Date: 12 Apr 2019 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Dwarf Red Ginger - more than just a pretty face

Q: I've just recently moved to Florida from North Carolina. I don't know much about tropical plants. Can you perhaps suggest an easy and pretty flowering plant for a beginner which I can plant around my garden pond for a tropical feeling?

A: For adding that tropical look to your garden, few plants beat beautiful ginger! Alpinia purpurata, the Dwarf Red Cone Ginger with its bright red floral spikes and lush, lance-shaped foliage is no exception. This striking perennial will add a tropical effect to your garden that will definitely take your breath away.
The Dwarf Red Cone grows between 3 and 4 feet tall and blooms 8-9 months of the year! The blooms will hold on the plant for up to 3 weeks! It makes a very attractive and distinctive backdrop for other plants.
Red Cone Ginger likes partial shade and moist, humid conditions, but will tolerate full sun. It is fast growing, easy to grow and resistant to disease, heat, and insects. The plant is a wonderful accent in a garden and works well as a focal point specimen, show-stopping when planted around garden ponds or near entryways. This ginger also works very well in containers and planters. Either in mass plantings or smaller groups, all gingers add tropical flair which never disappoints.
In addition, the beautiful flower spikes make for great, long-lasting cut flowers and is an interesting addition to bouquets.
An added bonus? Dwarf Red Ginger is super easy to propagate. If stems are cut at the base and placed in water, they will generally root within a few weeks. Eventually, you can make a whole flowering hedge just from one plant!

Who does not like a plant that is non-fussy and not only beautiful but easy to grow? Dwarf Red Ginger is more than just a pretty face!

To keep this plant happy and blooming, give it some food: Broad Leaf Plus - Ginger-Heliconia-Banana Booster.

Date: 24 Feb 2019 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Pisces Zodiac lucky plants

Pisces- 2/19 - 3/20. As a WATER sign ruled by both Jupiter and Moon (and Neptune, that was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a "higher octave" of the Moon), Pisces plants are often large but hard to find, and may grow near the ocean. The most healing plants for Pisces are those that strengthen the immune system or have an antibacterial effect. Pisces plants may also catalyze expanded states of awareness and be helpful in dream work.
Herbs connected to Pisces are ruled by its former ruler, the Moon (Neptune, the current ruler, was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a “higher octave” of the Moon). Diseases of Pisces have traditionally included psychotic disorders, various forms of substance addiction, lung diseases such as tuberculosis, and ailments of the foot; contemporary herbalists also add immune system diseases. Pisces is strengthened by rosemary's ability to promote an aura of centered grounding. This protective herb helps strengthen boundaries and cultivate a closer connection to the physical realm.

Pisces Zodiac lucky plants: Water lily, Lotus, Clematis, Wisteria, Lisianthus, Brunfelsia, Echinacea, English Lavender, Rosemary, Coconut palm, Cranberry, Clove, Coccoloba, Sea Oats, Mangroves, Ochrosia, Aquatic plants, Colocasia, Alocasia, Aralia, Ficus trees, Banyan, Peepal, Banana, Mango, Mimosa, Olive, Anise, Vilca and Yopo, Kava-kava, Nutmeg, Anthuriums, Eucalyptus, Bauhinia, Clusia, Caesalpinia, Callistemon, Bucida, Cassia fistula, Cordia, Calabash, Lipstick palm, Delonix, Elaeocarpus, Erythrina, Fatsia, Guaiacum, Mahoe, Koelreuteria, Kopsia, Macaranga, Pandanus, Peltophorum, Psychotria, Banesteriopsis, Tabebuia.

For other signs information, see Plant Horoscope Page.

Date: 11 Jan 2019 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Mark you calendars: Groundhog Day Event 2/2 @ TopTropicals

Groundhog Day: Spring will surely come!

Event: Top Container Plants @ Top Tropicals
When: Saturday, Feb 2, from 10 am - 5 pm
Where: Top Tropicals Garden Center, 13890 Orange River Blvd, Ft Myers, FL
More info: Check our Facebook Event Page or call Anna Banana @ 239-771-8081
Agenda:
- 25% OFF everything + freebies for local customers
- Best container fruit trees, Condo Mangos, and Avocados. No matter if Groundhog promises early or late spring, you can keep them in pots!
- Snacks and drinks
Click on ticket link to save and print invitation flyer (for 2 people).

Date: 18 Dec 2018 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Christmas Special - Lolita Cherry

This amazing cherry is by far our favorite. Lolita is an exclusive variety of Black fruited Surinam Cherry that starts as red and turns black as it ripens. The fruit has exceptional flavor and has no aftertaste, unlike regular Surinam cherries. It is large, 1-1.5" size, super sweet when fully ripe. The tree is a dwarf statue, 5-6 ft or smaller if pruned. It is upright and freely branching. Plants start flowering and fruiting in 1 gal container. The plants we have in stock are ready to fruit in 2019.
These cherries are cold hardy and can take short periods of frost. Once established, the plant can withstand upper 20's without damage.

Lolita is very hard-to-find, and we have limited quantities, hurry up!

To expedite your order for Christmas, request rush shipping in order notes, contact us or call Anna Banana direct @ 239-771-8081.

Happy Holidays!

Date: 12 Dec 2018 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Six ideas for the best Christmas gift plants

It's this time of the year again when a million dollar question arises: "What do I get them for Christmas?" It's an easy task to buy a gift for a gardener - because we always have a long wish-list! But what to get for everybody else? The answer a simple - buy a live plant... that can bring: Surprise, Love, Joy, Meaning, Convenience, and an Action into their lives! Below are a few wise suggestions.

1. Surprise for Tradition. Everybody knows Ponsettia. Everybody buys it. Every house has it... Red, yellow, white, and even purple... unusual? No, simply dyed with a paint. Ahh. Go RARE! Ponsettia is Euphorbia, get a rare Euphorbia. It has indestructible nature, almosts zero maintenance, and FREE shipping!
Euphorbia leucocephala - Snows of Kilimanjaro
Euphorbia geroldii - Thornless Crown of Thorns
Euphorbia Exotic Thai Candyland, variegated leaves
Euphorbia Pink Cadillac

2. Love. Gardenia Aimee Yoshioka First Love. With a dramatic history behind this cultivar, it is a perfect expression of Love that one can bring to another for Christmas...

3. Joy of Miracle. Miracle fruit. It speaks for itself and is one of the greatest container plants.

4. Meaning. Symbol of Long Life! Adansonia digitata - Baobab, also called the Tree of Longivity, can live for 5000 years. Pass this remarkable plant in your family from generation to generation! Regarded as the largest succulent plant in the world, the Baobab tree is steeped in a wealth of mystique, legend and superstition wherever it occurs in Africa, being a tree that can provide food, water, shelter and relief from sickness. FREE shipping and easy to maintain bonsai.

5. Convenience. A gift card will give your loved ones a chance to browse amazing wonderland of Tropical Plant World, pick something they like and have it shipped to them weather permitting. The gift card (certificate) has no expiration date!

6. Action. Coffea arabica - Coffee. Want to give your kids a project to drag them away from their smartphones? Have them grow a Real Coffee tree. It is a rewarding plant that is happy indoors and gives you a feeling of Creator - for your care, it will bloom for you with fragrant flowers and fruit for you with real coffee beans!

Check out the full list of plants that are great gifts!

If you need further advice on great looking gift plants for Christmas, contact us!
Or call Anna Banana direct @ 239-771-8081.

Happy Shopping!

Date: 29 Nov 2018 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Mangosteen fever

Mangosteen availability. Yesterday we received 6 Mangosteen trees from Hawaii - on the photo Anna Banana is holding one of these very much wanted trees. We had 378 customers on a waiting list for this amazing fruit tree. After we sent wishlist notifications, the plants were all sold within a couple hours for $349.95 each on "first come, first serve" basis. We even over-sold one... our shopping cart could not catch up with so many requests! We also had 12 smaller size (1 gal pot) plants, and most were also sold right away. As of now, only 3 plants left.

We know many people want this tree, and we apologize that we had only a few. We are searching all our sources around the world for these plants and seeds to supply the Mangosteen for you!

ATTENTION to all Mangosteen seekers! Please re-submit your request for Mangosteen using our Wishlist form. We will find more plants for you, as well as will grow them from seeds. Be on top of our Mail-list news and make sure to re-submit a wish-list request for this plant, since your original request was removed as soon as notification was sent.

You may follow the BUY button below, and if all plants sold out, simply click on a link "Notify me when available". We will notify you as soon as we have the Mangosteen back in stock!

Date: 9 Nov 2018 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Mark your calendar: Christmas Countdown at Top Tropicals - 12/1/18.

Celebrate the Holiday Season with us: "25 Days to Christmas" event

Event: Holiday plant shopping and Tropical Winter Plants
When: Saturday, Dec 1, from 10 am - 5 pm
Where: Top Tropicals Garden Center, 13890 Orange River Blvd, Ft Myers, FL
More info: See our Facebook event or call Anna Banana @ 239-771-8081
Agenda:
- 25% OFF everything and freebies for locals!
- Cold protection for tender tropicals
- Winter blooming and Winter fruiting trees and shrubs
- Snacks and drinks

Date: 20 Oct 2018 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Butterfly Garden from Anna Banana

Butterfly facts

1. There are approximately 20,000 different species of butterflies, the largest of which is the Queen Alexandra Birdwing with a wingspan of 11 inches.
2. Female butterflies can lay over 1000 eggs during their short lifetime.
3. Butterflies lay their eggs on host plants which usually hatch within a few days, then turning into caterpillars. The caterpillar will then eat until it sheds it's skin several times, called instars, finally emerging from the chrysalis as a beautiful butterfly.
4. Butterflies are born to breed, their goal being to mate and begin the cycle again. Most live only a few days except the Monarch which can live up to six months.
5. Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico every fall and remain there until spring when they make the return migration.
6. Due to the continuing destruction of the rain forests, where the largest population of butterflies are found, their numbers are dwindling. We encourage you to plant a butterfly garden!!

Remember:

- A sunny, less windy location is best, however, Zebras love to float in the shade of bushes and trees.
- The more host and nectar plants you have, the more butterflies will be attracted to your garden.
- Butterflies "puddle". They like a wet sandy area where they congregate and sip minerals and nutrients from the wet sand and water.
- Rocks to rest and enjoy their beautiful garden, and don't forget a bench or hammock for yourself.

FREE butterfly garden guide from Anna Banana

For our local Florida customers, it is a perfect time now to start a garden with plants for butterflies that will appear first thing in Spring. Establish these plants now for the Spring blooms that will attract the Beauty into your garden!
Stop by our Garden Center to check out our Butterfly Plants display, or simply call Anna Banana for a free consultation on Butterfly Garden at 239-771-8081.

Hurry up while butterfly plants are on 4-day sale!

Date: 12 Oct 2018 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Top Tropicals Powerpoint Presentation by Anna Banana:
"Let's grow something different!"

Mark your calendar: Anna Banana's Presentation "Let's grow something different" Oct 16 @ 2 pm.

Learn more about rare tropicals and how to grow them in non-tropical climate. Cold protection, water-wise, soil improvement and much more.

Where: ALVA Garden Club
Meeting Location: The Alva Library Museum, 21420 Pearl Street, Alva, FL 33920
When: Tuesday, October 16th @ 2 pm.
Contact Phone Number for the Event: 239-728-3386
See more info about this event.

Date: 11 Aug 2018 Top Tropicals Newsletter

From Anna Banana: Shipping and planting during hot weather

Q: I received email notification that my order was delayed due to hot weather. Why? And do I need to do anything special if I plant when it is hot?

A: When plants are shipped via FedEx Ground, it is hot in the truck! According to our FedEx area manager information, if outside temperature is 100 degrees, inside the truck it can be 130! We don't want to put your plants through that much stress. We monitor the weather at destination, and as soon as it cools down a little bit, your order will be shipped.

Plantinjg during hot weather:

For a mail-ordered plant follow planting instructions and never plant it from the box directly into the ground. Keep it in a pot the size of a root ball until the plant recovers from shipping stress, re-grows root system and adjusts from several days of darkness to a bright light. Move the pot gradually into brighter light, eventually into a spot of its permanent home. Do not over water the pot. Once you see new growth - the plant is ready to be transplanted into the ground.
Use only quality soil, containing lots of organic matter (compost, peat moss); soil conditioner is beneficial (pine bark). Plant it on a little hill, so growing point is elevated 1-1.5" above the rest of the surface.
Put a good layer of mulch around the plant, at least 1-2" thick, and not too close to the trunk as it may cause stem rot on contact.
Water daily with a garden hose until the plant shows active growth - then watering may be reduced every other day or less, or you may rely on sprinklers and/or rains.
If the sun is too hot, use shade cloth (or simply a white bed sheet) to cover the plant for the first few days (use bamboo sticks for support). It will help the plant to establish without heat stress. If leaves start dropping - this may be a sign of excessive light and heat. Shading is the way to reduce it.
Use SUNSHINE booster to help plants overcome heat stress, and shipping stress. It really works!

Remember that a plant has a very slow nature, unlike creatures from animal world. Give it some time and never rush it into new conditions. Go slowly and patiently - this is the only way to get a reward of a fruit crop or a beautiful flower.

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