Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 13 May 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Banana Lakatan (Lacatan)

🍌 Why everyone wants Banana Lakatan?

🌟 Banana Lakatan (also spelled Lacatan) is one of the most sought-after banana varieties for several great reasons:
🌟 Incredible Flavor: Lakatan is famous for its rich, sweet, and creamy taste. It has a fuller banana flavor than most commercial types, making it a favorite for eating fresh.
🌟 Deep Yellow to Orange Flesh: The vibrant color of the fruit is a sign of its high beta-carotene (Vitamin A) content - great for eye health and immunity.
🌟 Soft, Dessert-Like Texture: Unlike fibrous store-bought bananas, Lakatan bananas are smooth and velvety, almost like banana pudding in a peel.
🌟 Fast Fruiting: It's a vigorous grower that can produce fruit in as little as 9-12 months under warm conditions.
🌟 Highly Nutritious: Rich in potassium, vitamins A, C, and B6 - Lakatan is both a treat and a health boost.
🌟 Premium Status: In the Philippines and much of Southeast Asia, Lakatan is considered the top-quality banana, often more expensive and prized over all others.
🌟 Why Grow It? Because you can't buy this flavor in stores. Lakatan fruit doesn’t ship well - it's too soft and sweet for commercial export. That's why growing your own is the only way to enjoy its true taste.

🛒 Grow your own Lakatan and experience the banana everyone’s talking about!

📚 Learn more about #Bananas

#Food_Forest #Discover

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Date: 10 May 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Ice Cream (Blue Java) Banana - Musa balbisiana x Musa acuminata

🍌 Is Blue Java Banana really blue? Great question!

🔵 The Blue Java Banana, also known as the Ice Cream Banana, really does have a blueish tint when the fruit is unripe.
🔵 It's not bright neon blue, but more of a silvery blue-green or frosty blue tone.
🔵 This cool color is especially noticeable under sunlight and is one of the reasons the variety is so eye-catching.
🔵 Once ripe, the fruit turns pale yellow and has a creamy texture with a vanilla-like flavor, hence the nickname "ice cream banana."

🍌 Ice Cream (Blue Java) is a cold-tolerant hybrid of Musa balbisiana and Musa acuminata, vigorous banana growing 10-15 feet tall and producing 40-60 lb bunches of stout, bluish-skinned fruit with sweet, vanilla-flavored, cream-like flesh that can be eaten raw or cooked.

🆒 Banana #Fun_Facts

🟡Bananas are rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure and supports heart health.
🟡They provide a quick source of energy and are great for post-workout recovery.
🟡The fiber in bananas aids digestion and promotes gut health.
🟡Eat them fresh, add to smoothies, bake into breads and desserts, or use in various savory dishes.
🟡Rubbing the inside of a banana peel on mosquito bites can reduce itching and swelling.

🛒 Blue bananas exist - and you can grow them!

📚 Learn more:
About #Bananas
What are the best varieties of edible Banana and which one should I plant?

#Food_Forest #Bananas

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Date: 23 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Red-Leaf Bananas Add Bold Color to Your Garden!

Banana Red Leaf, Musa x sumatrana, and Blood Leaf, Musa x sumatrana Zebrina Rojo, and Bordelon, Red Striped

🚩 Top 3 Fastest-Growing Red-Leaf Bananas – Add Bold Color to Your Garden!

💅 Looking for instant tropical flair? These red-leaf bananas are among the fastest-growing and most eye-catching ornamentals you can grow. Perfect for pots, patios, or planting in the ground - they grow fast, look exotic, and bring bold color to your space. Best of all, they're low maintenance and cold-tolerant!

🔥 Banana Red Leaf, Musa x sumatrana - Stunning maroon undersides and variegated green-and-red leaves. Compact in containers (3–5 ft) or dramatic in the ground (up to 8 ft). A true showpiece.
🔥 Blood Leaf, Musa x sumatrana Zebrina Rojo - Rich burgundy splashes across green foliage, with small red fruit. Loves containers and adapts well to cooler zones.
🔥 Bordelon, Red Striped - Hardy and tall (10–15 ft!), with striking red-striped foliage. A Louisiana native that flowers and fruits if protected in winter.

📚 More about ornamental Bananas:

🛒 Grow fast, grow bold – these sell out quickly!

#Discover #Hedges_with_benefits #Bananas

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Date: 18 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

🍌 Secret Banana Daiquiri Recipe: Healthy Never Tasted So Good!

🍹 Banana Daiquiri Recipe Ingredients:

· 1 ripe banana
· 2 ounces light rum
· 1 tablespoon sugar
· 1 ounce lime juice
· 1/2 ounce triple sec (optional for added depth)
· Ice cubes
· Slice of lime or banana for garnish

🍹Instructions:

· Prepare the Banana: Peel the banana and cut it into chunks.
· Blend the Ingredients: In a blender, combine the banana chunks, light rum, sugar, lime juice, and triple sec.
· Add a handful of ice cubes. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
· If the mixture is too thick, you can add a small amount of water or more lime juice to adjust the consistency.

🍹Garnish and Serve:

· Pour the mixture into a chilled glass. Garnish with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass or a small wheel of banana. Serve immediately and enjoy the refreshing tropical flavors!
· This Banana Daiquiri is not only refreshing but also offers a creamy texture and a perfect balance of sweetness and citrus. It's a fantastic choice for hot days or when you're in the mood for something a bit exotic. Cheers!

📚 About Banana from previous posts:

🛒 Banana Bliss Starts Here

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Date: 17 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Tropical fruit that boost energy

⚡️ Fuel Your Day Naturally: Grow Plants That Boost Your Energy

Feeling tired, sluggish, or mentally foggy? Your garden can be your energy station!
These tropical fruits and edibles are rich in Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), natural caffeine, and metabolism-enhancing compounds that help convert food into fuel, power your body, and sharpen your mind - naturally and sustainably.

⚡️ Top 9 Energy-Supporting Plants (Vitamin B1 - Thiamine):

🟡 Jackfruit - A delicious tropical source of vitamin B1, supporting energy production and nervous system function.
🟡 Pineapple - Contains thiamine, essential for turning food into usable energy.
🟡 Banana - Supplies vitamin B1 and quick-access natural sugars, ideal for an energy lift.
🟡 Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) - A protein-rich edible legume packed with thiamine to aid in energy metabolism.
🟡 Camellia sinensis (Tea Plant) - Leaves used to brew green and black tea, combining caffeine with L-theanine to promote sustained mental energy.
🟡 Coffee - One of nature's most famous energy boosters - grown from a beautiful tropical tree.
🟡 Yerba Mate - A South American favorite for mental clarity and physical stamina - with natural caffeine and nutrients.
🟡 Wiri wiri and Biquinho Peppers - These fiery little peppers are rich in capsaicin, which may help boost metabolism, burn fat, and enhance overall energy levels.
🟡 Macadamia Nut - Loaded with thiamine (B1) and healthy fats that support nervous system function and long-lasting energy.

📚 Learn more about health benefits of tropical plants:
TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE - Part 1 and Part 2

🛒 Shop Energy-Boosting Plants for Natural Energy

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies #Bananas

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Date: 14 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

🐰 Hop into Easter Week Sale - Plant Joy and Save!

🐣 Happy Easter Week, Tropical Gardeners!

🐣 Easter is about hope, renewal, and starting fresh - just like your garden! Whether you're planting your first tree or adding a rare gem to your edible jungle, now is the perfect time.

🛍 Get 15% OFF everything in our store using this code:
🛍 EASTERWEEK 🛍

Min order $150, excluding S/H. Exp. Exp 4-20-25.

🐰 Hop to it! Don't put all your eggs in one basket... unless it's a basket full of fruit trees of flowering shrubs. Let's plant some hope together - one tree at a time.

🛒 Plant Your Easter Joy!

#Discounts

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Date: 14 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Hop into Easter Week Sale - Plant Joy and Save!

Happy Easter Week, Tropical Gardeners!

Spring is here - and so is your chance to grow your own magic. Eggs may be pricey... but guess what? You can grow your own food instead! Plant a fruit tree this Easter and watch it hatch into something better than chocolate - like juicy Mangoes, Dragon Fruits and Carambolas, sweet Papayas and Bananas, healthy Avocados and Jackfruits or your very own exotic Sugar Apples hanging from the branches!

Easter is about hope, renewal, and starting fresh - just like your garden! Whether you're planting your first tree or adding a rare gem to your edible jungle, now is the perfect time. Get 15% OFF everything in our store using this code:

EASTERWEEK

Min order $150, excluding S/H. Exp. Exp 4-20-25.

Hop to it! Don't put all your eggs in one basket... unless it's a basket full of fruit trees of flowering shrubs. Let's plant some hope together - one tree at a time.

Plant Your Easter Joy!

Date: 10 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Blueberries

Avocado

Red Banana

Papaya

Pineapple

Amlak (Indian Gooseberry)

Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 1

Want to stay sharp, focused, and energized - naturally?
Don't just eat smart - plant smart. These tropical fruits and herbs aren't just delicious - they're packed with memory-boosting, focus-enhancing, and brain-protecting compounds. When you grow them in your own garden, you're building a personal pharmacy of mental clarity and cognitive power. No pills. No plastic bottles. Just real plants with real benefits, right outside your door.

Memory & Cognitive Support (Brain Boosters)
Tropical Fruits:

🟡 Blueberries – Rich in flavonoids and antioxidants; support memory and cognitive performance (Note: not tropical, but widely grouped due to powerful brain benefits).
🟡 Avocado – High in monounsaturated fats, supports healthy blood flow to the brain.
🟡 Banana – Contains vitamin B6 and potassium, essential for neurotransmitter function.
🟡 Papaya – High in antioxidants and vitamin C, may protect brain cells from oxidative stress.
🟡 Pineapple – Contains bromelain and vitamin C, which may reduce inflammation and support brain health.
🟡 Amla (Indian Gooseberry) – One of the richest natural sources of vitamin C. Used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance memory, focus, and longevity. Acts as a neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogen.

Edible Plants and Herbs: continued in next post ⤵️

🛒 Give your brain what it craves, shop tropical brain boosters: Fruit Trees & Herbal Plants

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Bananas #Discover

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Date: 5 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Secret Banana Daiquiri Recipe:
Healthy Never Tasted So Good!

Q: What can I do with a lot of Bananas? All three trees I got from you last year produced lots of bananas and I can eat only so much. Any exotic recipes?

A: When we get lots of bananas (which happens every year!), we make banana bread or banana pudding for the whole team. But those are pretty common recipes. Try Banana Daiquiri!

Banana Daiquiri Recipe Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
2 ounces light rum

tablespoon sugar
1 ounce lime juice

1/2 ounce triple sec (optional for added depth)
Ice cubes
Slice of lime or banana for garnish>

Instructions:

Prepare the Banana: Peel the banana and cut it into chunks.
Blend the Ingredients: In a blender, combine the banana chunks, light rum, sugar, lime juice, and triple sec. Add a handful of ice cubes. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a small amount of water or more lime juice to adjust the consistency.

Garnish and Serve:

Pour the mixture into a chilled glass. Garnish with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass or a small wheel of banana. Serve immediately and enjoy the refreshing tropical flavors!

This Banana Daiquiri is not only refreshing but also offers a creamy texture and a perfect balance of sweetness and citrus. It's a fantastic choice for hot days or when you're in the mood for something a bit exotic. Cheers!

Banana Bliss Starts Here

Date: 5 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Go Bananas - up to 20% OFF Banana Trees!

Now through 4/15 - Limited Time Only!

Banana Health Benefits

Bananas are a powerhouse of nutrition - rich in potassium for heart health, and packed with vitamins B6 and C to boost energy and immunity. They come from fast-growing, easy-care trees that thrive in warm climates or containers. Whether eaten fresh, blended, or baked, bananas are a naturally sweet and tasty treat you can grow yourself!

Ready to turn your garden into a tropical paradise and grow your own delicious bananas? Now's your chance - use our offer below!

A Banana for Every Space and Taste

At Top Tropicals, we've got over a dozen top banana varieties - from exotic ornamental beauties like Blood Leaf and Siam Ruby to edible showstoppers. Edible varieties range from popular, heavy-producing types like Double Mahoi to rare collector favorites like Ice Cream (Blue Java) - the kind you'll never find at the grocery store. We also carry dwarf varieties that grow just 4 feet tall but still produce full-sized fruit - perfect for containers, patios, and small spaces. Collect them all - edible, ornamental, dwarf, rare - and enjoy the fun, flavor, and beauty of growing your own banana grove.

From Collectors to Beginners - We've Got Your Banana

"Growing bananas is like growing sunshine. They bring energy, beauty, and fruit to your doorstep." - said Dr. Richard Campbell, tropical fruit expert and co-creator of the condo mango concept.

Growing bananas is easy, low-maintenance, and budget-friendly. With Sunshine Boosters plant food, these tropical favorites grow fast and can start producing as soon as next season! Whether you live in the South or up North, in a house or an apartment - you can grow your own bananas in the garden, on a balcony, patio, or lanai and enjoy the taste of the tropics at home.