Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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8 best flowering trees that will bloom for you in Winter. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Royal poinciana - Flamboyant tree, Delonix regia (top) Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia (left) Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia (right) Bauhinia variegata - Pink Butterfly Orchid Tree (center top left) Koelreuteria paniculata

Royal poinciana - Flamboyant tree, Delonix regia (top) Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia (left) Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia (right) Bauhinia variegata - Pink Butterfly Orchid Tree (center top left) Koelreuteria paniculata - Golden Rain Tree (center top right) Callistemon citrinus - Weeping Red Bottlebrush (center bottom left) Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree (center bottom right) Jacaranda mimosifolia (acutifolia) (bottom)

💐 8 best flowering trees that will bloom for you in Winter

📸 Pictures for the previous post:

Royal poinciana - Flamboyant tree, Delonix regia (top)
Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia (left)
Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia (right)
Bauhinia variegata - Pink Butterfly Orchid Tree (center top left)
Koelreuteria paniculata - Golden Rain Tree (center top right)
Callistemon citrinus - Weeping Red Bottlebrush (center bottom left)
Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree (center bottom right)
Jacaranda mimosifolia (acutifolia) (bottom)

🛒 Plant a tree now for winter flowers

#Trees #Discover

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Eight most spectacular winter blooming trees. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Eight most spectacular winter blooming trees

💐 Eight most spectacular winter blooming trees

🍁 Fall is the right time to get winter bloomers in the ground. Plant them now, and by the time the cool season settles in, you’ll have flowers to enjoy. We get a lot of snowbirds asking us what to plant when they’re here for just the season, and the answer is simple: pick trees and shrubs that show off in winter!

🏆 8 best flowering trees that will bloom for you in Winter
  • 💐1. Royal poinciana - Flamboyant tree, Delonix regia

    • Known for fiery red-orange blooms, the flamboyant tree creates a spectacular canopy. Even in the cooler season, mature specimens may flower heavily in warm climates.

👉 Learn more
  • 💐2. Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia

    • One of the brightest winter bloomers, this small tree bursts into golden-yellow flowers on bare branches, turning the whole crown into a glowing dome.

👉 Learn more
  • 💐3. Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia

    • A smaller tabebuia with trumpet-shaped pink to lavender blooms. Its leafless winter display is striking and well-suited for compact gardens.

👉 Learn more
  • 💐4. Jacaranda mimosifolia (acutifolia)

    • Famous for its lavender-blue clouds of trumpet flowers, Jacaranda puts on a dramatic show even when most trees are bare. Perfect for lining streets or as a specimen tree.

👉 Learn more
  • 💐5. Koelreuteria paniculata (bipinnata) - Golden Rain Tree

    • This tree stands out in winter with clusters of golden flowers followed by papery lantern-like seed pods. It’s ornamental in every stage, even when not in full bloom.

👉 Learn more
  • 💐6. Callistemon citrinus - Weeping Red Bottlebrush

    • Its crimson brush-like flowers appear in flushes during the cooler months. This tree is tough, drought-tolerant, and attracts pollinators while keeping color in the winter garden.

👉 Learn more
  • 💐7. Bauhinia variegata - Pink Butterfly Orchid Tree

    • Soft pink to lavender blooms open on leafless branches in the cool season. The butterfly-shaped petals make this tree both graceful and eye-catching.

👉 Learn more

💐8. Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree
A sterile hybrid that doesn’t produce seed, this tree is prized for its huge magenta flowers that cover bare branches in winter. Rare and highly ornamental, it’s a true collector’s tree.

🛒 Plant a tree now for winter flowers

#Trees #Discover

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How to make lots of Insulin Ginger plants quickly and get more health benefits. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Costus igneus (Chamaecostus cuspidatus) - Fiery Costus or Spiral Flag

💚 How to make lots of Insulin Ginger plants quickly and get more health benefits
  • Costus igneus (Chamaecostus cuspidatus) - Fiery Costus or Spiral Flag is believed to help lower blood glucose levels naturally and managing diabetes.
  • Have you heard of Insulin Ginger? Everyone wants to have it in the garden!
  • Gardeners in India grow it not just for its pretty spiral leaves, but for what those leaves do. People with diabetes often chew them fresh or brew them into tea, saying it helps keep their blood sugar under control.
  • Researchers have found something interesting: the leaves contain an insulin-like compound, along with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. In animal studies, extracts from the plant lowered blood sugar, protected the liver and kidneys, and even made the body more sensitive to insulin.
  • The way folks use it is simple. You can chew a leaf right off the plant, steep dried leaves for tea, or find it in powders and capsules. It's one of those plants that shows how tradition and science sometimes meet in the garden.
  • Its lush, turmeric-like leaves spiral around upright stems, with a glossy dark green top and a striking light purple underside. In warm months, it produces bright orange, cone-like flowers that stand out beautifully in the garden.
  • Beyond its beauty and natural insulin effects, the insulin plant is credited with aiding digestion, reducing cholesterol, boosting energy, improving skin health, supporting weight loss, relieving stress, and promoting heart wellness. A real botanical multitasker!


🎥 In this video, we’ll show you how to multiply Insulin Ginger fast, so you’ll have plenty of plants for yourself and even extras to share with friends and family.

✅ Don’t forget to use Green Magic fertilizer for the best results. Gingers absolutely love this plant food - they thrive on it and respond better than any other plant, with vigorous growth, lush foliage and loads of leaves you’ll need for all the benefits.

🛒 Grow your own sugar-fighter - the Insulin Ginger

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Shade_Garden #Discover

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Truth about which fruit helps you lose weight faster: Mango or Papaya? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Truth about which fruit helps you lose weight faster: Mango or Papaya?
Truth about which fruit helps you lose weight faster: Mango or Papaya?

❓ Mango vs. Papaya: what's best for you?

  • ✔️ Nutritional comparison

    • Mango is rich in vitamins A and C, boosting immune health and skin.
    Papaya brings more folate and contains papain, an enzyme that aids digestion.

  • ✔️ Health perks

    • Mango may help lower inflammation and support blood sugar balance.
    Papaya is known to ease digestion, reduce bloating, and support gut health.

  • ✔️ Calories and sugars

    • Both are low in calories, but mango has slightly more natural sugar.
    If you’re sugar-sensitive, papaya might be the better option.

  • ✔️ Weight loss support

    • Mango and papaya both contain fiber and natural compounds that slow digestion.
    This helps you feel fuller longer, which can reduce snacking and support weight management.

  • ✔️ Which to pick when

Choose mango for a skin and immune boost.
Go with papaya if you want a gentler fruit that supports digestion and gut comfort.

Don't forget about Avocado when planting your fruit garden!
Avocado deserves a spot at the table too. While not sweet like mango or papaya, it's packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, and B vitamins. Avocado supports brain and heart health, keeps you full longer, and provides a creamy balance to any tropical fruit plate.

All three fruits are also great for weight management. They're high in fiber and water content, which slows digestion, helps you feel fuller longer, and may reduce overall calorie intake naturally.

🛒Explore Mango, Papaya, and Avocado varieties

#Food_Forest #Mango #Papaya #Remedies #Discover

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

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

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

📸 Pictures for the previous post:

🛒 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.

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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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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Mulberry yogurt swirl: quick n fun exotic recipes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Mulberry yogurt swirl

Mulberry yogurt swirl

🍴 Mulberry yogurt swirl: quick n fun exotic recipes
  • 🔵Layer fresh mulberries with plain yogurt and a drizzle of honey.
  • 🔵The berries bleed into the yogurt, creating a natural tie-dye effect.


🛒 Discover Mulberry varieties

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

Bauhinia madagascariensis, Brugmansia, Caesalpinia, Hamelia, Plumeria pudica

🌳 Five small tropical trees that bloom for you all summer

📸 Pictures for the previous post:

🛒 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.

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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