Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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🌸 Orchid Tree - Bauhinia: Winter Blooms & Year-Round Beauty

Collage showing Bauhinia blakeana with magenta flowers, Bauhinia variegata var. candida with white blooms, and Bauhinia monandra with pink speckled flowers; all suitable for gardens, with some varieties adapted to container growing if trimmed.
Bauhinia blakeana, Bauhinia variegata var. candida, and Bauhinia monandra – Orchid Trees in Bloom

Sometimes a plant stops you midwalk. Flowers so bright they almost glow, leaves shaped like butterflies — that’s a Bauhinia, the Orchid Tree. These fast growers bring color when many gardens are quiet, with some blooming in the heart of winter.

🌟 Why Grow Bauhinia?

  • Exotic blooms in colors from white to deep magenta
  • Distinctive leaves — nature’s own butterfly design
  • Many varieties flower in the cooler season
  • Fast growth, easy shaping, more blooms after pruning
  • Varieties for large yards, small gardens, and sunny patios
  • Tolerant of heat, drought, and poor soils

Bauhinia Care Tips

🌞 Outdoor

Full sun for best flowering, well-draining soil, deep watering once established. Light pruning after bloom keeps shape and encourages more flowers. Protect young plants from frost. During the growing season (Spring - Fall), apply a balanced fertilizer - like top-dress slow release fertilizer or controlled-release Green Magic. Liquid fertilizer Sunshine Boosters Megaflor can be used year around - to promote vigorous growth and abundant blooms.

🏡 Indoor / Patio

Bright sun (south window or outdoors in warm months), large pot with drainage, even moisture during growth, and a bloom-booster feed in season. Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer controlled-release Green Magic. Liquid fertilizer Sunshine Boosters Megaflor can be used year around - to promote vigorous growth and abundant blooms. Bring indoors before frost.

🍂 Seasonal Note – Bauhinias are Deciduous

Bauhinias drop their leaves in winter — even in warm climates. This is normal and part of their rest cycle. Bare branches in the cool season will leaf out again in spring, often just as flowers begin.

📝 Quick choice guide

Shop Bauhinas

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Why every garden has this one Purple Spray Tree. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Tibouchina granulosa - Glory Tree or Purple Spray Tree

💜 Why every garden has this one Purple Spray Tree
  • 🟪 Tibouchina granulosa - Glory Tree or Purple Spray Tree - is the one you'll see in every Florida garden!
  • 🟪 If you love purple flowers, this one's a no-brainer. From late summer through winter, it's covered in velvety purple blooms that form giant flower sprays. The whole tree lights up with color, and it's impossible to ignore!
  • 🟪 In Highlands County, Florida (where Top Tropicals farm is), you'll see this tree in garden after garden - and everyone says the same thing: You've gotta have one!
  • 🟪 It's tropical, eye-catching, and makes any landscape feel lush and vibrant. A true gem for southern gardens.


📚 Learn more:
💋How this addictive purple took over yards in Central Florida

🛒 Everyone has one - get yours today!

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees

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Why every garden needs a banana tree (or three!) A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Bananas

🍌 Why every garden needs a banana tree (or three!)
  • 🍌 Peel this: Banana secrets revealed.

    • The truth about bananas is - Bananas are everyone's favorite snack. Sweet, nutritious, and loaded with potassium. They're great for muscle cramps, post-workout recovery, and quick energy. But did you know you can grow your own bananas, even in a small backyard or container?
  • 🍌Banana Trees (Musa x acuminata) are:

  • 🟡Super easy to grow
  • 🟡Fast-growing and low maintenance
  • 🟡Clumping and self-reproducing
  • 🟡Beautiful and tropical-looking with their big, tropical leaves and showy, exotic flowers

  • 🍌Dwarf varieties fit in tight spaces, and rare types like Red Bananas or the creamy Banana Ice Cream bring flavors you’ll never find at the grocery store. Plus, your own bananas are organic, fresh, and way tastier.
  • 🍌 Start your banana patch today - and enjoy your own homegrown fruit all year long!


🛒 Explore Banana Varieties

📚 Learn more about Banana varieties:

📱Red Leaves, Red Fruit, Real Wow Banana

#Food_Forest #Bananas

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Date:

"> Two people in blue shirts cutting open a large 37-pound Jackedak Jackfruit on an outdoor table, revealing bright yellow fruit inside.

🍈 We Cut Open a 37 lb Jackfruit - You Won't Believe What's Inside!

🍈 Cutting into a 37-pound Jackedak Jackfruit with Chiane and Ashley!

🍈 Join us at Top Tropicals as we explore one of the largest fruits on Earth - the mighty Jackfruit. From golden, juicy bulbs bursting with tropical sweetness to edible seeds and the soft “rag” with hints of bubblegum, pineapple, and custard, this giant fruit has more surprises than expected.

  • ✔️Learn how to cut and clean a jackfruit
  • ✔️See which parts are edible (you might be surprised!)
  • ✔️Why it's a favorite for exotic fruit lovers
  • ✔️Hear our taste-test reactions: bubblegum, custard, pineapple?

🍈 Whether you're into exotic fruits, cooking, or growing your own tropical trees, this is one tasty experience you don't want to miss.

🍈 Want to grow your own Jackfruit? We've got you covered!

Read Garden Blog about Jackfruit

Buy Jackfruit Trees - Delivered to Your Door

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Tuxedo cat planting tropical tree with Sunshine Boosters bag, orange cat waving to kitten with backpack by school bus in sunny garden scene.

🌺 Back to School and Back to Planting – Cats in the Garden

Back to School, Back to Planting – Why August Works for Tropicals

Planting Season Isn't Over Yet

August is still a good month for planting tropicals in warm climates. The soil stays warm enough to push root growth, and late-summer weather gives plants time to settle in before winter. In drier areas, regular watering will keep them moving along just fine.

Tropicals in warm climates aren't usually harmed by cooler Winter weather, but as days get shorter, growth may slow down. This is why planting in late Summer-Fall lets roots grow during this last warm stretch, so the plant enters winter already established.

By spring, those roots are ready to drive new shoots, flowers, and fruit. There's no lost time to transplant shock - plants can get straight to blooming and fruiting earlier in the season.

August Planting FAQ

How can heat be prevented from harming new tropicals?

Water in the morning so plants start the day hydrated. Warm soil is good for root growth, but don't let it dry out.

How should new plants be protected from strong sun?

For the first couple of weeks, use a shade cloth or even a white bed sheet to soften midday sun and prevent leaf scorch.

What fertilizer works best for planting in summer heat?

Controlled-release types are best. We use professional grade Green Magic. You may pair it with Sunshine Boosters for steady, gentle feeding through the warm months.

Which tropicals grow best when planted in August?

Most tropical plants do well when planted in warm end-of-summer conditions, including Mango, Avocado, Guava, Jackfruit, Annona, Bananas, Orchid Trees, Jasmines, Allamanda and most of flowering trees, shrubs and vines.

Can tropical trees planted in August produce fruit next year?

Many can, especially fast growers, since they have established roots by the time spring growth begins.

How can tropicals be kept healthy when planting in August?

Mulch around the base to help prevent soil from drying out too quickly. Water deeply in the morning to help plants handle the heat.

Shop Flowering trees

Shop Fruit trees and edibles

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Why your gut is begging for papaya. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Papaya fruit and trees (Carica papaya)

🍊Why your gut is begging for papaya
  • 🌴Papaya (Carica papaya) is more than just a tasty tropical fruit - it's a natural remedy for your gut. Thanks to an enzyme called papain, it helps with digestion, bloating, and even supports immune health with high levels of vitamin C and A.
  • 🌴But here's what makes papaya a must-have in every garden: it's fast, space-saving, and super productive. Many trees start fruiting within a year!
  • 🌴Dwarf varieties only reach 6-8 feet but still give you full-sized fruit that's easy to harvest.
  • 🌴Grow it in the ground or in a container - it thrives in sun, handles light freezes, and even stands strong in high winds.
  • 🌴Low effort, high reward. Sweet fruit, strong plant. What more do you need?


📚 Learn more from previous posts:

🛒 Your gut will thank you - plant Papaya

#Food_Forest #Papaya
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Date:

Blackberry Jam Fruit - the sweetest surprise

A tuxedo cat making jam from Blackberry Jam Fruit (Randia formosa) while an orange cat smiles in a chair, sipping tea beside a large flowering Randia plant in a cozy, sunlit room.

Tea and Jam with the PeopleCats – A Tropical Afternoon Beneath the Randia

Meet the cats behind the jam! The tuxedo cat is none other than Google-the-cat - our beloved elder and one of the original cat-fathers of Top Tropicals PeopleCats.garden. At 18 years old, he’s still sharp, curious, and very much in charge. The orange fluffball? He represents the universal image of cat joy - and we’ve got a few real-life orange sunshine residents just like him.

Why do you include cats in a plant newsletter?

Because they’re part of the garden. Our rescued PeopleCats live among the plants, nap under the mango trees, inspect new arrivals, and occasionally steal a sunspot meant for seedlings. They’re not mascots — they’re part of our team. Sharing their presence is like showing a part of the soul of our space.🐈

Are the cat images real or AI-generated?

All our cats are real! We take lots of pictures and videos. And a few images are AI-generated illustrations inspired by our real PeopleCats.garden residents. While not literal photographs, they are creative interpretations that capture the spirit of our tropical home and its furry citizens.🐾

Are the stories about the cats true?

Mostly! The jam-making, tea-drinking, and greenhouse meetings are creative interpretations - but inspired by real personalities. We use AI scenes to bring their spirit to life. Real cats. Real plants. Imagined adventures.🐱

Shop Blackberry Jam Plants

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☕ Coffee, Straight from Your Windowsill

Fluffy orange-and-white cat and black-and-white tuxedo cat preparing coffee with a coffee plant, beans, grinder, and espresso cup on a kitchen table

Coffee Crew at Work: Harvest, Grind, Brew

Let's be honest - coffee prices are climbing, supplies are tightening, and that morning cup isn't getting any cheaper. But right now, our Coffea arabica trees are covered in green berries, quietly ripening toward harvest time. Soon, they'll turn red - and that's when it's go time.

This isn't just a pretty plant. It's a compact, shade-loving fruit tree that thrives indoors and adds year-round tropical beauty to any space. Even your cat will approve 🐱🐾.

Watch Top Tropicals videos about coffee plants

Shop Coffee Plants

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We Cut Open a 37 lb Jackfruit - You Won't Believe What's Inside! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

🍈 We Cut Open a 37 lb Jackfruit - You Won't Believe What's Inside!

📱

  • 🍈 Cutting into a 37-pound Jackedak Jackfruit with Chiane and Ashley!

  • 🍈 Join us at Top Tropicals as we explore one of the largest fruits on Earth - the mighty Jackfruit. From sweet, tropical fruit to edible seeds and even a meat substitute known as the "rag" - this fruit does it all!

  • ✔️Learn how to cut and clean a jackfruit
  • ✔️See which parts are edible (you might be surprised!)
  • ✔️Discover why it's a favorite for vegan pulled pork
  • ✔️Hear our taste-test reactions: bubblegum, custard, pineapple?

  • 🍈 Whether you're into exotic fruits, cooking, or growing your own tropical trees, this is one tasty experience you don’t want to miss.

  • 🍈 Want to grow your own Jackfruit? We’ve got you covered


📚 Learn more:
🟡about #Jackfruit

🛒 Buy Jackedak Cheena Tree - Delivered to Your Door

#Food_Forest #Jackfruit

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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