Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Passion fruit fizz: quick n fun exotic recipes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Passion fruit fizz: quick n fun exotic recipes
🍴 Passion fruit fizz: quick n fun exotic recipes 🍹

  • 🔴Scoop passion fruit pulp into sparkling water with a squeeze of orange juice.
  • 🔴A bubbly, tangy tropical soda!
  • 🔴You may add a plash of Rum (optional)


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#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Nine best tropical shrubs that will bloom for you all summer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Nine best tropical shrubs that will bloom for you all summer

Abutilon darwinii x striatum - Fireball, Biltmore Ballgown, Acalypha hispida - Cat Tail, Chenille plant, Allamanda, Brunfelsia - Lady of the night, Calliandra - Powderpuff, Clerodendrum speciosissimum - Java Glorybower, Hibiscus El Capitolio, Rondeletia leucophylla - Panama Rose, Senna alata - Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant

Abutilon darwinii x striatum - Fireball, Biltmore Ballgown, Acalypha hispida - Cat Tail, Chenille plant, Allamanda, Brunfelsia - Lady of the night, Calliandra - Powderpuff, Clerodendrum speciosissimum - Java Glorybower, Hibiscus El Capitolio, Rondeletia leucophylla - Panama Rose, Senna alata - Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant

🌺 Nine best tropical shrubs that will bloom for you all summer

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🛒 Explore most spectacular flowering shrubs

#Hedges_with_benefits #Discover

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9 best tropical shrubs that bloom all summer long or year around. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

9 best tropical shrubs that bloom all summer long or year around

Abutilon darwinii x striatum - Fireball, Biltmore Ballgown, Acalypha hispida - Cat Tail, Chenille plant, Allamanda, Brunfelsia - Lady of the night, Calliandra - Powderpuff, Clerodendrum speciosissimum - Java Glorybower, Hibiscus El Capitolio, Rondeletia leucophylla - Panama Rose, Senna alata - Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant

🌺 9 best tropical shrubs that bloom all summer long or year around
  • 🌺 1. Abutilon darwinii x striatum - Fireball, Biltmore Ballgown. Lantern-like blooms in orange, red, and yellow keep coming all summer. Compact and graceful, perfect for pots or borders.
  • 🌺 2. Acalypha hispida - Cat Tail, Chenille plant. Fuzzy red tassels dangle nonstop in the heat, adding playful texture to containers and garden beds.
  • 🌺 3. Allamanda (many varieties). Fast growers with trumpet flowers in yellow or pink. Can be shaped as shrubs, trellised vines, or flowering hedges.
  • 🌺 4. Brunfelsia - Lady of the night. Creamy white blooms open at dusk, filling the evening garden with a sweet fragrance.
  • 🌺 5. Calliandra - Powderpuff (many varieties). Cheerful pompom flowers in red, pink, or white attract hummingbirds and bloom nearly year-round.
  • 🌺 6. Clerodendrum speciosissimum - Java Glorybower. Bright red flower clusters stand out against tropical foliage. Loves sun and steady moisture.
  • 🌺 7. Hibiscus El Capitolio - Unique, double-skirted, ruffled pendant blooms with pom-pom-like centers make this hibiscus a showpiece shrub for summer gardens.
  • 🌺 8. Rondeletia leucophylla - Panama Rose. Compact and butterfly-friendly, with fragrant pink flower clusters that perfume warm evenings.
  • 🌺 9. Senna alata - Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant. Bold, upright candles of golden flowers shine through the season and draw in pollinators.


🛒 Explore most spectacular flowering shrubs

#Hedges_with_benefits #Discover

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Free natural shampoo: squeeze it and see what comes out! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Pine Cone Ginger - Zingiber Zerumbet, Shampoo Ginger

💄 Free natural shampoo: squeeze it and see what comes out!
  • 💄Pine Cone Ginger (Zingiber Zerumbet), is called Shampoo Ginger due to its unique, milky substance found in the cones. If you squeeze these bright red cones, a fragrant, milky liquid seeps out - traditionally used in Asia and Hawaii as a natural shampoo. Even today, you’ll find it in commercial shampoos.
  • 💄 But there's more to it than hair care. All parts of the plant carry a spicy fragrance, the cones make striking, long-lasting cut flowers, and the whole plant adds a tropical vibe to your garden.
  • 💄 And here's a fun history twist: Pine Cone Ginger is a "canoe plant", carried across the Pacific by ancient Polynesian voyagers. Imagine - this little shampoo factory traveled the ocean in canoes centuries ago!


Would you try washing your hair with this tropical ginger?

🛒 Grow your own Natural Shampoo Ginger

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#Shade_Garden #Container_Garden #Remedies #Food_Forest

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🌸 Meet the Most Colorful Ground Orchids

Collage of ground orchids – Phaius tankervilleae (Nun Orchid), Spathoglottis varieties (purple, yellow, white, pink), Arundina graminifolia (Bamboo Orchid), and Epidendrum species (orange, pink, red Reed Orchids)

Ground Orchids – Spathoglottis, Phaius, Arundina, Epidendrum

  1. Chinese Nun Ground Orchid (Phaius tankervilleae)
  2. Yokohama Ground orchid Kate (Bletilla striata x formosana)
  3. Tropical Punch, Sorbet Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata)
  4. Bamboo Orchid (Arundina graminifolia)
  5. Snow Angel, Coconut Cloud Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis alba)
  6. Orange Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum radicans Sunrise)
  7. Lemon Kiss, Sorbet Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis chrysanta)
  8. Pink Reed Ground Orchid, Violet Queen (Epidendrum radicans Fuchsia)
  9. Lavender Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum elongatum x radicans)
  10. Red Raspberry Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum radicans Red Glow)

Orchids have a mystique that sets them apart — elegant, exotic, almost unreal in their perfection. But let’s be honest, not everyone has luck with the fancy ones that cling to trees or need greenhouse tricks.

Ground orchids are different. They grow in regular garden soil, bloom in sun or shade, and come in all sorts of shapes and colors. They’re the orchids you don’t have to fuss over.

Nun Orchid (Phaius tankervilleae) – Ever wonder why it’s called the Nun Orchid? The flowers really do look like the white veil and brown habit nuns used to wear. The plants send up spikes 3–4 ft tall with 10–20 fragrant blooms that open one after another for weeks. I like them best tucked under trees where they just keep spreading year after year.

Spathoglottis – The nonstop bloomer – If you want flowers that just don’t quit, this one’s it. Spathoglottis clumps up and throws spikes of purple, pink, or yellow that last for weeks, then keep coming back through the summer. In warm spots they’ll bloom almost year-round. Honestly, it’s one of the easiest orchids you’ll ever grow.

💲 Special Offer – 20% off Ground Orchids!

Get 20% OFF ground orchids with code

ORCHID2025

Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only, cannot be combined with other offers.

Hurry, offer expires September 17, 2025!

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Date:

What flowers do NOT attract bees? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Butterfly on a flower that doesn't attract bees

❌� What flowers do NOT attract bees?

Most tropical flowers bring in pollinators, and bees are usually first in line. But what if you’d rather avoid them? Maybe you’re allergic, or just don’t want bees buzzing around. Good news: some flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, or even flies - but not bees.
  • 👉 Quick rules:

  • ✔️ Night-blooming + strong fragrance = moths or bats, not bees.
  • ✔️ Red tubular flowers with little scent = hummingbirds or butterflies, not bees.
  • ✔️ Rotten or fermented smell = flies, not bees.
  • ✔️ Carnivorous plants = trap insects, no bee nectar.


1. Night-blooming, fragrant - moth and bat flowers

Bees forage by day, so many night-fragrant flowers skip them.
  • ▫️Brugmansia - Angel’s Trumpet - big, hanging blooms, moth and bat pollinated.
  • ▫️Cestrum nocturnum - Night-blooming Jasmine - powerful night scent, moths only.
  • ▫️Hylocereus Dragon Fruit - huge cactus flowers, bats and moths.
  • ▫️Brunfelsia - Lady of the Night - sweet fragrance at dusk, no bee interest.


    • 2. Hummingbird and butterfly flowers

    Bees don’t see red well. Tubular reds, oranges, and yellows usually go to birds and butterflies.
  • ▫️Hibiscus - hummingbirds and butterflies visit, bees less so.
  • ▫️Heliconis and Gingers - designed for hummingbird beaks, bold tubes are for birds, not bees.
  • ▫️More good picks: Ruellia, Sanchezia, Aeschynanthus, Aphelandra, Anisacanthus, Cuphea, Fuchsia, Iochroma, Justicia, Lonicera, Hamelia, Russelia, Odontonema, Tecomaria, Bougainvillea.


    • 3. 🐱 Fly-pollinated oddballs

    Some flowers smell bad to us but irresistible to flies.
  • ▫️Amorphophallus (Voodoo Lily) - rotting meat scent.
  • ▫️Tacca (Bat Head Lily) - spooky black flowers, fly-pollinated.
  • ▫️Stapelia (Carrion Flower) - also fly-pollinated.
  • ▫️Aristolochia (Pelican Flower) - giant, bizarre fly-traps.


    • 4. 🌸 Specialized orchids

    Not all orchids rely on bees. Many use moths, butterflies, or beetles instead.
  • ▫️Vanilla orchid - its natural bee pollinator is absent in most regions, so no bee appeal elsewhere.
  • ▫️Brassavola nodosa and others - open at night for moths, not bees.


    • 5. 🕷 Bonus: carnivorous curiosities

    Carnivorous plants don’t offer nectar. They trap insects instead, so bees stay away.
  • ▫️Nepenthes (Pitcher Plant) - uses pitchers of liquid to lure and digest insects.


These flowers keep the beauty, fragrance, and wildlife appeal - but without making your garden a bee hotspot.

🛒 Explore butterfly attractors

#Butterfly_Plants #How_to #Discover

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Five small tropical trees that bloom for you all summer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Five small tropical trees that bloom for you all summer

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

🌳 Five small tropical trees that bloom for you all summer

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🛒 Check out tropical flowering trees

#Trees #Discover

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5 small tropical trees that bloom all summer or year around. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

5 small tropical trees that bloom all summer or year around

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

🌳 5 small tropical trees that bloom all summer or year around
  • 🌳 1. Bauhinia madagascariensis - Red Butterfly Orchid Tree. A rare small tree with scarlet blooms patterned like butterflies, highlighted with golden stripes at the petal bases. It grows fast, adapts to containers, and brings vivid color all summer.
  • 🌳 2. Brugmansia - Angel Trumpet - Large, pendulous trumpet flowers make Brugmansia unforgettable, especially when they release their sweet fragrance at night. It flowers in cycles all summer, perfect for moon gardens and patios.
  • 🌳 3. Caesalpinia - Pride of Barbados, Dwarf Poinciana, Bird of Paradise. This small tree explodes with bright red, orange, or yellow blooms all summer, like fireworks in the garden. It's drought-tolerant, fast-growing, and makes a bold focal point.
  • 🌳 4. Hamelia - Fire Bush - is a pollinator favorite, covered in clusters of fiery orange-red blooms from spring through fall. Compact and easy to trim, it thrives in poor soil while attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.
  • 🌳 5. Plumeria pudica - Bridal Bouquet

Unlike most plumerias, Bridal Bouquet keeps blooming all summer without resting. Its pure white flowers, neat form, and adaptability to pots make it an excellent patio or garden tree.

🛒 Check out tropical flowering trees

#Trees #Discover

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Pitaya vs Dragon fruit - what is the difference and how to grow it? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Pitaya vs Dragon fruit - what is the difference and how to grow it?
🌵 Pitaya vs Dragon fruit - what is the difference and how to grow it?

  • 🍉 Pitaya and Dragon Fruit are the same plant!

    • Both names refer to climbing cacti in the genus Hylocereus. The word pitaya is more common in Latin America, while dragon fruit is the name used in Asia and English-speaking countries. They come in different types: white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus), red-fleshed (Hylocereus costaricensis), and yellow-skinned (Hylocereus, or Selenicereus megalanthus). All share the same growth habit and care needs. Pitaya or dragon fruit - whichever name you use, it's one of the easiest exotic fruits to grow at home.

  • 🍉 How to grow Dragon Fruit

  • ▫️Get a desired variety or start from a cutting - let the cut end dry for a few days before planting to prevent rot.
  • ▫️Plant in well-draining soil with lots of sun.
  • ▫️Give it a strong support to climb on - it's a vining cactus.
  • ▫️Water deeply but let the soil dry between waterings.
  • ▫️Flowers open at night and need pollination - some types are self-fertile, others need cross-pollination.
  • ▫️With care, you can enjoy fruit in 1-2 years. Remember to ferilize!


🍉 Dragon fruit varieties

  • 🔴 ⚪️ Red skin, white flesh (Hylocereus undatus) - The most popular type, and the biggest fruit. Mildly sweet, refreshing, and often compared to a kiwi crossed with a pear.

    • Varieties: David Bowie, Delight, Hana, Lake Atitlan, Seoul Kitchen, Vietnamese Jaina, Hana

  • 🔴🔴 Red skin, red flesh (Hylocereus costaricensis) - Sweeter, juicier, and more intense in flavor. The deep red juice can stain, but it’s loaded with antioxidants.

    • Varieties: American Beauty, Bloody Mary, Eureka Red, Costa Rican Sunset, Mac Edwin, Halleys Comet, Mac Edwin, Makisupa, Mega Red, Physical Graffiti, Sweet Red

  • 🔴🟣 Red flesh, purple/magenta flesh (Hylocereus x costaricensis) - Hybrids, usually between red and white varieties.

Varieties: Cosmic Charlie, Edgar's Baby, Halleys Comet, Natural Mystic, Physical Graffiti, Purple Haze, Tricia, Voodoo Child, Zamorano

🟡⚪️ Yellow skin, white flesh (Hylocereus, or Selenicereus megalanthus) - Smaller fruit, but the sweetest of all. Crisp, juicy, and tropical with notes of pineapple or honey.
Varieties: Amarilla (Kirin), Colimbiana, Godlen Dragon, Palora, Thai Gold (Hawaiian)

Each type looks stunning and tastes slightly different, but all are easy to grow once you give them sun, support, and patience.

🛒 Explore and collect Dragon Fruit varieties

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#Food_Forest #How_to #Dragon_Fruit

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Avocado shrimp boats: quick n fun exotic recipes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Avocado shrimp boats: quick n fun exotic recipes
🍴 Avocado shrimp boats: quick n fun exotic recipes

  • 🟢Halve an avocado, scoop out a little extra.
  • 🟢Fill with sauteed shrimp tossed in garlic-lime butter.
  • 🟢Enjoy instant tropical feast!


🛒 Grow your own Avocado tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Avocado

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