🍌 Is Blue Java Banana really blue? Great question!

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  🔵 The Blue Java Banana, also known as the Ice Cream Banana, really does have a blueish tint when the fruit is unripe.
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  🔵 It's not bright neon blue, but more of a silvery blue-green or frosty blue tone.
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  🔵 This cool color is especially noticeable under sunlight and is one of the reasons the variety is so eye-catching.
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  🔵 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

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  🟡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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🍪 How to deal with chocolate cravings? Chocolate with zero calories

🍪 Do you have to deal with chocolate temptation all the time? Portlandia, the glorious flower of Cuba, smells like creamy chocolate and blooms in stunning bells. Rare, fragrant, and tough - even thrives in alkaline soil!

📚 Learn more:
What flower smells like warm chocolate?

🛒 No calories, just fragrance - bring home Portlandia!

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits #Trees

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🪰 A person who won’t read

"A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read." - Mark Twain

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Quotes

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😊 Why we love Jocote: the Hog Plum health benefits.
Sound on! 🎤

🍊 The Hog Plum tree (Spondias purpurea), that you saw blooming in March in this post, set the fruit by May in ABUNDANCE and we can't wait to see them ripe and harvest them! Hog Plum is one of our favorite fruits at Top Tropicals. It is also known as Purple Mombin, Jocote, or Spanish Plum. It’s popular in Central America and the Caribbean, and it's not just tasty and super productive - it's packed with health benefits!

❤️ HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE HOG PLUM FRUIT:

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  ✅ Rich in Vitamin C. Helps boost your immune system, supports skin health, and acts as a powerful antioxidant.
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  ✅ Good Source of Fiber. Aids digestion, helps prevent constipation, and supports gut health.
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  ✅ Anti-inflammatory Properties. Traditionally used to relieve swelling, inflammation, and minor skin infections.
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  ✅ Supports Heart Health. Contains antioxidants and nutrients that may help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
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  ✅ Hydrating and Refreshing. The fruit has high water content and is often eaten fresh during hot weather for hydration.
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  ✅ May Help Regulate Blood Sugar. Some studies suggest that Spondias species may have a mild effect on blood sugar levels.

🛒 Sweet, tangy, and good for you - grow Hog Plum!

📚 Learn more:
This is how the flowers of a Hog Plum look like
The Hog Plum tree fruit
What fruit tree is full of fruit year around

#Food_Forest #Discover

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✨ How to trust

"The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." - Ernest Hemingway

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Quotes

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📱 Thornless Bougainvillea Tree Video:



#Trees #How_to

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🌸 What bougainvillea doesn't need pruning and grows into a tree? Kristi's Garden Secrets - sound on! 🎤

• 
  🌸 Tired of pruning your thorny bougainvillea that takes over your yard? Here’s one that breaks all the rules.

No thorns, no pruning - and it grows into a bushy little tree!
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  🌸 It's called Bougainvillea arborea, or Thornless Bougainvillea Tree.
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  🌸 It stays tidy, blooms lavender flowers with a light scent, and it won’t overgrow your space. A total gem if you want beauty without the chaos!

🛒 Plant the Bougainvillea That Behaves!

📱 Watch in high quality on YouTube

#Trees #How_to

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☂️ What to plant in a shady spot? Unusual variegated flowers of Lavender Ice!

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  💜 Thunbergia erecta Lavender Ice, or Lavender Lace, is a unique, rare variety of King's Mantle with stunning lavender-off-white variegated flowers.
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  💜 Unlike many variegated plants, this one is vigorous and easy to grow. It can be used as a showy garden specimen or a low-growing hedge, and it responds well to pruning, which encourages more blooms.
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  💜 This plant thrives in filtered light and will grow larger, darker leaves in shade. It reaches a height of 5-7 feet and has a dense habit, making it perfect for creating a hedge.
• 
  💜 Lavender Ice attracts butterflies and hummingbirds with its profusion of flowers
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  💜 For healthy growth, keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy, and mulch around the base to retain moisture. If growing in a pot, frequent watering is key.
• 
  💜 It's hardy enough to withstand temperatures as low as 30F for short periods. Ideal for USDA Zones 9-11, this plant can also be grown in pots in colder climates.

🛒Bring home rare Lavender Ice!

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants

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😶 Step away from the chaos

"Sometimes, you just need to step away from the chaos to find yourself."

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats

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🍒 Why you should grow a Pitanga tree. Health benefits of Surinam Cherry

Pitanga (Eugenia uniflora), also known as Surinam cherry or Brazilian cherry, is a tropical fruit that's as tasty as it is healthy. This small tree or bush brings beauty to your yard and benefits to your body. With shiny leaves, fragrant white flowers, and bright red or dark maroon fruit, it's an easy-to-grow plant that also happens to be a nutritional powerhouse.

❓ So, why plant Pitanga?

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  🍒 Pitanga is packed with vitamins. Pitanga is loaded with vitamin C for glowing skin and a strong immune system, and vitamin A for healthy eyes.
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  🍒 Pitanga is full of antioxidants. Especially the dark fruits, which are rich in plant compounds like lycopene and beta-carotene that may protect your cells and reduce inflammation.
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  🍒 Pitanga has healing power. Traditional medicine has used it for heartburn, stomach issues, and even respiratory conditions. Lab studies show it may help fight bacteria and fungi too.
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  🍒 Pitanga might fight cancer. Early research suggests pitanga extracts may slow cancer cell growth.
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  🍒 Pitanga tastes like summer. When fully ripe, the juicy fruit has a sweet-tart flavor - great in salads, desserts, jams, and even cocktails. Pitanga var. Black Star, or Lolita has exceptional flavor, larger sweeter fruit than regular red-fruit variety.

⚠️ Bonus: It grows fast, stays evergreen, and makes a great natural privacy screen or edible hedge.

If you're looking for a tropical fruit tree that’s both beautiful and beneficial, Pitanga is a smart choice. Just make sure to pick the fruit when fully ripe - and prepare to fall in love with this cherry that's not quite a cherry!

🛒 Start growing Health today - add Pitanga to your Food Forest

📚 More about Lolita Cherry from previous posts:

• 💋What makes Lolita different from regular Surinam Cherry?
• 💋Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits: #8 Lolita Cherry
• 💋 Who is that Sweet Black Lolita from Surinam?
• 💋Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #3. Eugenias - Tropical Cherries
• 💋How to make a jam with Surinam Cherry

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Hedges_with_benefits #Discover

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