Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Monkey Orange or Monkey Ear? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

🐵 Monkey Orange or Monkey Ear? 🙉
  • 🍊 Besides bizarre Monkey Ear Tree that we mentioned earlier, there is another interesting Monkey Tree -
  • 🍊 The Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa) is a captivating fruit tree from tropical Africa and Madagascar, known for its vibrant yellow fruits and wide range of uses.
  • 🍊This small to medium-sized tree, has glossy leaves and thorny branches that make it visually striking.
  • 🍊What does the Monkey Orange taste like?

  • The fruits, size of an orange, have a hard shell that protects their sweet-tart pulp with interesting pleasant taste somewhat similar to mangosteen. Some people say it tastes like a mix of citrus and pineapple with a hint of fermentation.
  • 🍊Rich in vitamin C and B vitamins, the fruit can be enjoyed fresh or transformed into jams, juices, and even wine.
  • 🍊Its durable wood is prized for carvings, and its leaves and roots are used in traditional medicine and as natural insecticides.
  • 🍊Slow-growing yet resilient, this hardy tree thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, offering beauty, nourishment, and practicality - an excellent choice for tropical or subtropical landscapes.


🐒 Why is it called Monkey Orange?
The "monkey orange" likely gets its name from its appeal to monkeys that eat the fruit and distribute the seeds in their habitat in Africa.

🛒 Plant Monkey Orange

#Food_Forest #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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What plant can bloom profusely in full shade in Winter. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

⭐️ What plant can bloom profusely in full shade in Winter

  • 🍬 Philippine violet (Barleria cristata) - is a blooming star for a shade garden! It is a cheerful, fuss-free shrub that can brighten up shady spots with its trumpet-shaped flowers.

  • 🍬 Standing about 3-4 feet tall, it fits perfectly as a hedge or can be trimmed into neat shapes for a tidy look.

  • 🍬 Its flowers, in lovely shades of lilac purple, mauve, white, or even striped, burst into clusters from November to mid-December, adding a pop of color when many plants take a rest.

  • 🍬 Each flower lasts a couple of days, only to be replaced by fresh blooms from its many buds. The fallen petals create a gorgeous purple blanket around the plant, making it a visual treat even on the ground.

  • 🍬 This plant thrives in both sun and full shade! It doesn't ask for much - just a little pruning now and then to keep it bushy and happy.

  • 🍬 Add this eye candy to your shade garden, and let these Winter flowers steal the show!

  • 🍬 Philippine violet is also a perfect exotic plant for container culture or even an indoor collection.


🛒Shop Barleria varieties

#Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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What plant can bloom profusely in full shade in Winter. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Philippine violet (Barleria cristata)

⭐️ What plant can bloom profusely in full shade in Winter
  • 🍬 Philippine violet (Barleria cristata) - is a blooming star for a shade garden! It is a cheerful, fuss-free shrub that can brighten up shady spots with its trumpet-shaped flowers.
  • 🍬 Standing about 3-4 feet tall, it fits perfectly as a hedge or can be trimmed into neat shapes for a tidy look.
  • 🍬 Its flowers, in lovely shades of lilac purple, mauve, white, or even striped, burst into clusters from November to mid-December, adding a pop of color when many plants take a rest.
  • 🍬 Each flower lasts a couple of days, only to be replaced by fresh blooms from its many buds. The fallen petals create a gorgeous purple blanket around the plant, making it a visual treat even on the ground.
  • 🍬 This plant thrives in both sun and full shade! It doesn't ask for much - just a little pruning now and then to keep it bushy and happy.
  • 🍬 Add this eye candy to your shade garden, and let these Winter flowers steal the show!
  • 🍬 Philippine violet is also a perfect exotic plant for container culture or even an indoor collection.


🛒Shop Barleria varieties

#Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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Smell the roses! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Smell the roses!

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What tropical fruit is better than a watermelon? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Syzygium samarangense, Java Apple, Macopa

Syzygium samarangense, Java Apple, Macopa

Syzygium samarangense, Java Apple, Macopa

Syzygium samarangense, Java Apple, Macopa

Syzygium samarangense, Java Apple, Macopa

Syzygium samarangense, Java Apple, Macopa

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Fragrant Butter Cup of Gold with Coconut fragrance. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cup-of-Gold, Butter Cup or Chalice Vine (Solandra)

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Catching a gecko: who will win? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

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How this breath-taking flowering tree stays so compact. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Ceiba hybrid - Dwarf Pink Princess

🌸 How this breath-taking flowering tree stays so compact
  • 🌸 Ceiba hybrid - Dwarf Pink Princess - is one of the #Nature_Wonders that takes your breath away!
  • 🌸 A compact marvel of nature that redefines beauty in small spaces, this exquisite hybrid of the Pink Silk Floss Tree (Ceiba speciosa) grows to a manageable height of just 8-12 feet, making it perfect for small yards or container gardening.


  • In bloom, the tree is a spectacle: nearly leafless, with its crown exploding into tens of thousands of pink flowers, creating a vibrant, colorful mass.
  • 🌸 Its spreading crown and profusion of blossoms make it a showstopper, proving that you don’t need a giant tree to make a big impact.


🛒 Order Pink Princess

#Trees

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How to start your own vineyard. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Vitis labrusca x vinifera - Blanc du Bois Grape

Vitis labrusca x vinifera - Blanc du Bois Grape

Vitis x rotundifolia - Southern Home Seedless Grape

Vitis x rotundifolia - Southern Home Seedless Grape

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Thanksgiving Sale starts today! Giving Thanks is Giving Peace. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Thanksgiving Sale starts today! Giving Thanks is Giving Peace