Why is it called Star Apple? Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) - do not confuse with Start Fruit (Carambola) - is hard to find exotic fruit tree. A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
Why is it called Star Apple?
Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)
⭐️ Why is it called Star Apple?
🍏 Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) - do not confuse with Start Fruit (Carambola) - is hard to find exotic fruit tree.
🍏 It is a favorite in the Caribbean and Central America as well as Southeast Asia.
🍏 The fruit has a mild grape-like flavor, and is best eaten fresh.
🍏 Inside the fruit looks like a star when cut across!
The plant you did not know you needed! The plant you didnt know you needed! A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
The plant you did not know you needed!
Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise
Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise
🧙♀️ The plant you didn’t know you needed!
🟨 Many gardeners love and want Caesalpinia pulcherrima, the common Bird of Paradise, but Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise - is a rare treasure with a delightful twist - fragrant flowers! This hardy, drought-tolerant shrub thrives in intense heat and is perfect for small yards or patios.
🟨 During the warm months, it bursts with butter-yellow blooms that pop against feathery green foliage, attracting hummingbirds. As the flowers fade, woody pods form and snap open dramatically. It grows quickly to 10 feet and can be shaped into a small tree or kept as a compact shrub.
🟨 Native to northern Mexico, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil with very little water. If you're looking for a low-maintenance beauty that adds both fragrance and charm, this plant is a must-have!
Why should you grow Chinese keys ginger in your garden? If you're looking for a plant that offers both culinary versatility and health benefits, Boesenbergia rotunda, or Chinese Keys Ginger, or Fingerroot, is a fantastic choice. A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
Why should you grow Chinese keys ginger in your garden?
Boesenbergia rotunda, or Chinese Keys Ginger
✨ Why should you grow Chinese keys ginger in your garden?
🟡If you're looking for a plant that offers both culinary versatility and health benefits, Boesenbergia rotunda, or Chinese Keys Ginger, or Fingerroot, is a fantastic choice.
🟡This Southeast Asian herb is known not just for its ability to spice up soups and seafood dishes, but also for its role in traditional medicine. From aiding digestion to boosting vitality and longevity, this plant brings more than just flavor to the table.
🟡Whether you're a foodie exploring new tastes or someone seeking natural wellness solutions, this unique ginger might just be the perfect addition to your garden and kitchen!
Lula Avocado The Winter Warrior of Florida Lula Avocado The Winter Warrior of Florida Lula is an avocado variety that's tougher than most! A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
Lula Avocado The Winter Warrior of Florida
🥑 Lula Avocado – The Winter Warrior of Florida
🟢 Lula is an avocado variety that's tougher than most! Known for its frost resistance, this cultivar is perfect for homeowners and gardeners in Central Florida and around Orlando. In fact, it was once the top commercial avocado in South Florida, thanks to its ability to endure chilly winters and produce heavily even when other varieties might struggle.
🟢 Lula fruits are medium to large, pear-shaped, and sometimes feature a slender neck. Their skin is smooth, with a greenish tint, enclosing pale to greenish-yellow flesh. With a 12-16% oil content, the Lula offers a creamy, rich flavor that’s a delight in guacamole or straight from the fruit. The large, tightly held seed also makes it a reliable producer, minimizing seed sprouting issues during the harvest.
🟢 The harvesting season runs from November to December, offering a long production window that stands out among other avocado varieties. Originally developed from a tree planted by Mrs. Lula Cellon in 1915 near Miami, this variety has proven its early bearing nature and heavy yields, making it ideal for both home gardeners and small orchard owners.
🟢 If you're looking for an avocado tree that thrives in Central Florida's conditions, bears flavorful fruit, and can withstand the cold, Lula is your go-to! Just give it plenty of space to grow tall and enjoy years of delicious harvests.
How a fast-growing screen becomes a honey-fragrant wildlife attractor How a fast-growing screen becomes a honey-fragrant wildlife attractor
Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa - is a delightful evergreen shrub that's as tough as it is charming! A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
How a fast-growing screen becomes a honey-fragrant wildlife attractor
Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa
😊 How a fast-growing screen becomes a honey-fragrant wildlife attractor
🐝 Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa - is a delightful evergreen shrub that's as tough as it is charming!
🐝 This large, multi-stem shrub can reach 15 feet tall and wide and sports thorny branches - a real character with a wild streak! But don't let the thorns scare you off; it offers rewards aplenty.
🐝 Its canary-yellow, powder-puff flowers bloom all winter through spring, filling the air with a honey-like fragrance that attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
🐝 This plant doesn't just survive - it thrives in poor soils, tolerates drought and alkaline conditions, and grows incredibly fast!
🐝 Whether you're planting it as a privacy screen or just looking for a pop of cheerful color during chilly months, this hardy shrub keeps its evergreen leaves even through cold snaps when other plants throw in the towel.
🐝 Native to Mexico and Central America, Sweet Mimosa has spread its charm far and wide, becoming popular in southern U.S. landscapes like Florida, Texas, and Arizona. It even finds use in perfume production with its flowers contributing to the fragrance known as "cassie" in Europe.
🐝 Every gardener should have this resilient plant ready to brighten the garden and attract wildlife year-round!
How
to grow Jackfruit in a pot:
the biggest fruit in the world
Q: Can I grow Jackfruit in a pot?
A: Yes, you can! Jackfruit trees, despite producing the largest tree-borne fruit in the
world - up to 80 pounds and 36 inches long - can thrive and fruit in
containers. The tree has a clever feature: it grows fruit only at the base of the
trunk, allowing you to manage its height and size. With regular pruning, the
tree can stay compact at just 6-7 feet tall, making it perfect for pot
culture.
1. Getting started: pot sizes and growth tips
Start with: A 3-7 gallon container. As it grows: Gradually increase to a 15-25 gallon pot by the time it
reaches fruiting size (2-4 years). Pruning is key: Keep the tree topped at 6-7 feet to focus its energy
on fruit production. Fertilize regularly: Use high-quality plant food like Sunshine Boosters C-Cibus to promote healthy growth and fruit
development. C-Cibus is the best natural plant food for fruit and edibles.
2. Fun facts about Jackfruit - Artocarpus heterophyllus
A mature Jackfruit tree can produce 200 pounds of fruit per year.
The fruit consists of large, sweet, yellow bulbs with a banana-like
aroma.
Seedlings start fruiting within 3-4 years, with fruits ripening in just 4-6
months after flowering.
3. Cold tolerance of Jackfruit trees
Though often thought of as ultra-tropical, mature trees can withstand
light frost for short periods without major damage. Keeping Jackfruit in pots
also offers an easy way to move them indoors during cold spells if you're in a
cooler climate.
4. Secrets for successful Jackfruit production
- Frost-free temperatures are essential.
- Use rich, organic soil with compost, manure, or peat moss.
- Maintain moist soil with regular watering.
- Constant pruning to keep the tree under 7 feet promotes healthy
fruiting.
- Apply fertilizer and microelements regularly for better fruit quality.
By following these tips, you'll be able to enjoy the world's biggest
fruit right from your patio!
Happiness is a side effect of a properly organized life "Happiness is a side effect of a properly organized life"Share your cats in comments! A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
Happiness is a side effect of a properly organized life
😋 "Happiness is a side effect of a properly organized life"
How to make your Hibiscus plants thrive and bloom How to make your Hibiscus plants thrive and bloom
"If your plant isn't flowering, feed it. A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
How to make your Hibiscus plants thrive and bloom
Sunshine Boosters Megaflor
🌷 How to make your Hibiscus plants thrive and bloom
💬 Among gardeners, Hibiscus plants have a reputation to have couple maintenance issues:
they can get bugsy (because they must be so tasty!)
they can get leggy, especially fancy grafted cultivars, and after a while they don't look as perfect as when they came from a nursery.
‼️ Tips for healthy and pretty hibiscus plants (can be applied to other flowering shrubs)
🟡Full sun. Essential for profuse flowering and keeps away diseases.
🟡Pruning. Keep it pruned and it will get bushy and produce more blooms.
🟡Well-drained soil. Hibiscus likes regular watering but hates wet feet.
🟡Nutrition program. Hibiscus plants are heavy feeders. But keep in mind that if you just keep pushing granulated plant food, you can over-fertilize the plant. Excessive salts will accumulate in soil and you will end up with a sickly looking plant.
⚠️ Keys to balanced plant food and bloom booster
💋Use liquid fertilizer, preferably amino acid based, it won't create nutrients lock up
💋Fertilize on regular basis, it's better dilute concentration and add food with every watering
💋Always add micro-elements - they are essential for plant health
🌞 If you do this right, the result will be:
⏺healthy, green plants, like they just came from a nursery
⏺reliable blooming circle
⏺better cold tolerance and disease resistance. Remember that a strong plant will be less ⏺stressed and less "bugged" by bugs!
😎 We suggest Sunshine Boosters Megaflor - scientifically balanced liquid fertilizer that is amino acid based = natural and organic, can be used for both flowers and edibles, and what's most important - year around. It is safe to use virtually with every watering, all year around!
🔥 This is all you need for healthy plants and lots of flowers!
The The World is a kaleidoscope of colors"Sometimes we need the fog to remind ourselves that all of life is not black and white. A Top Tropicals Garden Journal post.
The
🌈 The World is a kaleidoscope of colors
"Sometimes we need the fog to remind ourselves that all of life is not black and white." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie
