Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date:

The Magic of 3 top tropical trees
from the legends of Caribbean

Yellow Poinciana, Jacaranda, and Royal Poinciana:
Three happy colors of the Tropics

paintings of 3 top tropical trees - Royal Poinciana, Yellow Poinciana, and 
Jacaranda

While traveling through the vibrant and diverse Caribbean, we acquired three exquisite local paintings. Two of these are masterfully rendered on jacaranda wood plates, and the third is beautifully crafted on a calabash. These stunning pieces of art celebrate the three most spectacular and revered flowering trees of the Tropics: Yellow Poinciana, Jacaranda, and Royal Poinciana.

These trees are not only visually stunning but also deeply embedded in Caribbean culture, legends, and folk remedies.

The Yellow Poinciana, with its bright golden blossoms, is often associated with joy and sunlight, symbolizing the warmth of the Caribbean spirit.
The Jacaranda, known for its striking lavender-blue flowers, is a symbol of wisdom and rebirth, often blooming in a breathtaking display that signals the change of seasons.
The Royal Poinciana, with its fiery red and orange flowers, is a symbol of passion and energy, often referred to as the "Flamboyant" tree due to its bold and dramatic appearance.

These trees hold a special place in the hearts of the Caribbean people. They are featured in numerous local stories and songs, and their flowers and leaves are used in traditional remedies and rituals. Owning these paintings feels like possessing a piece of the Caribbean's soul and its natural beauty.

Now, we are fortunate to have not only the paintings but also the actual trees. Watching them grow and bloom in our garden brings a piece of the Caribbean to our home, a constant reminder of our travels and the vibrant culture we experienced. These trees and their representations in art are a testament to the region's rich heritage and its enduring connection to nature.

Get them now while we have them. No need to go too far into Caribbean!

Peltophorum africanum - Golden Flamboyant, Yellow Poinciana

Peltophorum africanum - Golden Flamboyant, Yellow Poinciana. An excellent garden shade tree, beautiful in flower. This variety starts flowering at young age, in 3 gal pot.

Jacaranda mimosifolia (acutifolia)

Jacaranda mimosifolia - Hypnotizing bluish-purple, trumpet-like flowers create the magical image of the tree. Incredible, long-lasting purple blooms. When the trumpet-shaped blooms finally fall, they form a lilac carpet beneath the awe-inspiring Jacaranda for luxuriant curb appeal...

Royal poinciana, Flamboyant tree, Delonix regia

Royal poinciana, Flamboyant tree, Delonix regia - "One of the most spectacular flowering trees in the USA, and probably among the top 10 on this planet. In full bloom, it is like a regal elephant caparisoned in red and yellow brilliance." (Larry M. Schokman, The Kampong, National Tropical Botanic Garden)

Date:

What is the most useful tree in the world? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What is the most useful tree in the world?

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

🌐 What is the most useful tree in the world?
  • 💚 One of the most versatile and valuable trees known to humanity is Moringa oleifera, also called: Horseradish tree, Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree. It is indeed considered one of the most useful trees in the world. This reputation stems from its wide range of nutritional, medicinal, and practical applications.
  • 💚 Moringa is a beautiful flowering tree with fragrant white flowers. It produces long green pods (looking like drumsticks!) and the seeds have been compared to a cross between peanuts and asparagus.
  • 💚 Moringa leaves are rich in vitamins (A, B, C, E), minerals (calcium, potassium, iron), and amino acids, and have strong antioxidant properties. they are used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation. Moringa can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
  • 💚 Almost every part of the tree is edible, including the leaves, pods, seeds, and flowers. Each part has its unique nutritional profile and culinary uses. Used in teas and cooking.
  • 💚 The roots are used as a substitute for horseradish and the edible leaves make a highly nutritious vegetable. The roots have also been used in many folk remedies.
  • 💚 Many Moringa products produced commercially: leaves, powder, oil. Moringa oil, extracted from the seeds, is used in cosmetics, skincare products. Seeds can be used to purify water, making it safer to drink.
  • 💚 The plant can be used as a natural fertilizer and pesticide. Leaves are used as a nutritious feed for livestock.


📚 Learn more: How to grow a happy Moringa Tree

🛒 Plant your own Moringa Tree and save the Planet

#Food_Forest #Remedies

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Cat of the Day - Mr B. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cat of the Day - Mr B

🐈 Cat of the Day - Mr B.

Did you know that Lemon Grass freshens your pet's breath? Mr B knows. He is the fan. He doesn't brush his teeth before going to bed, but claims he has a lemon-fresh breath. Good night!🌜

📸 😺 👇 Share your cats in comments!

🛒 And get some Lemon Grass - a versatile performer in the kitchen where it can be used in teas, beverages, herbal medicines, Eastern inspired soups and other dishes.

🐾 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden

#Remedies #Food_Forest

JOIN 👉 @TopTropicals

Date:

What are the health benefits of Gardening? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What are the health benefits of Gardening?

What are the health benefits of Gardening?
What are the health benefits of Gardening?

Therapeutic effect of gardening is not just a modern discovery. Throughout history, various cultures have recognized the mental and physical benefits of gardening...

🏺 In ancient Egypt, physicians prescribed walks through gardens for patients struggling with mental health issues.

🕯 During the Middle Ages in Europe, monastery gardens were designed not only for sustenance but also for meditation and relaxation.

🔮 Gardening has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while promoting relaxation and a sense of well-being.

😅 The physical activity involved in gardening also provides exercise, contributing to overall health.

🌳 So, whether you're tending to a small indoor herb garden or cultivating a vast outdoor plot, the act of gardening can be a powerful tool for both mental and physical wellness.

🛒 Shop tropical spice plants and herbs

#Edible_Forest #Remedies

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Cat of the Day - Snitch. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cat of the Day - Snitch

Cat of the Day - Snitch
🐈 Cat of the Day - Snitch.

Snitch is our office helper and herbs expert.

"Make sure to tell your cats all the truth about Catnip"

Get some herb tea and have a good sleep!🌜

🛒 Shop Tropical Herbs and Spices for #Remedies

📸 😺 👇 Share your cats in comments!

🐾 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!
🌴 Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

TopTropicals.com - the World's leading authority on tropical plants - is now in Telegram. If you grow a tropical garden or indoor collection of rare plants, this is your channel!

Join to get exclusive updates on tropical gardening:

Fun Facts and Nature Wonders
🌺 How to make your plants flower and stay happy
How to get the biggest fruit crop
🏆 Sweepstakes and Contests
Butterfly and Container Garden
Food Forest
⚜️ Perfume Plants
🍲 Exotic Recipes and Remedies
...and of course, your favorite -
🐾 PeopleCats in the Garden!

JOIN and share with friends! 👇

🏵 TopTropicals
We Grow Happiness

Date:

What is Nescafe Coffee made from? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What is Nescafe Coffee made from?

Mucuna pruriens - Nescafe, Purple Jade Vine

☕️ What is Nescafe Coffee made from? Purple Jade.

💜 Earlier we mentioned Green Jade Vine and Yellow Jade Vine. This one is purple!
  • Mucuna pruriens - Nescafe, Purple Jade Vine has unusual royal purple flowers. The dark violet blooms appear closely pushed together in grape like clusters, up to 1 ft long and 6" in diameter.
  • The seeds known as mucuna beans or Nescafe and used as a coffee substitute.
  • It has been used for generations in India as a medicinal plant.
  • Very vigorous woody tree creeper - during warmer weather this vine can grow 2 feet a day!
  • Related to red Jade vine (Mucuna bennettii).


🛒 Order Nescafe Vine

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Hedges_with_benefits

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Researchers discover what a perfume from Ancient Rome was made of: Patchouli! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Researchers discover what a perfume from Ancient Rome was made of: Patchouli!

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Researchers discover what a perfume from Ancient Rome was made of: Patchouli!
  • ⚡️ A research team at the University of Cordoba has identified the composition of a Roman perfume more than 2,000 years old thanks to the discovery of a small vessel of ointment in Carmona, Spain.
  • ⚡️ The mausoleum held the remains of six individuals in six urns, one of which was made of glass and contained the remains of a woman who died between 30 and 40 years of age. Her cloth bag held a rock crystal flask sealed with a stone and bitumen and three amber beads...
  • ⚡️The well-preserved material inside the flask was examined with X-ray diffraction, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry. The study determined that the scent was derived from Pogostemon cablin, a plant from India used to produce the scent Patchouli.
  • ⚡️Patchouli only grows in the tropical climates of southern and southeastern Asia. This means it would have been imported into Roman territory and sold in products crafted for wealthy patrons who craved access to exotic ingredients.
  • ⚡️ The high quality of the flask holding the scent suggests that it was a valuable product.


⚠️ Get your own valuable Patchouli Plant and always have the heavenly smell with you!

🛒 Plant your own Patchouli

#Perfume_Plants #Remedies #Fun_Facts

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

How to grow Noni tree for fruit? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How to grow Noni tree for fruit?

Morinda citrifolia - Noni fruit

Morinda citrifolia - Noni fruit

Morinda citrifolia - Noni fruit tree

Morinda citrifolia - Noni fruit tree

Morinda citrifolia - Noni tree

Morinda citrifolia - Noni tree

Morinda citrifolia - Noni fruit

Morinda citrifolia - Noni fruit

How to grow Noni tree for fruit?

💊 The medicinal Noni tree (see our earlier post) is one of the most suitable fruit trees for potting culture. A 1-3 gallon size plant will flower and fruit for you within a year.

Noni's special features:
  • ✅ flowers and fruits at young age, nearly year around.
  • ✅ tolerates shade and grows large ornamental leaves in filtered light.
  • ✅ suitable for indoor culture

  • - easy in cultivation, drought and water tolerant, not susceptible to insects.
  • ✅ medicinal properties are endless and cannot be under-appreciated.
  • ✅ This plant can be grown in any climate indoors, and will produce fruit for you under minimal care. Just provide warm frost-free conditions, as this tropical tree is very cold sensitive.


📚 Learn more: Morinda citrifolia - Noni. Life Sustaining Plant

🛒 Order Noni Tree

#Food_Forest #Remedies #How_to

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Shocking content: flowers with lady's parts used for making tea. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Shocking content: flowers with ladys parts used for making tea

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Lavender

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Lavender

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea White double flower

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea White double flower

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue Double flower

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue Double flower

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea White

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea White

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue Tea

Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea Blue Tea

Shocking content: flowers with lady's parts used for making tea...

Now that you've met the Sausage Tree, it's time to introduce you to Clitoria...
  • 💙 Clitoria ternatea - also called Butterfly Pea, has distinctive, delicate blooms resembling certain anatomical features... These curious flowers have the shape of clitoris - hence the name of the plant.
  • 💙 Nature's Wink: the Clitoria vine boasts these beautiful sexy flowers in vibrant shades of blue, white, or purple. They’re an absolute showstopper!
  • 💙 Herbal Benefits: beyond its looks, the clitoria flower is known for its traditional uses as a herbal tea, including stress relief and cognitive support. The flowers also used in salads. The plant is both pretty and practical!
  • 💙 Blue Tea is a caffeine-free herbal tea, or Tisane - a beverage made from a decoction or infusion of the Clitoria flower. This stunning blue tea changes color with a squeeze of lemon 🍋 - science and beauty in your cup!⛾
  • 💙 In Thailand and Vietnam the Blue Tea is mixed with honey and lemon for a drink served after dinner, or as a refreshment at hotels and spas; a preparation called Nam Dok Anchan in Thai.
  • 💙 Pollinator's Paradise: Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators can't resist Clitoria's allure 🐝
  • 💙 Easy to grow: Clitoria vine is a gardener’s dream. It is very delicate, fine vine that is both fast growing and easy to control. It can cover a small fence, trellis in a few months. It is also great for containers - this vine will grow just the way you want it.


📚 Learn more about Clitoria and its Tea Infusion

🛒 Get your own Clitoria Vine for fun and Blue Tea

#Nature_Wonders #Recipes #Fun_Facts
#Remedies #Butterfly_Plants #Food_Forest

🏵 TopTropicals