Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History
🐾 Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History

  • 🐾 What is your favorite place in Florida?

    • Ours is Florida Keys! And what is our favorite place in Florida Keys? Hemingway Museum with Six-Toed Cats!

  • 🐾 Six-toed cats, also known as polydactyl cats, are a unique genetic trait that makes their paws look like they're wearing mittens - sometimes even with a "thumb." Most commonly, they have extra toes on their front paws, though some may have them on their back feet too.

  • 🐾 Ernest Hemingway’s home is famous for housing about 40-50 polydactyl cats, all descendants of a white six-toed cat named Snow White, a gift from a ship captain. The polydactyl gene is passed down, so even cats with the usual number of toes can have six-toed kittens.

  • 🐾 Polydactyl cats can appear in many breeds - Tabbies, Tortoiseshells, Calicos, and more. They're found in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but they share one fascinating feature: extra toes!

  • 🐾 True to Hemingway’s tradition, all of the museum's cats are named after famous people. These cats aren't just cute - they’re smart and can learn to respond to their names, making them extra special!

  • 🐾 So next time you see a six-toed cat, remember you're looking at a piece of literary history with a bit of extra "paw-some" charm!


πŸ“š Learn more:
Hemingway's six-toed cats

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Fun_facts

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A French Emperor's Hat Blooming in Your Garden? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

🎩 A French Emperor's Hat Blooming in Your Garden?
  • 🎩 Napoleon's Hat (Napoleonaea imperialis), a unique and charming plant that's sure to stand out in your garden!
  • 🎩 Napoleon's Hat lives up to its name with large, saucer-shaped flowers that bloom straight from the leaf axils or even directly from the trunk! Talk about making a statement.
  • 🎩 The hat-shaped, brightly colored flowers smell like butterscotch! Yes, your garden will smell like a candy shop🍬
  • 🎩 It's Kola's Cousin! The reddish seeds resemble kola nuts and even have a similar taste, giving you a fun, "false kola" experience.
  • 🎩 An instant conversation starter, Napoleon's Hat is a quirky, fragrant addition to your garden - perfect for those looking for something a little different.


πŸ›’ Plant Napoleon's Hat and show off with the most bizarre flower!

#Fun_facts #Trees #Nature_Wonders

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Flower of Dinosaurs. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Magnolia flower and a cat

Magnolia flower and a cat

Flower of Dinosaurs

Did you know that -
Magnolias are one of the oldest flowering plants, dating back about 95 million years! They actually predate bees, as their flowers are designed to be pollinated by beetles. In fact, magnolias and dinosaurs coexisted during the Cretaceous period, making them one of the oldest living species of flowering plants!

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Fun_facts

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Perfect neglect plant? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cissus rotundifolia - Arabian Wax Leaf

Cissus rotundifolia - Arabian Wax Leaf

Cat and Cissus rotundifolia - Arabian Wax Leaf

Cat and Cissus rotundifolia - Arabian Wax Leaf

🌳 Perfect neglect plant?

πŸ‘πŸΎ Yes, such plant exists! A Brown Thumb plant. Even your cat can handle its care!

🌿 Cissus rotundifolia - Arabian Wax Leaf - is a perfect neglect plant! Grow it either as house plant, hanging basket, fast growing ground cover, or decorate your patio with it. It needs no attention and will reward your "no-efforts" with beautiful waxy foliage. Needs very little water, just like another Brown Thumb plant - Peperomia x scandens - Emerald Girl that we mentioned earlier. No worries if you forget to water them!

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Fun_facts

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Fun Facts About the Guava Flower. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Guava Flower

🌸 Fun Facts About the Guava Flower
  • 🌸 Frilly and Fabulous - Guava flowers may be small, but they're packed with fluffy white stamens that give them a soft, powder-puff look.
  • 🌸 Pollinator Magnet - Bees and butterflies love guava blooms, making them a great addition to a pollinator-friendly garden.
  • 🌸 Scent-sational - The flowers have a light, pleasant fragrance that adds a touch of sweetness before the fruit even arrives.
  • 🌸 Bloom to Fruit - Each flower can turn into a delicious guava fruit, making them both beautiful and productive.
  • 🌸 Part of the Showy Family - Guava (Psidium) belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which also includes eye-catching bloomers like Eucalyptus, Bottlebrush (Callistemon), and the stunning Rose Apple (Syzygium).


πŸ“š More from previous posts about: #Guava

πŸ›’ Shop Guava Trees

#Food_Forest #Guava #Fun_facts

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Why do the Chinese drink tea? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why do the Chinese drink tea?
🌱 Why do the Chinese drink tea?

  • πŸƒ It actually has to do with the Chinese theory of the five elements - wood, metal, fire, water, and earth:

木 金 火 ζ°΄ 土

  • πŸƒ Tea comes from a plant - Camellia sinensis - the Tea Leaf Tree - that is used to make all true teas: green, black, white, and oolong. The Tea Tree contains the element of wood (木) 🌳

  • πŸƒ When it's roasted in a cast-iron pan, it gains the element of metal (金)

  • πŸƒ Then it's dried over fire, adding the element of fire (火) πŸ”₯

  • πŸƒ When it's brewed with boiling water, the element of water enters (ζ°΄) πŸ’¦

  • πŸƒ Finally, tea is poured into a clay vessel, symbolizing the element of earth (土) 🍯

  • πŸƒ In this way, all five elements - wood, metal, fire, water, and earth - come together in a single cup.

  • πŸƒ The plant grows slowly and can thrive in containers or frost-free gardens with sun to semi-shade.


πŸ›’ Grow your own tea

πŸ“šLearn more from previous posts:
Tea facts
How to grow your own tea?
Where does the tea come from?
Instructions how to make tea from tea leaves (PDF)

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Fun_facts

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What is better than Apricot? Tropical Apricot! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Pitomba, Eugenia luschnathiana - The Tropical Apricot Tree fruit

Pitomba, Eugenia luschnathiana - The Tropical Apricot Tree fruit

Pitomba, Eugenia luschnathiana - The Tropical Apricot Tree fruit

Pitomba, Eugenia luschnathiana - The Tropical Apricot Tree fruit

πŸ‘ What is better than Apricot? Tropical Apricot!
  • πŸ‘ Looking for a small, ornamental fruit tree with big flavor? Pitomba (Eugenia luschnathiana) - The Tropical Apricot Tree - is a Brazilian gem that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
  • πŸ‘ This slow-growing evergreen reaches 15-20 feet, with glossy dark green leaves and a striking light brown trunk. In spring, it bursts into white and yellow flowers, followed by apricot-colored fruits ripening from May to July.
  • πŸ‘ The fruit is juicy, aromatic, with a flavor and texture similar to apricots. Rich in vitamin C, minerals, and dietary fiber, Pitomba is perfect eaten fresh or turned into jams, jellies, and juices.
  • πŸ‘ Pitomba grows best in full sun, likes acidic soil, and appreciates regular water and feeding. Whether in the ground or in a pot, it’s a stunning and fruitful addition to your edible landscape.
  • πŸ‘ Why grow Pitomba?

🟑Unique tropical fruit with apricot-like flavor
  • 🟑Beautiful, compact tree for small yards or containers
  • 🟑Fruits in 2–3 years from seed
  • 🟑Cold-hardy to the upper 20s (Β°F) once mature. Grows in USDA zones 9–11 or indoors with winter protection
  • 🟑Traditional medicinal uses in Brazil for colds and digestive health


πŸ›’ Buy Pitomba to add a small fruit tree with big flavor to your yard

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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Why grow Grumichama? Benefits of Brazilian Eugenia Tree - Cherry of the Tropics. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, fruit

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, fruit

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, flowers

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, flowers

πŸ’ Why grow Grumichama? Benefits of Brazilian Eugenia Tree - Cherry of the Tropics
  • πŸ’ Did you know you can grow a tropical cherry right in your backyard? Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), also known as the Brazilian Cherry, is a compact, evergreen fruit tree that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
  • πŸ’ With glossy green leaves and reddish new growth, it’s an ornamental gem. In spring, it produces white flowers that quickly turn into dark purple, cherry-like fruits - ready to harvest just four weeks after flowering!
  • πŸ’ The fruits have soft, melting flesh with a flavor similar to northern cherries. Enjoy them fresh, dried, made into jams, or even in baked goods and herbal teas. This is our favorite fresh cherry @TopTropicals!
  • πŸ’ Grumichama plant grows into a small tree or bush in tropical and subtropical climates. It tolerates light frost.
  • πŸ’ Fruits in small spaces or containers (5–10 gallon pots)
  • πŸ’ Perfect for edible landscaping and home orchards. Loaded with fiber and antioxidants.
  • πŸ’ Whether in the ground or in a pot, Grumichama is easy to grow, stunning year-round, and gives you a sweet, juicy reward.


πŸ“šLearn more about Eugenia cherries:
Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes. # 3: Tropical Cherries: Eugenias.

πŸ›’ Plant Grumichama and bring a little bit of Brazil to your garden

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own 10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own 10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own
πŸ’© 10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own

  • β˜•οΈ That's right - the source of your favorite sweet treat, the Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) we introduced in earlier post, produces cocoa that's packed with powerful health benefits. Growing your own chocolate tree isn't just fun and rewarding - it's a way to bring a superfood right into your backyard!

  • β˜•οΈ Here are 10 reasons why cocoa is a health hero:

  • 🍫 Loaded with Antioxidants - Fights free radicals and supports overall cell health.

  • 🍫 Heart Healthy - Helps lower blood pressure and improve circulation.

  • 🍫 Mood Booster - Promotes feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins.

  • 🍫 Brain Power - Flavanols support memory, focus, and cognitive function.

  • 🍫 Fights Inflammation - Natural compounds help reduce chronic inflammation.

  • 🍫 Supports Blood Sugar Balance - May improve insulin sensitivity.

  • 🍫 Glowing Skin - Boosts hydration and protects against UV damage.

  • 🍫 Aids in Weight Management - May reduce cravings and support metabolism.

  • 🍫 Rich in Minerals - Packed with magnesium, iron, copper, and more.

  • 🍫 Good for Gut Health - Acts as a prebiotic to feed good bacteria.


β˜•οΈ With all these benefits, why not grow your own source of chocolate? Plant a Theobroma cacao tree and enjoy the magic of harvesting your very own cocoa pods. It's not just a tree - it's a conversation starter, a wellness booster, and your personal chocolate factory in the making.

πŸ›’ Get your Chocolate Tree today and grow your own goodness

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) fruit on a tree

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) fruit on a tree

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) tree in a pot

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) tree in a pot

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) opened fruit with cacao beans

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) opened fruit with cacao beans

πŸ’© 10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own
  • β˜•οΈ That's right - the source of your favorite sweet treat, the Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) we introduced in earlier post, produces cocoa that's packed with powerful health benefits. Growing your own chocolate tree isn't just fun and rewarding - it's a way to bring a superfood right into your backyard!
  • β˜•οΈ Here are 10 reasons why cocoa is a health hero:

  • 🍫 Loaded with Antioxidants - Fights free radicals and supports overall cell health.
  • 🍫 Heart Healthy - Helps lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
  • 🍫 Mood Booster - Promotes feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins.
  • 🍫 Brain Power - Flavanols support memory, focus, and cognitive function.
  • 🍫 Fights Inflammation - Natural compounds help reduce chronic inflammation.
  • 🍫 Supports Blood Sugar Balance - May improve insulin sensitivity.
  • 🍫 Glowing Skin - Boosts hydration and protects against UV damage.
  • 🍫 Aids in Weight Management - May reduce cravings and support metabolism.
  • 🍫 Rich in Minerals - Packed with magnesium, iron, copper, and more.
  • 🍫 Good for Gut Health - Acts as a prebiotic to feed good bacteria.


β˜•οΈ With all these benefits, why not grow your own source of chocolate? Plant a Theobroma cacao tree and enjoy the magic of harvesting your very own cocoa pods. It's not just a tree - it's a conversation starter, a wellness booster, and your personal chocolate factory in the making.

πŸ›’ Get your Chocolate Tree today and grow your own goodness

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

πŸ”΄ Join πŸ‘‰ TopTropicals
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