Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 13 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Why do the Chinese drink tea?

🌱 Why do the Chinese drink tea?

🍃 It actually has to do with the Chinese theory of the five elements - wood, metal, fire, water, and earth:

木金火水土

🍃 Tea comes from a plant - Camellia sinensis - the Tea Leaf Tree - that is used to make all true teas: green, black, white, and oolong. The Tea Tree contains the element of wood (木) 🌳
🍃 When it's roasted in a cast-iron pan, it gains the element of metal (金)
🍃 Then it's dried over fire, adding the element of fire (火) 🔥
🍃 When it's brewed with boiling water, the element of water enters (水) 💦
🍃 Finally, tea is poured into a clay vessel, symbolizing the element of earth (土) 🍯
🍃 In this way, all five elements - wood, metal, fire, water, and earth - come together in a single cup.
🍃 The plant grows slowly and can thrive in containers or frost-free gardens with sun to semi-shade.

🛒 Grow your own tea

📚Learn more from previous posts:
Tea facts
How to grow your own tea?
Where does the tea come from?
Instructions how to make tea from tea leaves (PDF)

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Fun_facts

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Date: 11 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

What is better than Apricot? Tropical Apricot!

Pitomba, Eugenia luschnathiana - The Tropical Apricot Tree fruit

🍑 What is better than Apricot? Tropical Apricot!

🍑 Looking for a small, ornamental fruit tree with big flavor? Pitomba (Eugenia luschnathiana) - The Tropical Apricot Tree - is a Brazilian gem that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
🍑 This slow-growing evergreen reaches 15-20 feet, with glossy dark green leaves and a striking light brown trunk. In spring, it bursts into white and yellow flowers, followed by apricot-colored fruits ripening from May to July.
🍑 The fruit is juicy, aromatic, with a flavor and texture similar to apricots. Rich in vitamin C, minerals, and dietary fiber, Pitomba is perfect eaten fresh or turned into jams, jellies, and juices.
🍑 Pitomba grows best in full sun, likes acidic soil, and appreciates regular water and feeding. Whether in the ground or in a pot, it’s a stunning and fruitful addition to your edible landscape.
🍑 Why grow Pitomba?

🟡Unique tropical fruit with apricot-like flavor

🟡Beautiful, compact tree for small yards or containers
🟡Fruits in 2–3 years from seed
🟡Cold-hardy to the upper 20s (°F) once mature. Grows in USDA zones 9–11 or indoors with winter protection
🟡Traditional medicinal uses in Brazil for colds and digestive health

🛒 Buy Pitomba to add a small fruit tree with big flavor to your yard

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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Date: 10 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 2

Ginkgo Biloba

Turmeric (Curcuma)

Moringa

Piper betle (Betel Leaf)

Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper Leaf)

Coconut tree with fruit

Longevity Spinach

Katuk

Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 2

Memory & Cognitive Support (Brain Boosters)
Edible Plants and Herbs:

Continued from previous post ⤴️

🟡 Ginkgo Biloba - Improves blood flow to the brain, supports memory and concentration.
🟡 Turmeric (Curcuma) - Contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound shown to protect neurons and boost memory.
🟡 Moringa - Loaded with antioxidants, may protect brain cells and support cognitive function.
🟡 Piper betle (Betel Leaf) - Traditionally used as a mild stimulant. Contains compounds that may improve alertness and support mental clarity.
🟡 Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper Leaf) - Used in traditional medicine for anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.
🟡 Coconut Oil - Contains MCTs, which may fuel brain cells directly, especially beneficial in age-related cognitive decline.
🟡 Cinnamon - is inked to improved memory and brain function. The tree's powerful scent comes from cinnamaldehyde, a natural compound with medicinal properties.
🟡 Green Leafy Vegetables (like Longevity Spinach and Katuk) - High in folate, vitamin K, and lutein, all linked to better memory and reduced cognitive aging.

🛒 Give your brain what it craves, shop tropical brain boosters: Fruit Trees & Herbal Plants

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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Date: 10 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 1

Blueberries

Avocado

Red Banana

Papaya

Pineapple

Amlak (Indian Gooseberry)

Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 1

Want to stay sharp, focused, and energized - naturally?
Don't just eat smart - plant smart. These tropical fruits and herbs aren't just delicious - they're packed with memory-boosting, focus-enhancing, and brain-protecting compounds. When you grow them in your own garden, you're building a personal pharmacy of mental clarity and cognitive power. No pills. No plastic bottles. Just real plants with real benefits, right outside your door.

Memory & Cognitive Support (Brain Boosters)
Tropical Fruits:

🟡 Blueberries – Rich in flavonoids and antioxidants; support memory and cognitive performance (Note: not tropical, but widely grouped due to powerful brain benefits).
🟡 Avocado – High in monounsaturated fats, supports healthy blood flow to the brain.
🟡 Banana – Contains vitamin B6 and potassium, essential for neurotransmitter function.
🟡 Papaya – High in antioxidants and vitamin C, may protect brain cells from oxidative stress.
🟡 Pineapple – Contains bromelain and vitamin C, which may reduce inflammation and support brain health.
🟡 Amla (Indian Gooseberry) – One of the richest natural sources of vitamin C. Used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance memory, focus, and longevity. Acts as a neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogen.

Edible Plants and Herbs: continued in next post ⤵️

🛒 Give your brain what it craves, shop tropical brain boosters: Fruit Trees & Herbal Plants

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Bananas #Discover

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Date: 9 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?

Mexican Avocado

Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?

👍 Yes - with the right variety and care.
While avocados love tropical and subtropical climates, certain cold hardy Avocados types - especially Mexican varieties - can survive outside the tropics, even in USDA Zone 8b (like San Antonio, TX). Once established, some can handle short freezes down to 15F, even as low as 10F in dry climates.

Key Factors for Cold Hardiness:

🔤 Plant Size: Young trees are tender. Protect with mulch, blankets, and even Christmas lights during freezes. Mature trees are tougher.
🔤 Wind Protection: Wind chills do more damage than cold air alone. Plant near a south-facing wall or sheltered spot.
🔤 Tree Health: Healthy trees handle cold better. Fertilize regularly during the growing season.
🔤 Water & Humidity: Water less in winter. Avoid soggy soil - good drainage is a must. Trees in dry winter climates tolerate more cold than those in humid areas.

✏️ Tip: Always check the hardiness rating for your avocado variety. Protection matters most during the first 1-2 winters.

📚More about Avocado:
Posts about #Avocado
Avocado Variety Guide

🛒 Shop cold hardy Avocados and grow your own guacamole

#Food_Forest #Discover #Avocado

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Date: 8 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

What makes Lolita so special and different from regular Surinam Cherry?

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora)

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) fruit

What makes Lolita so special and different from regular Surinam Cherry? 💋

❣️ Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) is Sweet, Juicy, and Cold-Hardy!
❣️ Lolita Cherry is the cultivar you've been waiting for - also known as Black Star or Pitanga var. Black. This rare variety starts red and ripens to a rich black color, with a flavor tha'’s incredibly sweet, juicy, and free of the typical aftertaste found in regular Surinam cherries.
❣️ The fruit is large (1-1.2 inches), packed with juice, and produced by a vigorous, upright, freely branching plant that often fruits in its first year. A reliable and heavy producer, this cherry tree is both ornamental and productive.
❣️ Why grow Lolita?

💋 Delicious, black-colored cherries with exceptional sweetness

💋 Fast to fruit, even in the first year. Seedlings grow true to type - a rare trait!
💋 Cold hardy to the upper 20s F once established. Thrives in USDA zones 9–11 or in containers with winter protection
💋 Upright, bushy habit makes it perfect for edible hedge or small garden spaces
💋 Hard to find and easy to love, Lolita Black Surinam Cherry is a must-have for tropical fruit collectors.

🛒 Plant a Lolita Cherry and have lots of delicious fruit and juice

📚 More about Lolita Cherry from previous posts:

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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Date: 7 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 3

Dragon Fruit varieties collage

🐲 Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 3

Continued from previous post ⤴️

🛍 Limited-Time Offer:

This week only, enjoy an instant 5% discount on all dragon fruit plants, no code needed! Hurry - some varieties are in limited supply and highly sought after!

🎮 Explore Our Unique Varieties:

💋David Bowie - Red-skinned with white flesh, offering a sweet, tangy, lemon-like flavor. Self-pollinating and best enjoyed fresh.
💋 Delight - Pink-skinned with light pink flesh, this variety is exceptionally fertile and produces large, flavorful fruits.
💋 Eureka Red - Large, red-skinned fruit with red flesh, known for its sweet and tangy flavor. Self-pollinating and originally from Nicaragua.
💋 Halleys Comet - A hybrid with pink skin and purple flesh, producing impressively large fruits up to 2 pounds. The flesh is sweet, and the plant features large, striking flowers.
💋 Lake Atitlan - Named after the Guatemalan lake, this variety has pinkish-red skin with white flesh, offering a sweet and tangy taste. Fruits typically weigh between 0.75 to 1.5 pounds.
💋 Palora (Ecuador, Columbian) - Yellow-skinned with white flesh, Palora is renowned for being the sweetest dragon fruit variety. It originates from Ecuador and is self-fertile.
💋 Seoul Kitchen - This variety produces medium to large red-skinned fruits with white flesh. The pulp is smooth and sweet, excellent when chilled and eaten fresh. Self-pollinating.
💋 Thai Gold - A rare yellow-skinned variety with white flesh, known for its sweet flavor with a hint of tartness.
💋 Vietnamese Jaina - Pink-skinned with white flesh, this variety is among the most common and is known for its mild, sweet flavor with a hint of Strawberry.

📚 Learn more about Dragon fruit:

🛒 Start your dragon fruit journey today and savor the unmatched flavors of homegrown, exotic fruits!

#Food_Forest #Discover #Dragon_Fruit

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Date: 7 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 1

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Sunshine C-Cibus fertilizer for Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

🐲 Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 1

🐉 WHY GROW YOUR OWN DRAGON FRUIT?

Dragon fruit isn't just a stunning addition to your garden - it's a nutritional powerhouse. Rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, this low-calorie fruit supports digestion, boosts immunity, and promotes overall wellness. While store-bought dragon fruit can be bland, homegrown varieties offer a spectrum of sweet, vibrant flavors you won't find on supermarket shelves.

🍓 Unparalleled Flavor: Experience the true taste of dragon fruit with homegrown varieties known for their sweetness and rich flavors - far superior to the often bland, commercially grown ones.
🍓 Stunning Variety: Choose from a range of types featuring white, pink, red, or purple flesh, each with unique flavors and appearances.
🍓 Easy and Rewarding: Dragon fruit cacti are low-maintenance, thriving in containers or in the ground, with minimal water needs. They're perfect for both novice and experienced gardeners.

HEALTH BENEFITS:

🍓 Digestive Health: High fiber content aids digestion and promotes gut health.
🍓 Weight Management: Low in calories yet nutrient-dense, making it an excellent choice for a healthy diet. More health benefits in next post ⤵️

🌵 EASY GROWING TIPS:

🍓 Adaptable: This cactus plant thrives in both sun and partial shade and enjoys humid rainy summers unlike most cacti.
🍓 Container-Friendly: Ideal for pots with a sturdy trellis, making it suitable for small spaces.
🍓 Low Maintenance: Drought-tolerant and forgiving, perfect for those who occasionally forget to water.

‼️ Want more fruit? Enhance growth and fruit production with Sunshine Boosters C-Cibus fertilizer, ensuring a bountiful harvest of this exotic fruit.

Continued in next post ⤵️

🛒 Start your dragon fruit journey today and savor the unmatched flavors of homegrown, exotic fruits!

#Food_Forest #Discover #Dragon_Fruit

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Date: 6 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Why grow Grumichama? Benefits of Brazilian Eugenia Tree - Cherry of the Tropics

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, fruit

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, flowers

🍒 Why grow Grumichama? Benefits of Brazilian Eugenia Tree - Cherry of the Tropics

🍒 Did you know you can grow a tropical cherry right in your backyard? Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), also known as the Brazilian Cherry, is a compact, evergreen fruit tree that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
🍒 With glossy green leaves and reddish new growth, it’s an ornamental gem. In spring, it produces white flowers that quickly turn into dark purple, cherry-like fruits - ready to harvest just four weeks after flowering!
🍒 The fruits have soft, melting flesh with a flavor similar to northern cherries. Enjoy them fresh, dried, made into jams, or even in baked goods and herbal teas. This is our favorite fresh cherry @TopTropicals!
🍒 Grumichama plant grows into a small tree or bush in tropical and subtropical climates. It tolerates light frost.
🍒 Fruits in small spaces or containers (5–10 gallon pots)
🍒 Perfect for edible landscaping and home orchards. Loaded with fiber and antioxidants.
🍒 Whether in the ground or in a pot, Grumichama is easy to grow, stunning year-round, and gives you a sweet, juicy reward.

📚Learn more about Eugenia cherries:
Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes. # 3: Tropical Cherries: Eugenias.

🛒 Plant Grumichama and bring a little bit of Brazil to your garden

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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Date: 5 Apr 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own

💩 10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own

☕️ That's right - the source of your favorite sweet treat, the Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) we introduced in earlier post, produces cocoa that's packed with powerful health benefits. Growing your own chocolate tree isn't just fun and rewarding - it's a way to bring a superfood right into your backyard!
☕️ Here are 10 reasons why cocoa is a health hero:

🍫 Loaded with Antioxidants - Fights free radicals and supports overall cell health.
🍫 Heart Healthy - Helps lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
🍫 Mood Booster - Promotes feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins.
🍫 Brain Power - Flavanols support memory, focus, and cognitive function.
🍫 Fights Inflammation - Natural compounds help reduce chronic inflammation.
🍫 Supports Blood Sugar Balance - May improve insulin sensitivity.
🍫 Glowing Skin - Boosts hydration and protects against UV damage.
🍫 Aids in Weight Management - May reduce cravings and support metabolism.
🍫 Rich in Minerals - Packed with magnesium, iron, copper, and more.
🍫 Good for Gut Health - Acts as a prebiotic to feed good bacteria.

☕️ With all these benefits, why not grow your own source of chocolate? Plant a Theobroma cacao tree and enjoy the magic of harvesting your very own cocoa pods. It's not just a tree - it's a conversation starter, a wellness booster, and your personal chocolate factory in the making.

🛒 Get your Chocolate Tree today and grow your own goodness

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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