An intelligent man. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
An intelligent man
Mr B the cat planning his evening at TopTropicals
🍷 An intelligent man
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend his time with his fools.” - Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls
🐈📸 Mr B the cat planning his evening at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden
🌳 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.
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.
September 11th remains one of the darkest days in our
nation’s memory, a tragedy that touched every life in some way. More
than
two decades later, we may come from different places, hold different views,
and
see the world through different lenses — but on this day, we stand
together in remembrance.
Like a young tree reaching toward the sky, we find strength
in renewal. Nature reminds us that healing takes root quietly and grows over
time. A branch in bloom, a sunrise after storm clouds, the steady rhythm of
the seasons — all speak of life’s resilience. As we honor the
lives lost, may we also honor the life that continues around us.
And we will keep remembering, together.
For us, trees and gardens are daily reminders of resilience. That’s
why we grow them, and share them with others who find hope in nature.
Explore our plants.
The secret to abundant dragon fruit harvests. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
The secret to abundant dragon fruit harvests
✍️The secret to abundant dragon fruit harvests
🔴 Dragon fruit (Pitaya) thrives when it's fed regularly. For the best results, use Sunshine C-Cibus, a complete liquid fertilizer made for fruit trees. It is gentle enough to apply with every watering, all year long, and it gives your plants the steady nutrition they need to set more flowers and produce bigger harvests.
Both names refer to climbing cacti in the genus Hylocereus. The word pitaya is more common in Latin America, while dragon fruit is the name used in Asia and English-speaking countries. They come in different types: white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus), red-fleshed (Hylocereus costaricensis), and yellow-skinned (Hylocereus, or Selenicereusmegalanthus). All share the same growth habit and care needs. Pitaya or dragon fruit - whichever name you use, it's one of the easiest exotic fruits to grow at home.
🍉 How to grow Dragon Fruit
▫️Get a desired variety or start from a cutting - let the cut end dry for a few days before planting to prevent rot.
▫️Plant in well-draining soil with lots of sun.
▫️Give it a strong support to climb on - it's a vining cactus.
▫️Water deeply but let the soil dry between waterings.
▫️Flowers open at night and need pollination - some types are self-fertile, others need cross-pollination.
▫️With care, you can enjoy fruit in 1-2 years. Remember to ferilize!
🍉 Dragon fruit varieties
🔴 ⚪️ Red skin, white flesh(Hylocereus undatus) - The most popular type, and the biggest fruit. Mildly sweet, refreshing, and often compared to a kiwi crossed with a pear.
Varieties:David Bowie, Delight, Hana, Lake Atitlan, Seoul Kitchen, Vietnamese Jaina, Hana
🔴🔴 Red skin, red flesh(Hylocereus costaricensis) - Sweeter, juicier, and more intense in flavor. The deep red juice can stain, but it’s loaded with antioxidants.
Varieties:American Beauty, Bloody Mary, Eureka Red, Costa Rican Sunset, Mac Edwin, Halleys Comet, Mac Edwin, Makisupa, Mega Red, Physical Graffiti, Sweet Red
🔴🟣 Red flesh, purple/magenta flesh(Hylocereus x costaricensis) - Hybrids, usually between red and white varieties.
🟡⚪️ Yellow skin, white flesh (Hylocereus, or Selenicereusmegalanthus) - Smaller fruit, but the sweetest of all. Crisp, juicy, and tropical with notes of pineapple or honey. Varieties:Amarilla (Kirin), Colimbiana, Godlen Dragon, Palora, Thai Gold (Hawaiian)
Each type looks stunning and tastes slightly different, but all are easy to grow once you give them sun, support, and patience.
Night jasmine that disappears with sunrise: Parijat. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Night jasmine that disappears with sunrise: Parijat
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis - Parijat, Night Jasmine, Sad Tree, Tree of Sorrow
💔 Night jasmine that disappears with sunrise: Parijat
💔Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Parijat, Night Jasmine, Sad Tree or Tree of Sorrow... What secret is hidden in this flower?
💔 Parijat is a small tree or shrub from South Asia known for its intensely perfumed white flowers with bright orange centers that open at dusk and fall by dawn.
Mostly for its scent and stories - but locals also use it in traditional remedies. The flowers are beloved in temple garlands and perfumery. Leaves, flowers, bark, and seeds are used in Ayurveda for treating fevers, sciatica, arthritis, and more. Extracts also show anti-inflammatory and liver-protective effects in modern studies.
It’s both fragrant and spiritual. Parijat is sacred in Hindu myth - some say Krishna brought it from heaven, others that it sprang from a grieving princess’s ashes. People plant it near temples or in small gardens not just for the scent, but for its cultural symbolism and graceful beauty.
Yes - if your climate cooperates. Parijat grows up to 10 feet tall, handles full sun or light shade, and thrives in well-drained soil with regular, moderate watering. It blooms best with monthly fertilizer and tolerates light cold (into the 30s F). In cooler areas, grow it in a container. Regular pruning helps it stay compact and flower more.