Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

More pictures of the Cannonball Tree for the previous post 👆

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❔ Is Magnolia edible? Vanilla Magnolia: it's for cooking!

💮 Florida Sweet Bay, or Vanilla Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) has beautiful flowers with strong vanilla fragrance, while the leaves offer unique culinary uses.

• 🔹 Strong vanilla scent: fragrance can be noticed hundreds of yards away.
• 🔹 White, delicate blooms.
• 🔹 Unique leaf flavor: fresh leaves have a distinct taste, fun for cooking. Sweet Bay offers unique cooking flavors.
• 🔹 Prefers moist, acidic soil conditions, tolerates flooding, ideal for wet spots in your yard.
• 🔹 Pest-free: no bugs or other pests.

🛒 Shop Magnolia trees

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Top 5 exotic Mango varieties for rare fruit collection.

Now that you have decided to collect them all but have limited space, these are the top 5 of the most interesting rare Mango cultivars:

• 🟠 1. Kar Lon Long - rare and unusual, native to India. Fruits that can weigh up to 5 lbs each! The unique flavor that has been described as being a cross between a mango and a pineapple.
• 🟠 2. Mun Kun Si - similar to Nam Doc Mai but much bigger. Rare variety, very popular among Thai and Vietnamese people. The fruit are extremely sweet, fiberless and somewhat crunchy ("Mun" means crunchy). Very late producer, fruit may still be on a tree as late as January.
• 🟠 3. Pina Colada - very sweet, has rich flavor with a hint of coconut and pineapple.
• 🟠 4. Ugly Betty - awesome mango, great sweet flavor, while the fruit is real ugly! Slightly mis-shaped at the top - hence the name.
• 🟠 5. Giselle - from Gary Zill's breeding program and was a seedling of a mango called Tower. It was described as a juice mango and is named after Gary's wife.

❓What is your favorite Mango variety? Share in comments 👇

📝 See also earlier posts:

• 🔸 5 most Favorite Mango Varieties
• 🔸 Top 10 Dwarf "Condo" Mango
• 🔸 Top 5 vigorous growers and reliable producers
• 🔸 How to grow a mango tree

🛒 Shop Mango Trees

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⭐️ How to grow your own Carambola

Star Fruit - Carambola Tree (Averrhoa carambola). Growing this tree is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy this unique and delicious fruit right at home.

• 
  🌟 Star power: slice it, and you get perfect star-shaped pieces for impressing guests or adding some sparkle to your fruit salad. Bright yellow and shiny, the fruit adds a pop of color to any dish. Great in salads, smoothies, desserts, or even as a garnish. Endless possibilities!
• 
  🌟 Nature's candy and low-calorie treat: a delightful mix of sweet and tangy flavors packed with juicy goodness, a refreshing way to stay hydrated. Guilt-free snacking with hardly any calories. Snack away!
• 
  🌟 Health benefits: Star fruit is loaded with Vitamin C. Good source of dietary fiber, keeps things moving smoothly. Packed with antioxidants to help fight off those pesky free radicals.
• 
  🌟 Cultivation of the tree is easy:

• ▪️ Loves full sun. Plant it in a sunny spot for the best fruit.
• ▪️Keep warm and protect from winds. Thrives in warm, tropical climates, but can take some light frost winters as long as protected from winds, wind-free is the key!
• ▪️Prefers well-drained soil. Keep it happy with good drainage.
• ▪️Regular watering but doesn't like soggy feet.
• ▪️Space saver: compact tree that doesn't take up much space. Perfect for smaller gardens. Dwarf varieties available, good for containers.
• ▪️Fast grower: grows quickly. You'll be harvesting star fruit in no time!
• ▪️Pretty blooms: produces lovely pink flowers. Adds beauty to your garden even before the fruit comes.
• ▪️Home harvest: enjoy fresh, home-grown star fruit. Pick them right off the tree!
• ▪️Fast-fruiting: seedlings start fruiting within 3 years from seed. Grafted or air-layered trees fruit right away.

📚 Learn more: Carambola tree is the Star of the orchard

🛒 Shop Start Fruit varieties

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🏆 The best tropical fruit tree for container growing, and the fastest to fruit: Annona.

🍏 Annonas (Annona sp) are very much loved tropical fruit. The fruit has smooth, creamy flesh, just like a natural custard - hence one of the common names - "Custard Apple". Growing an Annona tree is a rewarding experience, its a small compact tree that will let you enjoy its creamy and exotic fruit right away.

The best tropical tree suited for container growing, due to its small height. It can be maintained within 6-8 ft tall.

The fastest fruiting tree: 2-3-4 years from seed to fruit, depending on species.

Most species are deciduous: drop leaves during winter-spring.

Thrives in frost-free climate. Some species are cold hardier than others. Container culture is a good way to cold protect these beautiful small trees.

❤️ 6 top most popular Annonas:

• ▪️ Rollinia (Rollinia deliciosa) - the biggest Annona fruit and the most showy
• ▪️ Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa) - the most popular
• ▪️ Guanabana (Annona muricata) - the most cold sensitive but the fruit is so tasty!
• ▪️ Pineapple Annona Golden (Annona costaricana) - cold hardy and easy to grow
• ▪️ Custard Apple (Annona reticulata) - with red flesh
• ▪️ Mountain Soursop or Hedgehog (Annona montana) - mentioned earlier, cold hardy

📚 Learn more:
Horoscope for Guanabana tree
Hedgehog Mountain Soursop - Annona montana
How to grow and hand-pollinate Guanabana Tree indoors (PDF)

🛒 Shop Annona varieties

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🍊 What is the best fruit in the world? How to grow your own Lychee tree.

Lychee (Litchi chinensis) is often called the best fruit in the world. You've eaten these no doubt in Chinese restaurants: fresh or sun-dried (Litchi Nuts) or canned in syrup. Growing a lychee tree is a rewarding way to enjoy this sweet and exotic fruit right at home!

• 📍 The fruit has been grown in China for over 2,000 years and was once considered a luxury food for the wealthy. Lychee trees can produce fruit for more than 100 years.
• 📍 Lychee fruit is a burst of sweet, juicy and fragrant goodness with every bite. Unique blend of sweet and floral notes, a taste of the tropics! It is delicious on its own or in desserts, drinks, and salads.
• 📍 Packed with vitamin C, has high water content - keeps you refreshed and hydrated. It is a guilt-free snacking with minimal calories. Loaded with antioxidants.
• 📍 The tree loves full sun and prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It needs regular watering, especially during dry periods. keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
• 📍Space needed: it can grow quite tall and wide, give the tree plenty of space to spread out. Relatively resistant to pests!
• 📍Slow Grower: although air-layered trees start fruiting right in a pot, it takes years for the tree to grow big (approx. 10 years for 20 ft tree).

❓ What other BEST fruit in the world do you know? Mango, Sugar Apple, Mangosteen... What's your favorite? Share in comments.

🛒 Shop Lychee varieties

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🌈 Need more ideas for compact and showy flowering trees? Try Rainbow Cassias.

• ♦️ Some hybrid cassias have spectacular color combinations and are called Rainbow Cassias.
• ♦️ We mentioned earlier some sunny, yellow-flowering cassias: Senna surattensis (Cassia glauca) - Scrambled Egg Bush, and Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree.
• ♦️ Other cassias can be pink or with multi-color flower combination, so-called Rainbow cassias (which are hybrids between yellow and pink cassias):

Cassia grandis - Red Cassia
Cassia javanica - Apple Blossom Tree
Cassia marginata - Rainbow Shower Tree
Cassia roxburghii - Ceylon Senna
Cassia x nodosa - Pink Shower, Appleblossom.
• ♦️ Cassia trees are compact, fast growing, tolerant to drought and poor soils, free-flowering and relatively cold hardy. Always a great choice!

❓ What cassias do you have in your garden? Share photos in comments👇

🎥 Rainbow cassia - Cassia Marginata.

🛒 Shop showy Cassia trees

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🍊 Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties

Papaya fruit is one of the superfoods as we mentioned earlier. Below are the top 3 most interesting varieties: a full size tree, a semi-dwarf and a dwarf.

1. Maradol. Vigorous full size plant with high yield. Commercially grown throughout Central Mexico, these papayas are 3 to 5 pounds in weight and the shape of an elongated melon. Soft and juicy, they have salmon pink or red flesh that is very sweet with a slightly perfumed, fruity flavor. Cut them in half lengthwise. Delicious and irresistible with a sprinkle of fresh lemon or lime juice.
2. Solo Sunset, Semi-Dwarf from Hawaii. Commercially grown primarily on Kauai, it has dark pink to reddish-orange flesh. The fruit is medium to small size, shape is somewhat round. This is the sweetest Papya variety we ever tasted!
3. Solo Waimanalo, Dwarf - oval, large size yellow fruit with dark yellow flesh. Low bearing tree makes harvesting easy. Grows wonderfully in Central Florida in both a container or in the ground. Will go from seed to fruit in just one year. Waimanalo has yellow-orange flesh.


❓Do you eat Papaya fresh or you also cook with it? Share in comments👇

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10 steps: how to grow a mango tree?

Follow these steps and you'll be on your way to growing a healthy mango tree and enjoying delicious fruit:

1. ❗️ Choose the right variety that suits your needs and yard. See earlier posts:
5 most Favorite Mango Varieties
10 Dwarf "Condo" Mango
5 large and vigorous Mango varieties

2. 🌳 Buy a grafted tree from a reputable nursery to ensure better fruit quality and faster fruiting.

3. 🏡 Planting site: choose a sunny location with well-draining soil. Ensure there is enough space for the tree to grow, as some varieties can become quite large.

4. ⛏️ Planting: dig a hole twice as wide and just as deep as the root ball. Mix in organic compost to enrich the soil. Place the tree in the hole, making sure the growth point is 1-2" above the soil line. Fill the hole with soil, pressing gently to remove air pockets. Water the tree thoroughly.

5. 💦 Watering: Water the tree regularly, especially during the first few weeks. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings to prevent root rot.

6. Mulch: apply mulch around the base of the tree to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot.

7. Fertilize: use a balanced fertilizer formulated for fruit trees. We recommend Sunshine Boosters Mango Tango formulated specially for mango trees.

8. ✂️ Prune to shape the tree to encourage good airflow and sunlight penetration, and to improve the yield.
🎥 Shaping your Mango Tree.

9. 🕷 Pest and disease control: monitor for scale and mealybugs and treat them with systemic pesticides. Keep an eye out for fungal diseases and treat them promptly with copper spray.

10. Harvesting: Mangoes are ready to harvest when they change color and soften slightly.

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💰Good luck tree that brings money and prosperity? And yet shade, spectacular flowers and edible nuts? It is Guiana Chestnut!

• Pachira aquatica (Bombax glabra) - Malabar Peanut or Guiana Chestnut is a beautiful, fast growing flowering tree with edible nuts!
• Tropical wetland tree native to Central and South America, known for its large, glossy leaves and its distinctive, braided trunk.
• The tree is believed to bring good luck and prosperity to those who own it, and is sometimes referred to as a "money tree."
• Pachira aquatica is also used in traditional medicine and often used for bonsai.

❓ What other plants bring good luck? Share in comments👇

🛒 Order Guaiana Chestnut Money Tree online

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