Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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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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Anthurium Collector Set

Giant Bird's Nest, Long Leaf, and Black Dragon Anthuriums side by 
side, showcasing their dramatic foliage and size

These aren't your typical tropicals - they're collector-grade Anthuriums grown for foliage and texture. Each one brings something different, but they all thrive in the same kind of setting: shade or filtered light, warmth, and humidity. Perfect for growing in containers indoors or out.

Anthurium Black Dragon

This is the most dramatic of the trio. Upright, leathery leaves shift from dark green to nearly black depending on light. Instead of bright flowers, it produces a dark brown spadix and glowing red berries. A hybrid not found in the wild, it's grown from seed - no two are exactly alike.

  • Best for: Indoor focal plant, shaded patio, black ceramic pot
  • Height: 2–4 ft in container
  • Texture: Thick, architectural leaves
  • Highlight: Color shifts with light intensity

Grow Your Own Black Dragon

Read more about Black Dragon Anthurium

Anthurium hookeri – Giant Bird's Nest

This one's about scale. Broad, crinkled leaves with a cardboard-like texture form a bold rosette. It can get huge with time - up to 6 feet across. Perfect for gardeners who want the "instant jungle" look.

  • Best for: Shaded garden, large pots on porches
  • Height: Up to 5 ft; width even more
  • Texture: Wrinkled and leathery
  • Highlight: Bright red berries in maturity

Buy Giant Bird's Nest Anthurium

Read more about Giant Bird's Nest Anthurium

Anthurium vittarifolium – Long Leaf Anthurium

Graceful and rare, this species sends out narrow strap-like leaves that can reach 5–6 ft long. Ideal for hanging baskets or mounting. Bonus: it produces small pink fruit against deep green foliage.

  • Best for: Hanging displays, vertical planters, bright bathrooms
  • Height: Leaf length, not upright height - up to 6 ft
  • Texture: Smooth, ribbon-like
  • Highlight: Cascading growth and color contrast

Buy Long Leaf Anthurium

Read more about Long Leaf Anthurium

✅ How to Care for Anthuriums

  • Light: Bright, indirect light is best. Avoid direct sun, especially mid-day. These plants evolved in rainforest understory - think "dappled light under trees."
  • Water: Keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy. Let the top inch dry before watering. They hate wet feet.
  • Humidity: These are tropicals - they'll do fine in 50-60% humidity, but thrive at 70%+. Use pebble trays or place near other plants. Bathrooms with windows work great.
  • Soil: Use an airy mix: orchid bark + perlite + peat or coco coir. Drainage is key. Never use plain potting soil.
  • Fertilizer: Feed with SUNSHINE Robusta every 2–4 weeks during warm seasons. It's formulated for aroids and won't burn roots.
  • Potting: Use shallow, wide containers. Repot only every 2–3 years, or when roots crowd the pot. They don't like frequent disruption.
  • Temperature: Ideal: 65–85 F. Short dips to the 30s F are tolerated by mature plants, but avoid cold drafts.

Shop All Anthuriums

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Shady spots aren't a problem - they're an opportunity

Niki and Cash, the PeopleCats.garden rescued cats, lounging on a pink towel in front of a bathtub surrounded by tropical houseplants. The room is filled with lush green foliage, hanging vines, and potted plants, creating a peaceful indoor 
jungle.

Photo above: Niki and Cash, the Top Tropicals PeopleCats-in-residence, lounging in a lush indoor jungle

Most tropical gardens have at least one corner that gets morning light, filtered sun, or just bright shade - and that's exactly where Anthuriums thrive, along with many other shade-loving plants. That makes them ideal for spaces where other tropicals struggle.

Don't have a greenhouse? You don't need one. Anthuriums do beautifully on a shaded porch, in a screened lanai, or even indoors near a north or east-facing window. They're perfect for:

  • Bathrooms with natural light
  • Bright kitchens with indirect sun
  • Shaded entryways or under eaves
  • Hanging baskets under tree cover
  • Mounting on cork or wood in humid areas

Even a small space can feel like a tropical conservatory with the right plant - and Anthuriums bring that look without being demanding. They grow slowly, stay manageable, and don't need constant pruning or repotting.

Best of all, they reward consistency. Keep them warm, give them some humidity, water when the top inch feels dry, and they'll stay healthy for years. No drama - just quiet, lasting beauty. If you've never grown tropicals in the shade, this is where to start.

Shop Shade Garden

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Why tipping mango trees makes them fruiting machines (DIY Garden Tip) A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why tipping mango trees makes them fruiting machines (DIY Garden Tip)

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🌳 Want more mangoes from your backyard tree?
In this step-by-step guide, Ed from Top Tropicals in Fort Myers, Florida, shows how to tip mango trees to boost branching, improve structure, and increase fruit production. Whether you're growing Valencia Pride, Orange Sherbet, or Glen mangoes - this method works!

✔️ You'll learn:

  • ▫️When and how to tip branches
  • ▫️ What tools to use (and how to clean them)
  • ▫️Real before-and-after results from trees in our Florida garden
  • ▫️Tips for shaping young trees for long-term success


🛒 Get your own mango trees

🌱 More garden tips and tropical fruit care

#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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Strawberry Guava for best Margaritas - the easiest fruit tree you'll ever grow! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Strawberry Guava, Cattley Guava - Psidium littorale

🍓Strawberry Guava for best Margaritas - the easiest fruit tree you'll ever grow!
  • 🍓 If you're looking for a cold-hardy tropical fruit tree that thrives on neglect, you’ve found it: Strawberry Guava, or Cattley Guava (Psidium littorale). It's our favorite Guava at Top Tropicals!
  • 🍓 This fast-growing, evergreen small tree or dense bush doesn’t mind poor soil, limestone, or salt. It’s hardy to the low 20s F, drought-tolerant once established, and can even handle short-term flooding. Great as a hedge, windbreak, or container specimen, it also adds beauty year-round with glossy green leaves, peeling reddish bark, and soft red new growth.
  • 🍓 You’ll get round, tangy-sweet fruit from spring through fall - perfect for snacking, jams, or jellies, juices, and adding to all kinds of drinks, especially Margaritas and Mojitos! 🍸
  • 🍓 The red and yellow types are both tasty, with the yellow often a bit larger and sweeter. The sweetest and the most flavorful Cattley Guava variety is Hawaiian Gold - Psidium littorale var. Lucidum. This one is our favorite for eating out of hand!
  • 🍓 Cattley Guava is productive, low-maintenance, and ornamental - one of the easiest tropical fruit trees to grow in poor or alkaline soils.


🛒 Add a sweet guava hedge to your yard

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Guava

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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What is the best pineapple to grow at home. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

White Jade Pineapple - Eleuthera

🍍What is the best pineapple to grow at home
  • 🍍 Pineapple plants (Ananas comosus) are easy to grow, virtually carefree plants. You you plant a few - you will always have the benefit of fresh and delicious fruit on the table, full of health benefits.
  • 🍍 White Jade Pineapple, also known as Eleuthera, is one of the most prized pineapple varieties you can grow at home - and for good reason. If you're only growing one pineapple, make it this one. And here is why:


✔️ Six reasons why you want to grow White Jade Pineapple
  • 🟡Super sweet and low acid: White Jade has tender white flesh that's ultra-sweet with almost no acidity. The flavor is smooth and rich, far better than anything you'll find in a grocery store.
  • 🟡Edible core: The core is soft, juicy, and 100% edible - no waste and no tough center.
  • 🟡Spineless leaves: Unlike most pineapples, White Jade has soft, spineless leaves, making it much easier and safer to handle.
  • 🟡Compact and container-friendly: It stays small, perfect for pots, patios, or tight garden spaces.
  • 🟡Backyard hero, not for shipping: This variety bruises easily, so it's rarely seen in stores - but perfect for home gardeners who want top-tier taste.
  • 🟡Tropical beauty + fast fruiting: With its blue-green foliage and striking fruit, it's ornamental as well as productive. Expect fruit in as little as 18-24 months with good care.

  • 🍍 Although often mistaken as a Hawaiian variety, White Jade actually originated in Eleuthera, Bahamas. It thrives in warm climates and rewards gardeners with a sweet, low-acid treat unlike any commercial pineapple. It is grown in Hawaii now, especially by backyard gardeners and small farms, because it does so well there.
  • 🍍 Make sure to feed your pineapple plants what they crave - sunshine and nutrients! Boost their growth with - SUNSHINE Ananas - Pineapple and Bromeliad Booster. This special formula gives your plants the energy they need to thrive and produce tons of sweet, juicy fruit just for you!


🛒 Plant the pineapple that grocery stores can’t sell

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Container_Garden #Discover
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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🍈 Morinda citrifolia - Noni: A Plant with Purpose

Young woman with a potted Noni tree, close-up of Noni fruit growing on the branch, and a ripe Noni fruit with its distinct bumpy 
skin.

What are the benefits of growing a Noni tree?

Noni isn't just ornamental - it earns its place. This small tropical tree is packed with potential, from fruiting fast to delivering real, time-tested benefits.

  • Begins fruiting within a year
  • Flowers and fruits nearly non-stop if grown in proper conditions
  • Grows well in containers, indoors or out
  • Used to support immunity, joints, digestion, and more
  • Leaves and fruit are both used in traditional remedies

How to Grow Noni Tree

In Zone 10 and warmer, Noni grows beautifully outdoors in full to part sun. It thrives in poor soil, tolerates salt, and bounces back from drought. Just keep it warm and lightly fertilized for year-round flowering and fruiting.

For indoor growers, Noni adapts well to containers. Place it near a bright window or under grow lights. It can tolerate lower light, though fruiting may slow. Keep soil moist but not soggy. Leaves may drop if it gets too cold or too dry - warmth is key. In deep shade, the foliage becomes lush, dark, and ornamental.

Pro tip: Start with a 3 gal or larger plant for faster fruit production.

Shop Noni Trees

How to Make Fresh Noni Juice

A glass with noni juice next to a ripe Noni fruit with its distinct bumpy skin and noni leaves

Got fruit on your Noni tree? Here's how to turn it into something powerful.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  • Wash the ripe fruit thoroughly
  • Cut into small chunks
  • Blend until smooth
  • Strain (optional) through mesh or cheesecloth
  • Add apple or blueberry juice to soften the flavor
  • Store in clean glass jars and refrigerate

Why bother growing Noni?

Fresh Noni juice supports:

  • Joint and bone strength
  • Energy and endurance
  • Immune balance and metabolism
  • Healthy gums and blood pressure regulation
  • Weight management and nutrient absorption
This isn't just juice. It's tradition in a glass - and it came from your own plant.

Grow your own noni juice

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💖 What if your next houseplant could make medicine?

Meet Noni, Morinda citrifolia, a tropical tree with deep roots in Polynesian healing. For over 2000 years, it's been used to support health from the inside out: pain relief, immune strength, digestion, skin, joints, energy, and more. And now, you can grow it yourself.

This isn't some fussy rainforest diva. Noni is one of the easiest fruit trees to grow, especially in a pot. It flowers and fruits year-round, even in a 3-gallon container. Indoors, it thrives in bright light and tolerates dry air and skipped waterings. Outdoors in Zone 10+, it's practically unstoppable - fast, forgiving, and constantly flowering and fruiting.

It's also a conversation piece. The glossy leaves can grow over a foot long. The fruit looks like something from another planet! And every part of the plant - fruit, leaves, seeds, even roots - has been used in traditional medicine.

Grow it for health. Grow it for curiosity. Grow it because your ficus never made you juice.

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Cocoplum: secret fruit in your hedge. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Bahamas Cocoplum - Chrysobalanus icaco