The Lolita is a special form of Surinam cherry. Fruits ripen nearly black, turning sweet and rich without the resinous bite of the common red type. The taste is often compared to a mix of grape and cherry with a tropical twist.
Fruit Season: Mainly spring into early summer, often with a smaller second crop in fall
Plant Size: Usually 6–8 ft in the ground, 4–5 ft in containers
Container Friendly: Thrives in larger pots, stays compact with pruning
Pollination: Self-fruiting — no partner tree needed
Health Benefits
High vitamin C content for immunity and skin health
Antioxidants that help reduce inflammation
Fiber to support digestion
A versatile kitchen fruit — eaten fresh, made into jams, sauces, or desserts
Eugenias have earned a spot in many Southern gardens because they’re
easy, dependable, and surprisingly versatile. These small trees and shrubs
grow well in the ground or in containers, and they don’t waste time
before setting fruit.
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One bite, your whole day of vitamin C: Barbados Cherry that outdoes oranges! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Malpighia glabra - Barbados Cherry, Acerola
🍒 One bite, your whole day of vitamin C: Barbados Cherry that outdoes oranges!
🍒 Malpighia glabra - Barbados Cherry, or Acerola has 65 times more vitamin C than an orange! Just a single berry-sized fruit can provide your entire daily vitamin C needs, along with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids. In short, this little cherry is one of the most powerful antioxidant fruits in the world.
🍒 But it isn’t just about nutrition. Barbados Cherry is a compact, fast-growing shrub or small tree that starts fruiting young, often within its first year. It produces crops several times a year, and the bright red cherries are as beautiful as they are useful. The fruit is tangy-sweet and makes excellent juices, smoothies, jams, and jellies. It also freezes well without losing its vitamin content.
🍒 Gardeners love this plant not only for its fruit but also for how easy it is to grow. Unlike many tropicals, it tolerates alkaline soils, is drought-resistant once established, and can handle light freezes. That makes it a surprisingly tough choice for a tropical fruit tree. Birds enjoy the fruit too, so planting one is also a gift to your local wildlife.
🍒 It's also a beauty in the garden, covered in pretty pink flowers and bright red fruit, often both at the same time.
🍒 If you are short on space, the dwarf variety Nana is a perfect choice. With tiny leaves, compact growth, and smaller fruit, it works well in containers, borders, or even as a bonsai. It's both ornamental and productive.
🍒 Whether you want a reliable vitamin boost, a wildlife-friendly garden addition, or just a cheerful little tree with bright red fruit, Barbados Cherry has you covered.
The mystery of the White Bat Lily - the plant with wings and whiskers. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
White Bat Head Lily (Tacca nivea)
👻 The mystery of the White Bat Lily - the plant with wings and whiskers
Here's a cool shot of the White Bat Head Lily(Tacca nivea) - its dramatic white bracts that flare like wings and those wild, trailing whiskers are impossible to ignore. And it is in full bloom again at Top Tropicals - in the middle of August.
This plant that pulls off gothic elegance with two crisp, wing‑like white bracts hovering over a cluster of deep maroon‑black "bat‑face" flowers, complete with long, draping whiskers. Beneath it all lie crinkled, olive‑green leaves that only add to its moody charm.
This tropical understory native thrives in humid, shaded spaces - whether that's a greenhouse or a mossy, misty corner indoors. It's an evergreen perennial, endlessly intriguing. When it does bloom, the dark little flowers eventually yield heavy berries - just one more twist in its curious tale.
Looking to grow one? You'll need:
✔️High humidity, indirect light, and good air circulation
✔️Rich, orchid‑style soil (think adding bark, peat, perlite to your potting mix)
✔️Consistently moist - but not waterlogged - conditions
✔️And to be patient: flowering often requires a couple of leaves before it even sets stems
It's not just a plant - it's a conversation starter, a living gothic sculpture that grows. Maybe a bit finicky? Sure. Totally worth it? Absolutely!
After a busy summer of growth, many potted plants are bursting out of their containers. Now is the perfect time to step them up into a slightly larger
pot.
🌱 Why now in August?
Repotting before fall gives roots room to expand, while
there’s still warmth for active growth. Plants have time to sprout new shoots, fill out, and build strength before cooler weather slows them down.
✂️ Trim and Shape
This is also your last chance to give plants a light trim.
Pinching or cutting back helps them branch, bush out, and get denser — exactly what you want going
into fall.
👉 Watch our ">quick video on how to step up your plant the right way, then check your pots
— some of your summer growers are ready to move up!
⚠️ Important Note on Timing
This advice is for gardeners in warm climates or for anyone who still has at least a month of warm weather left. Tropical plants go dormant when
temperatures drop below 75F, so planting in a larger pot at that time may cause root rot — roots stop growing in dormancy, and extra moisture in the soil can lead to rotting.
Pick a pot just a few inches larger than the old one.
✅ Make sure it has good drainage — tropical plants hate sitting in water. A pot without drainage holes can cause waterlogging and root rot.
Why plastic pots are better than fancy ceramic
Ceramic pots may look pretty, but they are heavy, breakable, and often lack proper drainage. Plastic pots are lightweight, easier to handle, and — most importantly — if a plant is root-bound and stuck, you can simply cut the plastic pot
to free it without harming the roots. For looks, slip the plastic pot inside a decorative cover pot.
Why turn it upside down? Gravity helps loosen the plant, and it
slides out more easily without tugging.
Never pull a plant by its head (stems or leaves). That can damage the crown and tear
roots.
If it doesn’t come out easily: lay the pot on its side and
gently squeeze or tap the pot to dislodge the soil. If it is really stuck,
cut the old pot instead of forcing the plant.
Check the Root System
If roots are circling tightly (pot-bound), gently untangle or
loosen the outside layer so they will grow outward into the new soil.
Do not shake off or remove old soil from the root ball. Roots have
tiny hairs that absorb water and nutrients, and damaging them will set the
plant back. Keep the root mass intact and disturb as little as possible.
Set at the Same Level
Place the plant in the new pot so it sits at the same soil level as
before.
👉 This is important: burying the stem too deep can suffocate it,
while setting the plant higher than before may expose roots and cause drying.
Keeping the level the same protects the root crown.
Fill and Firm
Add more soil and fertilizer around the sides. Press lightly around the
edges to remove air pockets.
Water Thoroughly
Give it a deep watering to help roots settle.
Aftercare
Don’t water again until the top inch of soil feels dry.
Freshly repotted plants are vulnerable to soggy soil and root rot if kept too
wet.
"
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23);">Watch the video how to repot properly
Variegated Chaya - beauty meets nutrition. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius variegatus - Variegated Chaya, Maya Spinach Tree
🌱 Variegated Chaya - beauty meets nutrition
🌿 Variegated Chaya - Variegated Maya Spinach Tree or Cnidoscolus aconitifolius variegatus - is a showstopper in the edible garden. Its heavily cut, creamy-white variegated leaves look like they belong in a tropical ornamental bed, but this beauty is also a powerhouse leafy green.
🌿 Native to the Yucatan Peninsula, Chaya has been a traditional food for centuries. Younger leaves (and a little stem) are cooked like spinach, simmered for at least 5-15 minutes to neutralize toxins, then served with butter, oil, or in soups. Once cooked, they’re loaded with protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C - a true garden superfood.
🌿 Fast-growing and low-maintenance, Chaya can reach 6-8 feet and thrives in full sun or partial shade. It's drought-tolerant, attracts butterflies and hummingbirds with its white flowers, and grows easily from cuttings. Perfect for food forests, permaculture gardens, or anyone wanting beauty and function in one plant.
Homegrown coffee - the journey begins. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Coffee tree - Coffea arabica
☕️ Homegrown coffee - the journey begins!
Coffee trees (Coffea arabica) that you saw blooming at Top Tropicals in May with fragrant, gardenia-like flowers, now in August - they are loaded with fruit! We will update on them once they turn red and ripe...
Six guava varieties that will keep you picking year-round. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Tropical Guava - Psidium guajava
🍉 Six guava varieties that will keep you picking year-round
🍉 Everyone loves guava! Sweet, fragrant, and packed with flavor. At TopTropicals, we have a whole guava forest, with varieties for every space and taste:Tropical Guava - Psidium guajava.
🍉 Why we love Guava?
💋Fast-growing and sun-loving
💋Thrives with plenty of water but handle short droughts
💋Starts producing right away - no years of waiting
💋Abundant fruit harvests
💋Perfect for containers or small gardens
🍉 What are the best Guava varieties? Our favorites are:
💋Dwarf Guava - stays under 6 feet but produces full-sized fruit.
💋Honeymoon Variegated - leaves and fruit have variegated patterns, turning golden when ripe.
💋Barbie Pink - pear-shaped yellow fruit with thick pink flesh, low in pectin, perfect for fresh eating or juice. Larger than Ruby Supreme and cold-hardy for a tropical fruit.
💋Hong Kong (Hawaiian) - large, round fruit with smooth pink skin, sweet flavor, and few seeds. Very productive, with a spreading growth habit.
💋Kilo White - huge fruit (up to 1 kilo = 2 lbs) with soft white flesh and few seeds. Great container plant, fruits even when small.
💋Tikal - compact tree with yellow-skinned, pink-fleshed fruit. Fruits year-round and starts young. Great for beginners.
🍉 Health boost in every bite:
Guava is one of the richest sources of vitamin C – even more than oranges. It’s loaded with antioxidants, fiber, potassium, and lycopene, which support immunity, heart health, and digestion.
🍉 Whether you’ve got space for a tree in the yard or just a container on the patio, a guava will reward you with beauty, fragrance, and sweet fruit in no time.
Growing & Care
