Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date:

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

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Mulberry Care and Growing Tips

Mulberry fruit on a plate

Mulberries are tough, low-maintenance fruit trees that adapt to many conditions.

  • Climate: Hardy from USDA zone 5 to 10.
  • Soil: Grow well in almost any soil; prefer good drainage.
  • Watering: Regular watering during dry spells; drought tolerant once etablished.
  • Growth: 3–5 feet per year, producing fruit early.
  • Pruning: Annual pruning controls size and improves branching.
  • Pot culture: Dwarf types thrive in containers, staying 6–7 feet tall. Use a large pot, water consistently, and prune lightly. Use Abundance potting mix for best results.
  • Fertilizer: For reliable production, fertilizer regularly. Apply Sunshine C-Cibus liquid booster with every watering, or Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 5-6 months.

❓ Mulberry FAQ


How soon will a mulberry fruit?

One to two years, sometimes the very first season.

What climates are suitable?

USDA zones 5–10, from -20F winters to hot summers.

How tall do they get?

Standard trees 20–30 ft; dwarfs 6–10 ft in pots.

Do I need more than one tree?

No, they are self-pollinating.

What do they taste like?

Sweet and juicy, like a blend of blackberry and raspberry.

How long is the harvest?

Everbearing types ripen gradually from summer into fall.

Do birds eat them?

Yes, but trees are so productive there’s plenty to share.

Are they messy?

Dark-fruited varieties can stain; white mulberries do not.

Can I grow them in containers?

Yes, dwarf types (Dwarf Everbearing, Issai) fruit well in pots.

How long do they live?

Many live for decades; Illinois Everbearing can endure for generations.

What are the health benefits?

Mulberries are low-glycemic, support healthy blood sugar, improve heart health, and are rich in antioxidants.

Shop Mulberries

Date:

🍇Mulberries – the hidden gems of every garden

Picture this: it’s July, the sun is warm, and you step outside to a tree dripping with berries. You reach up, and your fingers come away stained purple. The taste? Like blackberries kissed with raspberry — sweet, juicy, unforgettable.

Collage of mulberry varieties - Illinois Everbearing, Dwarf Everbearing, Shangri-LA, White Mulberry, Pakistani Giant, Issai, Florida Giant

That’s what a Mulberry gives you. And the best part? You don’t wait years. Many trees fruit the very next season. Dwarf types can even fruit nearly year-round in pots — fresh berries on your patio, without leaving home.

🌟 Varieties gardeners swear by:

Collage of mulberry varieties - Illinois Everbearing, Dwarf Everbearing, Shangri-LA, White Mulberry, Pakistani Giant, Issai, Florida Giant

In the photo above: mulberry varieties - Illinois Everbearing, Dwarf Everbearing, Shangri-LA, White Mulberry, Pakistani Giant, Issai, Florida Giant

Mulberries aren’t just delicious — they’re loaded with antioxidants, help balance blood sugar, and make your garden come alive with birds and shade. Don’t wait another season. Plant your Mulberry now and taste the difference by next summer.

Watch short videos:

" style="border: 0px solid red; text-transform: uppercase; text-align: center; padding: 14px 0px; width: 100%; font-size: 15px; max-width: 600px; margin: auto; display: block; color: white !important; cursor: pointer;background-color: rgb(33, 144, 23);">Illinois Everbearing Mulberry

💲 Special Offer – 20% off Mulberry Trees!

Get 20% OFF already discounted Mulberry Trees with code

MULBERRY2025

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

Hurry, offer expires September 23, 2025!

👉 Shop Mulberry Trees

Date:

You wont believe what this cat is eating for lunch! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

You wont believe what this cat is eating for lunch!

Cat Niki

🍌 You won’t believe what this cat is eating for lunch!

"When life gives you lemons, throw them back and ask for a banana!"

🐈📸 Cat Niki is eating dry bananas at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden 

#PeopleCats #Quotes

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Canistel custard toast: quick n fun exotic recipes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Canistel custard toast: quick n fun exotic recipes

Canistel custard toast

Canistel custard toast

🍴 Canistel custard toast: quick n fun exotic recipes
  • 🟡Mash Canistel (Eggfruit) with a bit of cream and cinnamon, spread on toast, and broil until golden.
  • 🟡Like dessert for breakfast!


🛒 Plant your own Canistel tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Baby bird first flight caught on video - ending left us stunned! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Baby bird first flight caught on video - ending left us stunned!

Baby bird first flight

🐓 Baby bird first flight caught on video - ending left us stunned!

Greenhouse nest story - surprise ending you have to see!

❓ Does anyone know the name of this Florida bird? 🐦‍⬛️

#PeopleCats

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

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

Free natural shampoo: squeeze it and see what comes out!

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

📚 Learn more:

#Shade_Garden #Container_Garden #Remedies #Food_Forest

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What kind of animal do you think it is? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What kind of animal do you think it is?

👽 What kind of animal do you think it is?

A fox?
A dog?
An Alien?

🐈📸 This is Pelmen - our friend, hairless Sphynx cat!
He does look like an alien!

#PeopleCats

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What kind of animal do you think it is? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What kind of animal do you think it is?

Pelmen - hairless Sphynx cat

👽 What kind of animal do you think it is?

A fox?
A dog?
An Alien?

🐈📸 This is Pelmen - our friend, hairless Sphynx cat!
He does look like an alien!

#PeopleCats

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals