Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date:

The most unique Florida Native. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Baccharis halimifolia - Aster Tree, Snow Bush, or White Cloud Tree

🐊 The most unique Florida Native
  • 🐸 Baccharis halimifolia - Aster Tree, Snow Bush, or White Cloud Tree, is a one-of-a-kind member of the daisy family - actually, it's the only tree in the Asteraceae family!
  • 🐸 In winter, it puts on a magical show, covered in persistent fluffy white seedheads that look like fresh snow or a floating cloud.
  • 🐸 Its quirky leaves and adaptable shape let you grow it as a shrub, small tree, or potted plant. Hardy and tough, it thrives in poor soils, handles drought, and even tolerates some frost.
  • 🐸 A perfect choice if you are looking for beauty with zero fuss.


🛒 Bring home the magical Aster Tree - tough, unique, and blooms with beauty!

#Trees

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Date:

How to grow the Amazing Peanut Butter Tree - in one short video. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

🍯 How to grow the Amazing Peanut Butter Tree - in one short video

  • Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea) earns its name from its fleshy fruits that boast a delightful peanut butter flavor. One of the most fascinating exotic fruit, as amazing as Miracle fruit, Peanut Butter Fruit is loved by both kids and adults... and yes, it tastes exactly like peanut butter!.. Yet it is much healthier food, with many medicinal benefits...

  • Compact in size, small tree reaching only 10-15 ft or kept as a bush, it's a perfect choice for limited spaces. Can thrive indoors, starting to fruit within just 2-3 years from seed. Watch the video how easy it is to grow:


📱

📚 Learn more:

🛒 Shop Peanut Butter Tree

#Food_Forest #How_to

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Give your plants their Green Magic treat. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer in jars

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer in jars

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer in a bag

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer in a bag

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer label

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer label

🍀 Give your plants their magic treat

Bring your plants back to life with Green Magiс Fertilizer (16-6-11) - professional formula for container-grown fruit trees and ornamentals.

📊 What's in it? Guaranteed analysis:

Macro-nutrients:
Total Nitrogen (N) – 16.00%
Available Phosphate (P₂O₅) – 6.00%
Soluble Potash (K₂O) – 11.00%

Micro-nutrients:
Magnesium (Mg) – 1.3% (Water Soluble Magnesium 1.3%)
Sulfur (S) – 6.4% (Combined Sulfur)
Copper (Cu) – 0.07% (Water Soluble Copper)
Iron (Fe) – 0.32% (Chelated Iron)
Manganese (Mn) – 0.13% (Water Soluble Manganese)
Molybdenum (Mo) – 0.011%
Zinc (Zn) – 0.07% (Water Soluble Zinc)

⚙️ How to use:
Apply 1 tea spoon per 1 gal of soil (mix in with soil) every 6 months during active growth period, or with every re-potting.

🛒 Watch the magic begin

#Fertilizers #How_to
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How to make plants green quickly? Green Magic - the fertilizer that truly works like magic! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer

🌳 How to make plants green quickly? Green Magic - the fertilizer that truly works like magic!
  • 💚 Watch your plants come back to life and thrive with this professional-grade, controlled-release fertilizer - Green Magic. Even struggling plants can turn lush and green again!
  • 💚 What makes it special? Green Magic uses poly-on technology to release nutrients slowly over 6 months - no root burn, no guesswork. Just steady, balanced feeding with all the essential macro and micro-elements your plants need.
  • 💚 Ideal for container-grown fruit trees and ornamentals. One dose lasts for six months!
  • 💚 How to use: Just mix 1 teaspoon per 1 gallon of soil every 6 months or during re-potting. That's it!
  • 💚 Give it a try - your plants will thank you!


🛒 Buy once, feed for 6 months!

#Fertilizers #How_to
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How to make bonsai with Shaving Brush Tree. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Shaving Brush Tree bonsai - Pseudobombax ellipticum

Shaving Brush Tree bonsai - Pseudobombax ellipticum

Shaving Brush Tree bonsai - Pseudobombax ellipticum

Shaving Brush Tree bonsai - Pseudobombax ellipticum

Shaving Brush Tree bonsai - Pseudobombax ellipticum

Shaving Brush Tree bonsai - Pseudobombax ellipticum

How to make bonsai with Shaving Brush Tree

Creating a bonsai from a Shaving Brush Tree Pseudobombax ellipticum is a fun and rewarding project. This unusual plant, with its fat trunk and wild, pom-pom-like flowers, makes one of the most eye-catching bonsai you can grow. It's not your typical bonsai tree - it's a conversation piece that looks like something from a fantasy world! With a little patience, it becomes a living sculpture that blooms with flair.
  • Start with young plant with a fat trunk (caudex) and interesting shape.
  • Use shallow pot with fast-draining cactus mix.
  • Prune branches to create structure and shape.
  • Trim roots gently when repotting every 2-3 years.
  • Water well during growing season, keep almost dry in winter.
  • Give full sun to keep compact and encourage blooms.
  • Fertilize lightly: with slow release plant food in spring-summer or year around with liquid fertilizer like Sunshine Boosters.
  • Be patient - bonsai is a slow grower but worth it for the amazing flowers.


🛒 Start your own Shaving Brush Bonsai

📚 Learn more:
Why is it called Shaving Brush?

#How_to #Container_Garden #Trees

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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:

Big color in a small tree: Maroon jacaranda and why Jacaranda trees are so popular. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Big color in a small tree: Maroon jacaranda and why Jacaranda trees are so popular

Maroon jacaranda - Jacaranda jasminoides

👏 Big color in a small tree: Maroon jacaranda and why Jacaranda trees are so popular
  • 💜 Jacaranda jasminoides (Maroon Jacaranda) is a charming, compact tree that brings a touch of drama to small gardens and patios. It grows 10-12 feet tall, with a bushy habit that makes it perfect for tight spaces or even containers.
  • 💜 What really steals the show are its deep maroon to dark purple trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in clusters from late spring through summer. In warm climates, it may surprise you with blooms at other times too!
  • 💜 The fine, fern-like leaves add a delicate, lacy texture to the overall look.
  • 💜 This jacaranda loves full sun but will tolerate a bit of shade, and it is happiest in fertile, well-drained soil. Water it regularly when it is young or during dry spells, but once established, it is fairly easygoing. It s best suited for USDA zones 9 to 11, and while mature plants can handle brief cold snaps down to 20F, younger ones appreciate a little extra protection when the temps dip.
  • 💜 Whether in the ground or in a pot, the Maroon Jacaranda is a low-maintenance beauty. A little pruning here and there keeps it tidy, and its elegant blooms make it a standout wherever it s planted. In warm places it may keep its foliage year-round, giving you a long-lasting touch of tropical color. A great pick for anyone who wants big color in a small footprint!


📚 Learn more:

🛒 Shop Jacaranda trees

#Trees #Container_Garden

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Date:

From seed to fruit. How to grow Loquat from seeds, step-by-step guide. Part 2: after germination. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) - fruit

Loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) - fruit

✍️ From seed to fruit. How to grow Loquat from seeds, step-by-step guide. Part 2: after germination

Continued from previous posts⤴️
  • 🍑 4. Transplanting Seedlings

  • ▫️When to Transplant: Once seedlings reach about 2-4” (5-10 cm) in height.
  • ▫️Transplanting and fertilizing: Move each seedling to its own pot and add controlled release fertilizer (Green Magic is the best), or use liquid balanced fertilizer Sunshine Boosters after 1-2 weeks once the seedlings establish.
  • ▫️Watering. Keep soil in a pot slightly moist but not soggy
  • ▫️Temperature. Keep seedling warm - above 70F (21C), and protect from extreme heat over 90F (35C) . For small plants, avoid freezing temperatures during winter. As the seedlings get bigger, they get higher drought-, heat- and cold tolerance. Established Loquat trees (2-3 years and older) may take light freezing temperatures.
  • ▫️Planting in the ground. You can plant the seedling in the ground when it reaches 2-3 ft tall (50-100 cm) in frost-free areas. During chill winter nights, young seedlings can be cold protected until established.

  • 🍑 5. Sunlight Requirements

  • ▫️Light Exposure: Loquat established seedlings thrive in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Start seedlings in bright shade and protect from afternoon hot sun to avoid leaf burn. Once seedlings are established and new growth appears (2-4 weeks), gradually move them to full sun.
  • ▫️Why adequate sunlight (full sun) is important:

    • - promotes healthy growth
    - helps to avoid fungus and insect problems
    - is critical for future flowering and fruit production


🍑 6. Fruit production
  • ▫️Loquat seedlings start producing seed within 3-4 years from seed, providing adequate sunlight, warm temperatures and regular irrigation.
  • ▫️Grafted Loquats start producing right away or the next year
  • ▫️Fruit will develop over the winter and ripen from March through May depending on location


🛒 Shop Loquat Trees and enjoy fresh fruit benefits

📚 Learn more:
🎥 YouTube video about Loquat
📁 Overlooked fruit: tasty Loquat recipes (PDF)

#Food_Forest #Loquat

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Date:

From seed to fruit. How to grow Loquat from seeds, step-by-step guide. Part 1: planting seeds. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) - seedlings

✍️ From seed to fruit. How to grow Loquat from seeds, step-by-step guide. Part 1: planting seeds
  • 🍑 1. Harvesting and Preparing Seeds

  • ▫️Harvest: Select ripe Loquat fruits (when they are bright yellow color) and remove 1-3 seeds from each.
  • ▫️Clean: Rinse seeds thoroughly in cool water to remove all fruit residue. Like with every fruit seeds, any pulp leftover may prevent germination and/or cause rot of the seeds.
  • ▫️Storage: If not planting immediately, wrap seeds in a damp paper towel and store in a vented container with moist sawdust or moss (to avoid drying out) at room temperature (if stored a few days) or at 40F if stored for over a week. Seeds can remain viable for up to 3-6 months. Refrigerating the fruit doesn't harm the seeds, although may take seeds longer to germinate. If the seeds are slightly dry, soak them in water overnight.

  • 🍑 2. Planting Seeds

▫️Container: Use a pot with a good drainage.
  • ▫️Soil: Fill with well-draining, soilless potting mix (no compost or top soil). Perfect seed germination mix is Abundance Mix: peat moss (or coconut fiber) - 80%, perlite - 10%, small pieces of pine bark - 10%.
  • ▫️Depth: Plant seeds 1" deep. Place them horizontally.
  • ▫️Spacing: Multiple seeds can be planted in one pot or tray (with drainage holes); space them adequately. You can use so called “community pots”, then separate the seedlings once they reach 2-4" in height.


🍑 3. Germination Conditions
  • ▫️Light: Place the pot in a bright, warm area with temperatures at least (and above) 70F . The warmer, the faster the germination. We germinate seeds in a "hot house" where temperatures can reach 100F.
  • ▫️Moisture: Keep the soil consistently moist but not wet.
  • ▫️Germination Time: Loquat seeds germinate within 2-4 weeks.


Continued in next post ⤵️

🛒 Shop Loquat Trees and enjoy fresh fruit benefits

#Food_Forest #Loquat

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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