and adaptable. It tolerates drought, thrives in full sun or partial shade, and withstands heat as well as cold down to 10F. Whether planted in the ground or grown in a large patio container, it needs minimal care - just occasional watering and light feeding.
  • It also serves multiple purposes in the landscape: a dense, evergreen hedge for wind protection, a privacy screen, or a standalone ornamental that attracts birds and butterflies. It can be shaped into a small tree or kept compact depending on your space.
  • A beautiful, edible, and low-maintenance addition to the garden that earns its place year after year.


🛒Taste the fragrant forest-strawberry flavor - grow Pineapple Guava

📚 Learn more:

#Edible_Forest #Guava #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Father's Day Sale!

Happy Father's Day Cat

This Father's Day, celebrate with a food forest - don't just mow, grow! Plant something meaningful that will not only bring joy today but also provide delicious fruit, edibles, and fragrant blooms for years to come. Whether you're a father or celebrating one, this is the perfect day to plant and nurture a garden that will thrive, just like the love you share with your family. Plant today to enjoy the fruits of your labor tomorrow!

Use the code below to save 15% on your entire order:

FATHERS25

Min order $150. Excluding S/H. Exp. 6-15-25

Reminder: use our FREE and DISCOUNTED SHIPPING for qualified orders

Shop Now

Mango trees in pots

Join our local event:
June 14, 2025 - Father's Day Plant Market, 9 am - 4 pm

Join us on Saturday June 14 for Father's Day Plant Market
- Kids, bring your dads and surprise them with the gift of a tree! Let them pick any tree they like and plant it together.
- Fathers, bring your kids and teach them how to connect with nature - show them how to plant a tree and grow something lasting!
Stroll through our lush gardens, meet the friendly PeopleCats, and enjoy a fun day for the whole family. Our team will help you choose the perfect plants for your space and guide you every step of the way.

Event Highlights:

30% OFF online prices
FREE plant with any purchase (including Guava)
Gift bags for first 25 customers with $50+ order
$5-10 specials
$10-20 Large Banana Trees - many varieties!
Exciting raffle prizes
Green Magic fertilizer FREE samples
Live music by the Famous Hand Pan Lady!

Event discounts valid at both locations:

Ft Myers Garden Center: 13890 Orange River, Ft Myers, FL
Sebring B-Farm: 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL

Explore the Event

Top Tropicals Plant Market

Date:

What fruit can reduce your blood pressure?

Top ten tropical fruit that help reduce blood pressure

Q: Can you recommend trees which fruit are beneficial for balancing blood pressure? I have limited space, so I want to be selective and grow a food forest that truly supports my health.

A: You don't need to spend $$$ on doctors and medications to stay healthy and young. By eating right and adding a few powerful plants and fruits to your diet, you can naturally keep your blood pressure in check. If you plant them today - you can harvest your own medicine tomorrow. And don't forget - gardening itself is therapeutic! It keeps you active, reduces stress, and helps your whole body stay in balance.

💚 Top ten tropical fruit that help reduce blood pressure:

🍈 Jackfruit - Contains potassium and magnesium, which help relax blood vessels and regulate blood pressure.

🍉 Guava - Rich in potassium and fiber, supports vascular health and may help lower blood pressure.

🍊 Papaya - High in potassium and antioxidants, promoting healthy blood pressure.

🍌 Banana - Well-known for its high potassium content, which helps counteract sodium and lower blood pressure.

🍍 Pineapple - Contains potassium and bromelain, which may support circulation and reduce inflammation.

🍅 Persimmon - High in fiber and antioxidants, which can contribute to better heart and vascular function.

🍇 Mulberry - Contains resveratrol and other antioxidants linked to heart health and blood pressure support.

Tamarind - Rich in potassium and fiber, may help regulate blood pressure and support arterial health.

🍑 Loquat - Contains potassium, aiding in fluid balance and blood pressure control.

🍒 Tropical Cherry (Eugenia) - Contains antioxidants and supports healthy circulation.

Shop tropical fruit trees that boost your health

< Previous pageNext page >Most recent entryBlog table of contents