Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Wise Mango - a smart choice for flavor lovers: sweet, juicy, and Florida-tough. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Wise Mango - a smart choice for flavor lovers: sweet, juicy, and Florida-tough

Wise Mango

Wise Mango - a smart choice for flavor lovers: sweet, juicy, and Florida-tough.
Mango Rainbow🌈

Mango Wise is a forgotten gem from the golden age of mango breeding in South Florida. Originating in Miami during the post-1930s boom of cultivar development, it was once part of a wave of exciting new introductions. Over time, many of these excellent varieties faded from commercial propagation, despite having outstanding eating qualities. Wise stands out with its nearly round fruit, minimal to no fiber, and rich, juicy sweetness. It's a smart, flavorful choice that deserves a comeback in Florida gardens.

🛒 Shop Mango varieties

📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try

#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow

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Heavenly Lotus in bloom - Bua Sawan Adenium. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Heavenly Lotus in bloom - Bua Sawan Adenium

Adenium Bua Sawan pink double flower

Adenium Bua Sawan pink double flower

🌸 Heavenly Lotus in bloom - Bua Sawan Adenium

🌸 Adenium (Desert Rose) Bua Sawan features vibrant double blooms with crisp red edges on soft pink petals, creating a striking and elegant contrast. The name Bua Sawan translates from Thai as "Heavenly Lotus," perfectly capturing the flower's bright, uplifting presence and graceful beauty.

🛒 Add a touch of paradise to your garden with Adenium Bua Sawan

📚 More adeniums

#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden #Fun_Facts #Adenium

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Timo is a good loafer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Timo is a good loafer

Timo the cat is a good loafer at PeopleCats.Garden

⬆️ Timo is a good loafer

"Whatever you are, be a good one." - Abraham Lincoln

🐈📸 Timo at PeopleCats.Garden 

#PeopleCats #Quotes

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What are Health Benefits of Alpinia galanga (Galangal) A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What are Health Benefits of Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

What are Health Benefits of Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

🌿 Galangal, also known as Thai ginger, is more than just a fast growing ornamental ginger and flavorful root - it's also a powerful healing plant with centuries of use in both kitchens and traditional medicine. Here are some of its top health benefits:
  • Digestive aid - Galangal stimulates digestion, reduces bloating, and relieves nausea. It's especially helpful after heavy or oily meals.
  • Anti-inflammatory properties - Contains compounds like galangin that help reduce inflammation, making it useful for joint pain and inflammatory conditions.
  • Antioxidant rich - Packed with flavonoids and polyphenols that fight oxidative stress and may help slow aging and support overall wellness.
  • Immune support - Traditionally used to fight colds and infections thanks to its antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
  • Respiratory health - Used in Thai herbal remedies for clearing the lungs, soothing sore throats, and reducing coughs.
  • Brain function - Some studies suggest galangal may help protect brain cells and improve cognitive performance due to its antioxidant profile.
  • Circulatory support - Acts as a natural stimulant and may help improve blood flow and circulation.


🛒 Grow your own Thai ginger – fresh, healing, and flavorful!

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

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This sacred perfume tree is perfect for small spaces: Parijat blooms with heartbreak and heaven. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

This sacred perfume tree is perfect for small spaces: Parijat blooms with heartbreak and heaven

This sacred perfume tree is perfect for small spaces: Parijat blooms with heartbreak and heaven
🕊This sacred perfume tree is perfect for small spaces: Parijat blooms with heartbreak and heaven

  • Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, known as Parijat, Night Jasmine, or the Sad Tree, is more than a fragrant flowering shrub - it's a story wrapped in petals. This small tree from India with highly perfumed flowers is one of the most desired fragrant plants.

  • Parijat blooms at night and drops its white-and-orange flowers by dawn, like scattered tears on the ground. In Hindu mythology, it was brought to Earth by Krishna, sparking divine jealousy. Another legend says it rose from the ashes of a heartbroken princess, blooming in sorrow each night.

  • Parijat grows 5-10 feet tall and thrives in sun or partial shade with moderate water. Its heavenly scent draws butterflies and hearts alike, and its ghostly, glowing flowers are used in Buddhist temples and traditional medicine - stems for headaches, leaves for liver ailments, and blossoms for fevers and faintness.

  • Parijat is a tree of romance, ritual, and resilience. Cold-tolerant to the 30s F, it can be container-grown in cooler zones. Just give it well-draining soil and a bit of fertilizer each month, and let the magic unfold!


🛒 Add a piece of mythology to your garden with Parijat

#Perfume_Plants #Trees #Discover

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🌞 How to help your plants survive a hot summer

Father's Day Event at Top Tropicals, Cat at checkout

Q: It's getting so hot that my plants stay droopy all day, how much water is enough water? Any advice how to help them to survive this heat?

A: Yes, it's official - summer has cranked up the heat, and your garden knows it. Blame it on the dreaded heat dome - a big ol' pressure lid in the sky that traps hot air like a pressure cooker. Basically, it's summer's version of putting your plants in an oven - without the cookies... But don't panic! With a little extra care (and water), you can help your leafy friends make it through the sizzle without going crispy. Here's how to beat the heat in your garden:

Eight rules during summer heat

1. Water early, and generously. Morning is the magic hour. Before the sun gets too intense, give your plants a slow, deep drink - like a spa treatment before a big day. Watering in the middle of the day? Bad idea. It's like pouring water on a hot frying pan - evaporates fast, and can even scorch leaves.

2. Mulch like you mean it. A nice 2-3 inch blanket of mulch keeps your plants' roots cool and the moisture locked in. Think of it as sunscreen and air conditioning for the soil. Pine straw, bark chips, shredded leaves - whatever you've got, pile it on.

3. Give them some shade. If your plants are looking like they're sunbathing without sunscreen, help them out. Use old sheets, umbrellas, shade cloth - whatever works. Even a light shade can make a big difference. New plants, veggies, and shade lovers like philodendrons will thank you.

4. Put down the pruners. Right now, your plants are in survival mode. Pruning in extreme heat can stress them out more. Let them ride out the heat wave before giving them a trim.

5. Don't move in this heat. If you're thinking of transplanting that poor little tree - hold that shovel. Moving plants during extreme heat is like moving house during a heatwave - everyone ends up grumpy. Wait until cooler weather rolls back in.

6. Pamper your potted plants. Pots heat up fast and dry out even faster. Move your container plants to shadier spots and check their soil often - don't let it go bone dry. They can't dig deeper for water, so you're their lifeline.

7. Know the signs of heat stress:
- Droopy in the day, perky at night? Normal. They're just hot, not dying. Keep watching.
- Crispy edges or curling leaves? They're too dry. Deep water, mulch, shade.
- Still wilted the next morning? That's a red flag. Time to step up the TLC - soak thoroughly and shield from the sun.

8. Don't forget about yourself! If your plants are feeling the heat, you probably are too. So wear a hat, slap on sunscreen, hydrate, and do your gardening early or late in the day.

Need help planning your garden's heatwave strategy? We're here for you, 7 days a week. Reach out to the Top Tropicals team and we'll get your plants through summer with style!

Stay cool and grow on,
Kristi V. - your Tropical Plant Expert 🌴

Explore Plants and Supplies

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🍒 New video: Grumichama

The sweetest tropical cherry for your yard

If you're looking for a fruit tree that does it all - gorgeous looks, amazing flavor, and nonstop production - meet Grumichama - Eugenia brasiliensis, the tropical cherry you'll fall in love with! The cherries are glossy, deep purple-black, and unbelievably juicy. One bite and you're hooked - sweet, smooth, with hints of cherry, grape, and plum.

Grumichama is our favorite tropical cherry at Top Tropicals. So good, you'll eat one… then a handful… then half the tree! Grumichama is perfect for beginners - tough, forgiving, and super productive. Cold hardy to the upper 20s. It takes heat, partial shade, even salt spray. It thrives in a pot or in the ground and can produce up to 500 fruits per tree!

Start your food forest with Grumichama. It's easy. It's beautiful. The most addictive fruit!

Grumichama - Eugenia brasiliensis

Start your food forest with Grumichama

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Halfway around the world. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Halfway around the world

Georgie is traveling the World Map at PeopleCats.Garden

🐱 Halfway around the world

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." - Mark Twain

🐈📸 Georgie is traveling the World Map at PeopleCats.Garden 

#PeopleCats #Quotes

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The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of
🍊The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of

  • Looking for a new exotic fruit to love? Meet Vangueria infausta - Spanish Tamarind, also called Wild Medlar. Native to Southern Africa, this little-known gem grows on a small tree and produces round, golden-brown fruit with a sweet-tart flavor. You can eat them fresh, dried, or even turn them into a tropical jam or homemade fruit beer!

  • But it's not just tasty - it's super healthy. The fruit is packed with vitamin C, fiber, and minerals like iron and magnesium. Locals use it as natural medicine: the leaves and bark are brewed into teas for colds, fevers, and stomachaches. The roots are even used for coughs and snakebites.

  • Secret bonus? Its bark and leaves make natural dyes in yellow, green, and purple!

  • The Wild Medlar is easy to grow in warm climates (Zones 9-11) and can handle poor soil and dry weather. In cooler zones, just grow it in a pot and bring it in for winter. Give it full sun, some water, and it'll reward you with 20-40 fruits per season.


🛒 Grow your own wild superfruit - Spanish Tamarind

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of
🍊The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of

  • Looking for a new exotic fruit to love? Meet Vangueria infausta - Spanish Tamarind, also called Wild Medlar. Native to Southern Africa, this little-known gem grows on a small tree and produces round, golden-brown fruit with a sweet-tart flavor. You can eat them fresh, dried, or even turn them into a tropical jam or homemade fruit beer!

  • But it's not just tasty - it's super healthy. The fruit is packed with vitamin C, fiber, and minerals like iron and magnesium. Locals use it as natural medicine: the leaves and bark are brewed into teas for colds, fevers, and stomachaches. The roots are even used for coughs and snakebites.

  • Secret bonus? Its bark and leaves make natural dyes in yellow, green, and purple!

  • The Wild Medlar is easy to grow in warm climates (Zones 9-11) and can handle poor soil and dry weather. In cooler zones, just grow it in a pot and bring it in for winter. Give it full sun, some water, and it'll reward you with 20-40 fruits per season.


🛒 Grow your own wild superfruit - Spanish Tamarind

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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