Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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How long until I get fruit from my Lychee tree? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Lychee tree with fruit

💖 How long until I get fruit from my Lychee tree?
  • 🍓 Is your Lychee tree ever going to fruit? Yes!
  • 🍓 A Lychee tree grown from an air-layered plant (Litchi chinensis) can start flowering and setting fruit right away, with good crops to be expected within 3 to 5 years, but don’t expect fruit every season. Lychees are often alternate bearers, meaning they may produce a heavy crop one year and little to none the next. Factors like variety, weather, and the tree's health affect this cycle.
  • 🍓 Lychees cannot be reliably grown from seed or grafted, as seedlings lack the necessary mycorrhizal environment found under mature trees. For best results, always start with a quality air-layered tree from a trusted source.


🛒 Shop Lychee varieties

📚 Learn more:

🎥 In the video: This Lychee Mauritus tree (very productive variety) was planted last year, and already has fruited; this is the second year crop.

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Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas

Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas
🌹 Heat-loving color that never quits: discover Cannas

📸 Canna flowers for the previous post 👆

🛒 Shop Cannas

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Where do almonds come from? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

🌰 Where do almonds come from? From the prettiest red-leaved tree with health benefits!
  • 📝 Most commercial almonds come from the Prunus dulcis tree, a close relative of Peach Tree, native to the Middle East and South Asia. However, Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa), also called Indian almond or Sea almond, produces a similar nut in tropical regions.

  • 📝 The Tropical Almond tree puts on a spectacular fall display rarely seen in evergreen tropical regions. As a deciduous tree, it sheds its large, glossy leaves in a burst of color - shifting from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and especially bright mauve. This fiery transformation sets it apart from most tropical trees. At the same time, the almond-like fruits ripen, making this tree not only a visual showstopper but also a source of delicious, nutritious nuts.


🌰 Health benefits of Tropical Almond:

  • ✅ Rich in omega-3 fatty acids - supports brain and heart health.

  • ✅ High in protein and healthy fats – helps build and maintain muscle and energy.

  • ✅ Strengthens bones and teeth – due to its calcium and phosphorus content.

  • ✅ Improves eye health – thanks to antioxidants like vitamin E.

  • ✅ Reduces inflammation – naturally anti-inflammatory.

  • ✅ Supports liver and digestive health – traditional medicine uses the leaves for liver diseases, diarrhea, and dysentery.

  • ✅ Used as an aphrodisiac – in some traditional systems.


Tropical Almonds can be grown in the ground or containers and are tolerant of heat, drought, and salt, making them great for tropical and coastal gardens.

🛒 Plant the Tropical Almond Tree with mauve fall color


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Where do almonds come from? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

🌰 Where do almonds come from? From the prettiest red-leaved tree with health benefits!
  • 📝 Most commercial almonds come from the Prunus dulcis tree, a close relative of Peach Tree, native to the Middle East and South Asia. However, Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa), also called Indian almond or Sea almond, produces a similar nut in tropical regions.

  • 📝 The Tropical Almond tree puts on a spectacular fall display rarely seen in evergreen tropical regions. As a deciduous tree, it sheds its large, glossy leaves in a burst of color - shifting from green to brilliant shades of red, orange, and especially bright mauve. This fiery transformation sets it apart from most tropical trees. At the same time, the almond-like fruits ripen, making this tree not only a visual showstopper but also a source of delicious, nutritious nuts.


🌰 Health benefits of Tropical Almond:

  • ✅ Rich in omega-3 fatty acids - supports brain and heart health.

  • ✅ High in protein and healthy fats – helps build and maintain muscle and energy.

  • ✅ Strengthens bones and teeth – due to its calcium and phosphorus content.

  • ✅ Improves eye health – thanks to antioxidants like vitamin E.

  • ✅ Reduces inflammation – naturally anti-inflammatory.

  • ✅ Supports liver and digestive health – traditional medicine uses the leaves for liver diseases, diarrhea, and dysentery.

  • ✅ Used as an aphrodisiac – in some traditional systems.


Tropical Almonds can be grown in the ground or containers and are tolerant of heat, drought, and salt, making them great for tropical and coastal gardens.

🛒 Plant the Tropical Almond Tree with mauve fall color


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How to make your own coffee from homegrown beans. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Coffee Tree in a cup (Coffea arabica)

Coffee Tree in a cup (Coffea arabica)

Coffee Tree with fruit (Coffea arabica)

Coffee Tree with fruit (Coffea arabica)

Coffee beans (Coffea arabica)

Coffee beans (Coffea arabica)

Coffee beans (Coffea arabica)

Coffee beans (Coffea arabica)

Coffee beans (Coffea arabica)

Coffee beans (Coffea arabica)

Coffee cherries on a tree (Coffea arabica)

Coffee cherries on a tree (Coffea arabica)

☕️ How to make your own coffee from homegrown beans

Q: Can you make coffee from your
own tree? Isn't there a process involved to prepare beans for it?
A: Absolutely! Yes, it is quite a process... But homegrown coffee lets you enjoy the freshest, chemical-free beans with rich flavor and the satisfaction of growing it yourself. Besides, it's fun! Below is a quick guide how to grow and make your own coffee from freshly harvested coffee fruit (called "cherries").
  • Harvest the ripe cherries

  • Pick the bright red fruits when they are fully ripe. These contain the coffee beans inside.
  • Remove the beans

  • Squeeze the cherries to pop out the seeds (beans). Rinse off any pulp and soak them in water for 1-2 days to ferment and remove the slimy coating.
  • Dry the beans

  • Spread the clean beans on a tray in a sunny, dry spot. Let them dry for 1-2 weeks, turning them daily, until they feel hard and papery.
  • Remove the parchment

  • Once dried, crack and remove the thin husk around each bean. You now have green coffee beans ready to roast.
  • Roast the beans

  • Use a dry skillet or oven. Heat until beans turn brown and fragrant, stirring constantly. The longer you roast, the darker and stronger the flavor.
  • Cool and grind

Let roasted beans cool completely, then grind them just before brewing. Enjoy your homemade cup of fresh coffee!

🛒 Grow it. Pick it. Roast it. Drink it. Buy your coffee tree now!

📚 Learn more from previous posts:

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Coffee trees are in bloom! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Coffee trees in bloom

☕️ Coffee trees are in bloom!

☕️ Coffee prices are climbing, supplies are tightening, and drought in Brazil is hitting hard
The best time to plant a Coffee Tree was yesterday - the next best time is right now!

🎥 Our Coffee trees (Coffea arabica) are bursting with blooms, promising a fresh harvest and home-roasted coffee like no other.
It's time to take your morning cup into your own hands!

🛒 Grow it. Pick it. Roast it. Drink it. Buy your coffee tree now!

📚 Learn more from previous posts:

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Finally: a sugar that is good for your health! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) - the Brown Sugar fruit tree

🍯 Finally: a sugar that is good for your health!
  • 🍩 Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) - the Brown Sugar fruit that loves you back with a health kick! Sapodilla is a delicious tropical fruit with soft, brown, sweet flesh and a malty, caramel-like flavor. It's loved not just for its unique taste, but also for its rich nutritional and medicinal value. Sapodilla is a sweet, nourishing fruit that doubles as a natural energy snack and a digestive aid.


🍴 Culinary Benefits: The sweet you don't have to feel guilty about!
  • 🍩 Eaten fresh - Just scoop the flesh out and enjoy! Tastes like brown sugar or caramel with a hint of pear.
  • 🍩 Smoothies and shakes - Adds creamy sweetness without the need for added sugar.
  • 🍩 Desserts - Used in ice cream, custards, or fruit salads.
  • 🍩 Jams, preserves - Makes a rich, flavorful jam.
  • 🍩 Dried sapodilla - Can be sun-dried like dates for a chewy, candy-like snack.


💚 Sapodilla's Health Benefits:
  • 🍩 Rich in fiber - Helps regulate digestion, prevent constipation, and support gut health.
  • 🍩 Natural energy booster - High in natural sugars and calories, great for quick energy.
  • 🍩 Packed with antioxidants - Contains polyphenols and flavonoids that help fight inflammation and cell damage.
  • 🍩 Vitamins A, C - Supports eye health, immune function, and skin regeneration.
  • 🍩 Iron, potassium, and folate - Supports blood health and may help maintain heart function and blood pressure.


🛒 Grow your own Sugar Fruit

📚 Learn more:
When does Sapodilla start fruiting and what is the best variety
New variety of Sapodilla: Thai Brownie

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What banana fits anywhere? Meet the world's smallest banana tree - big flavor in a tiny package. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Banana Truly Tiny

🔥 What banana fits anywhere? Meet the world's smallest banana tree - big flavor in a tiny package
  • Banana Truly Tiny is one of the most in-demand banana plants for collectors, small-space gardeners, and anyone who wants to grow bananas indoors. Here's why:
  • World's Smallest Banana Plant: As the name suggests, it’s the most compact edible banana variety. It grows just 2-3 feet tall, making it perfect for apartments, balconies, or desktops.
  • Edible Mini Bananas: Yes, it produces real, sweet, snack-sized bananas - not just an ornamental plant! The fruit is delicious and just the right size for kids or snacking.
  • Perfect for Containers: Its dwarf size makes it ideal for pots. You don’t need a yard or greenhouse - just a sunny window or patio.
  • Cute, Decorative, and Functional: It’s both a conversation piece and a fruit producer. Great for gifts, collectors, and home décor.
  • Indoor-Friendly: One of the few banana plants that thrives indoors with good light and care. It also stays manageable and won’t outgrow your space.
  • Fast-Growing and Fun: Like other bananas, it grows quickly and is exciting to watch - perfect for kids, first-time growers, and anyone who wants a rewarding plant.
  • Why Everyone Wants Truly Tiny? Because it’s the cutest banana plant in the world, and it actually produces fruit! Whether you're a collector or just want something exotic and productive in a small space, Truly Tiny is in a league of its own.


🛒 Get Truly Tiny - the cutest banana you'll ever grow!

📚 Learn more about #Bananas

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Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body

🏆 Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body

  • 🌿 Katuk, or Tropical Asparagus (Sauropus androgynus), is a delicious leafy vegetable popular in South and Southeast Asia. Its young shoots, often referred to as tropical asparagus, are highly prized for their taste and high yields.

  • 🌿 In Vietnam, Katuk is commonly cooked in soups with crab meat, minced pork, or dried shrimp, while in Malaysia, it’s stir-fried with egg and dried anchovies.

  • 🌿 The plant is unique for being one of the few plants that contains vitamin K. It’s also rich in folate, vitamin K, and lutein - nutrients linked to improved memory and reduced cognitive aging.

  • 🌿 Katuk thrives in full sun or semi-shade, making it a versatile and healthy addition to your garden or kitchen.


Lean more:
📚 Tropical Asparagus, Katuk: Grow your own food
📱 How to cook with Katuk

🛒 Add Katuk Superfood to your edible garden today

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Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body

Katuk,Tropical Asparagus - Sauropus androgynus

🏆 Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body
  • 🌿 Katuk, or Tropical Asparagus (Sauropus androgynus), is a delicious leafy vegetable popular in South and Southeast Asia. Its young shoots, often referred to as tropical asparagus, are highly prized for their taste and high yields.
  • 🌿 In Vietnam, Katuk is commonly cooked in soups with crab meat, minced pork, or dried shrimp, while in Malaysia, it’s stir-fried with egg and dried anchovies.
  • 🌿 The plant is unique for being one of the few plants that contains vitamin K. It’s also rich in folate, vitamin K, and lutein - nutrients linked to improved memory and reduced cognitive aging.
  • 🌿 Katuk thrives in full sun or semi-shade, making it a versatile and healthy addition to your garden or kitchen.


Lean more:
📚 Tropical Asparagus, Katuk: Grow your own food
📱 How to cook with Katuk

🛒 Add Katuk Superfood to your edible garden today

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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