Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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You won't believe what glows in the shade: the rare blue ginger. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

You wont believe what glows in the shade: the rare blue ginger

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger

💎You won't believe what glows in the shade: the rare blue ginger
  • 💎 If you ever spot a flash of electric blue in the tropical shade, you might think your eyes are playing tricks on you, but that vivid color belongs to a rare Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger.
  • 💎 Despite its name, this isn’t a true ginger at all. It’s actually related to Tradescantia, the same family as familiar houseplants like the Wandering Jew and Spiderwort. Native to Brazil, Blue Ginger thrives in warm, humid shade, making it a perfect choice for patios, screened porches, garden corners, or indoor collections.
  • 💎 Its glossy leaves and tall stems topped with clusters of sapphire-blue blooms create a tropical jewel effect. The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, adding life and motion to shady areas where few other plants bloom so brightly.
  • 💎 Give it rich, well-drained soil, steady moisture, and partial shade - and enjoy one of the rarest colors in the tropical plant world.


🛒 Get your own exotic Blue Ginger

📚 Learn more:
Is Sapphire Gem really a ginger?

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Why this Elephant Ear is breaking the internet: the hottest houseplant of the year. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why this Elephant Ear is breaking the internet: the hottest houseplant of the year

Alocasia macrorrhiza Variegata - Variegated Elephant Ears

Why this Elephant Ear is breaking the internet: the hottest houseplant of the year
  • 🍀 This is Alocasia macrorrhiza Variegata - Variegated Elephant Ears - the tropical showstopper that collectors can’t stop talking about.
  • 🍀 One look at those giant leaves splashed with creamy white and deep green, and you'll see why it's always sold out. Every leaf is different - some half white, some marbled like abstract art. Some leaves can be completely white!
  • 🍀 Unlike most elephant ears, this one stays a bit more compact, which makes it perfect for a big decorative pot on a patio or shady corner. It still has that bold, jungle look but behaves better in containers.
  • 🍀 Give it bright, filtered light, warmth, and humidity. Keep the soil moist but never soggy. The white parts of the leaves can burn easily, so skip harsh direct sun.
  • 🍀 Here's a tip: if you see a solid green shoot, cut it off - it can take over and make the plant lose its variegation. That’s because this plant’s variegation is a chimera, meaning it can shift from leaf to leaf.
  • 🍀 Feed it lightly during the growing season. The white parts can’t make food for the plant, so it relies on the green sections to do all the work. A little boost with Sunshine Robusta or Green Magic controlled release fertilizer help it stay balanced without overloading the roots.
  • 🍀 This plant’s got everything: beauty, rarity, and a bit of mystery. No wonder it’s the one everyone wants to show off!


🛒 Get yours before it’s gone or add to wishlist

📚 Learn more:

#Shade_Garden #Container_Garden

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Surprising Miniature Gardenia. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Surprising Miniature Gardenia

Gardenia radicans - Dwarf Miniature Creeping Gardenia

Gardenia radicans - Dwarf Miniature Creeping Gardenia

Gardenia radicans - Dwarf Miniature Creeping Gardenia

Gardenia radicans - Dwarf Miniature Creeping Gardenia

Gardenia radicans - Dwarf Miniature Creeping Gardenia

Gardenia radicans - Dwarf Miniature Creeping Gardenia

💮 Surprising Miniature Gardenia
  • Gardenia radicans - Dwarf Miniature Creeping Gardenia - can surprise even longtime gardenia fans. It has all the charm of the classic shrub - glossy green leaves, pure white flowers, and that unforgettable fragrance - but in a smaller, easier form.
  • Natural bonsai. This little plant grows low and wide, staying under 1-2 feet tall and spreading up to 3-4 feet. It forms a dense mound or creeping groundcover that looks great along walkways or spilling from a pot. The leaves are tiny and shiny, giving it a neat, polished look all year.
  • The flowers are about an inch across, double or semi-double, and smell just like the full-size gardenia. They bloom in spring and often return through summer, filling the air with perfume.
  • Easier than other gardenias. Gardenia radicans isn’t as fussy as most gardenias. It can handle clay, sandy, or loamy soil as long as it drains well. Once established, it’s fairly drought-tolerant and can even handle some cold, down to around 15F in protected spots.
  • Where to plant. It's perfect for small gardens, patios, or as a bonsai. You get the luxury fragrance of a gardenia without needing a big space. Use it as a groundcover, edging plant, or container specimen. It's one of those plants that stays tidy, looks refined, and keeps blooming. For anyone who loves gardenias but wants something compact and low-maintenance, Gardenia radicans is a great find.


🛒 Add unique Mini-Gardenia to your collection

#Perfume_Plants #Container_Garden

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The hot Guyanese secret to perfect skin. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

The hot Guyanese secret to perfect skin

Biquinho Pepper (Capsicum annuum x chinense) and Wiri Wiri Pepper (Capsicum frutescens)

❗️ The hot Guyanese secret to perfect skin 💥
  • 🌶 Who said Peppers can't be cute? These two little fireballs prove otherwise! They might look small, but they’re full of personality, flavor, and heat.
  • 🌶 Biquinho Pepper (Capsicum annuum x chinense)

    • This heart-shaped hottie is an ancient hybrid between bird pepper and habanero is as beautiful as it is flavorful. Each tiny 1-inch red pepper packs a fruity, tangy punch with just enough heat to make your taste buds dance. Perfect for container gardens, Biquinho peppers decorate the plant like tiny red ornaments – and they’re just as tasty in pickles, salsas, or fresh salads.
  • 🌶 Wiri Wiri Pepper (Capsicum frutescens)

    • From the kitchens of Guyana comes a true legend - the Wiri Wiri pepper. These little berry-shaped peppers turn from green to orange to bright red, bursting with intense heat and flavor. Guyanese chefs swear by it - it's the secret behind their famously spicy, flavorful dishes. Locals even say it’s the reason they live long, have glowing skin, and look amazing… it's not just spice, it's magic!
  • 🌶 Fun facts:

· Both peppers belong to the same botanical family as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants.
  • · What makes them special isn't just the heat - it's the flavor!
  • · True pepper lovers know that great peppers are about depth, aroma, and the fruity fire they bring to every meal.


🌶 Growing tips:
Feed your peppers with Sunshine C-Cibus plant booster for abundant crops and extra flavorful fruits. These compact plants thrive in containers and bring tropical flair to patios, balconies, or edible gardens.

💥 These two peppers are a must for spice lovers - intense fruity habanero flavor packs quite a bang!
Extremely showy, these ornamental peppers have culinary benefits and are great for container garden.

🛒 Add the flavor of Hot Peppers to your garden and kitchen

📚 Learn more:
📱 How" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" > to grow the hot Wiri Wiri and Biquino Peppers

#Food_Forest #Container_Garden

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What's that fragrance in the dark? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Whats that fragrance in the dark?

Brunfelsia - Lady of the Night

🌠 What's that fragrance in the dark?
  • 💐 Brunfelsia? People often ask: what can you plant in a shady spot that blooms year-round and smells amazing? The answer is Brunfelsia, known as Lady of the Night.
  • 💐 This Brazilian beauty is a compact, shade-loving shrub that thrives in low light and rewards you with creamy white flowers. As the sun sets, the blooms release a sweet, unforgettable perfume that lingers through the night. It’s like nature’s way of setting the mood for evening strolls.
  • 💐 Brunfelsia is more than just fragrance. Its flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds, turning shaded corners into lively little stages. Low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly, and elegant, it’s the answer to your prayers: shade, flowers, and fragrance all in one plant.
  • 💐 The most fragrant Brunfelsias are the creamy-white varieties, often called Lady of the Night.

Popular species include: B. americana, B. isola, B. nitida, B. lactea, B. manaca, B. densifolia, B. gigantea.

Do you already grow Brunfelsia? What kind do you have in your garden?

🛒 Experience Brunfelsia fragrance

📚 Learn more about Brunfelsias:

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

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10-minute recipe Bo La Lot with a leaf youve never cooked before! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

10-minute recipe Bo La Lot with a leaf youve never cooked before!

Bo La Lot recipe with Vietnamese pepper Lalot (Piper sarmentosum)

🍴 10-minute recipe Bo La Lot with a leaf you’ve never cooked before!
  • 🌮 Forget boring tacos - this wrap will blow your mind! In Vietnam they call it Bo La Lot - beef wrapped in peppery Lalot leaves.
  • 🌮 It started as grape leaf wraps in the Middle East, but in tropical Asia grapes don’t grow, so people swapped to Lalot. Way more flavor than grape leaves!
  • 🌮 Grilled beef, garlic, onion, lemongrass - all can be tucked into these shiny green leaves. Smoky, juicy, and so good you’ll wonder why you didn't try it sooner! It's better than grape leaf wraps, because it has so much flavor!
  • 🌮 Most large leaf pepper plants will work for this recipe - Vietnamese pepper Lalot (Piper sarmentosum), Betel Leaf (Piper betle), or even large leaves of the traditional Black Pepper plant (Piper nigrum).


🌯 BO LA LOT RECIPE

✔️ Ingredients
  • · 1 pound ground beef or turkey
  • · 2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass (optional)
  • · 1 tbsp spice powder
  • · 1 tbsp curry powder
  • · 1 tbsp finely minced garlic
  • · 1 tbsp oyster sauce or fish sauce (optional)
  • · 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • · 1 tbsp finely minced shallots
  • · 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • · 2 tsp sugar or honey
  • · 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • · 1/2 tbsp salt
  • · 10-15 fresh Lalot leaves

  • 👉 Directions

  • · Preheat the grill.
  • · Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
  • · Wrap about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each betel leaf.
  • · Spear 3 to 4 betel leaf wraps onto a skewer and grill until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
  • · Be sure to eat immediately.


🛒 Grow Leaf Pappers for tasty, peppery recipes

📚 Learn more:
📱 Growing" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" > Lalot Pepper

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Container_Garden #How_to

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Why Desmos - a cousin of Ylang Ylang - is every gardener's dream. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why Desmos - a cousin of Ylang Ylang - is every gardeners dream

Desmos chinensis - Ylang Ylang Shrub

⭐️ Why Desmos - a cousin of Ylang Ylang - is every gardener's dream
  • ⭐️ Desmos chinensis - Ylang Ylang Shrub - is a rare treasure for fragrance lovers. It's a compact, bushy, vining cousin of the famous Ylang Ylang tree, but with an even more intense perfume. The scent is often compared to sweet lemon candy.
  • ⭐️This shrub shows off graceful, arching branches and pendant flowers that come in golden yellow or the even rarer bright red form. It thrives in warm, humid conditions and becomes vigorous once established.
  • ⭐️Unlike the big Ylang Ylang tree (Cananga odorata) that can shoot up quickly and needs space, Desmos stays compact and can be maintained at about 3 to 6 ft. Perfect for smaller gardens or containers, while still delivering that unforgettable fragrance.


🎥 The rare red-flowered variety of Desmos is one of the most sought-after perfume plants of Southeast Asia.

🛒 Make Desmos the highlight of your fragrance collection

📚 Learn more:
Perfume in a pot: exotic Dwarf Chanel No 5 Tree

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden

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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

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Four best perennials that will bloom for you all summer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Four best perennials that will bloom for you all summer

Crossandra, Heliconia Lady Di, Plumbago, and Spathoglottis ground orchids.

Crossandra, Heliconia Lady Di, Plumbago, and Spathoglottis ground orchids.

🌷 Four best perennials that will bloom for you all summer

📸 Pictures for the previous post: Crossandra, Heliconia Lady Di, Plumbago, and Spathoglottis ground orchids.

🛒 Discover more flowering perennials

#Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden #Discover

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Four best low-growing perennials that bloom all summer. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Four best low-growing perennials that bloom all summer

Crossandra, Heliconia Lady Di, Plumbago, and Spathoglottis ground orchids.

🌷 Four best low-growing perennials that bloom all summer
  • 🌼 1. Crossandra


    • Crossandra is one of those plants that never really takes a break. Its ruffled orange blooms pop almost nonstop in warm weather, making it a reliable color source for borders, pots, or even as a filler around taller shrubs. Unlike many flowering plants that fade in midsummer, Crossandra keeps going through heat and humidity, thriving where others give up. It's compact, easy to trim, and works beautifully in small gardens or patios.
  • 🌼 2. Heliconia psittacorum Lady Di


    • Heliconia Lady Di adds a tropical accent with its upright, torch-like blooms in fiery orange and yellow. What makes this variety practical is its manageable size compared to giant heliconias - it fits well in small gardens and large pots. Its flowers last long, both on the plant and as cut flowers, making it popular for summer arrangements. Once established, it keeps sending up flower stalks all season, giving a steady display of color and drama.
  • 🌼 3. Plumbago


    • Plumbago is a gardener's friend in hot climates because it covers a lot of ground and throws out flower clusters all summer (sky-blue, white or red). It's versatile - train it as a shrub, hedge, or let it spill over walls and trellises. The flowers attract butterflies, and the plant is low-maintenance, tolerating pruning, sandy soil, and neglect. If you need a reliable plant to soften fences or add a cool color contrast to reds and oranges in the garden, plumbago is a winner.
  • 🌼 4. Spathoglottis ground orchids


Ground orchids like Spathoglottis are practical because they give you the exotic look of orchids without the fuss. These hardy, clumping perennials send up spikes of purple, pink, or yellow blooms that last for weeks, repeating through summer in warm climates. They’re perfect for edging walkways or filling beds where you want constant color with minimal care. Unlike potted orchids that bloom once and rest, Spathoglottis keeps producing flowers right in the ground, almost year-round in frost-free areas.

🛒 Discover more flowering perennials

#Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden #Discover

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