Never-never be without one! Ctenanthe lubbersiana variegata

Stevie's Pick: what's special today?

Our exotic plant grower Steven Gowdy spotlights the most interesting plants he discovers and recommends today while working in TopTropicals greenhouses.

Year 2021 is celebrated as a Year of Variegated Foliage plants, and I have something special for those rare plant collectors. Besides exclusive Monstera variegata Thai Constellation, there are a few less expensive plants that are as much beautiful and yet fit into any budget.

Known as the Never-never plant, this beauty is native to Brazil. I think in South Florida a shade garden should never-never be without one!
Ctenanthe lubbersiana variegata has deep variegation, with branching bamboo-like stems and oblong green, veined leaves that are mottled with cream and gold. Needing high humidity and indirect, bright filtered light, it just screams tropical and fun! Ctenanthe is a close relative of showy Marantas grown for the beauty of their foliage, and also makes a great house plant in cooler climates.
In warmer climates, it can be planted as an under story plant. The plant is growing to 2-3 feet high and 4-6 feet wide, with leaf patterns of indistinct cream and green marbling. It does have a rapid growth rate and liking soil moist, but not soggy. In the winter, water should only be given when the dirt is somewhat dry. Watch out for mealy bugs, spider mites, and aphids and apply Sunshine NoBug if you notice any - they will be easy to get rid of.

Give it a liquid fertilizer SUNSHINE Robusta - Rapid Growth Booster and divide as needed.

This plant is one of my favorites. I planted a nice specimen at TopTropicals entrance gate last year, and now we finally have beautiful baby plants propagated from it, looking great!

Tropical gardener beginning-of-year checklist

Final pre-Spring check of whatever we had forgotten! For a gardener, the year ahead is a chance to do things you want, as a way to achieve the things you need to do. If your number one New Year's resolution is to garden more (a want-to item), you also will be exercising more (a need-to). Or if you plant a new edible garden (want, want, want), you will end up checking off "eat more leafy vegetables and fruits" from your to-do list!

12 steps to get ready for 2021 season:

1 - Spray fruit trees and houseplants with insecticide and micro-elements
2 - Continue spraying SUNSHINE-Epi to improve plant hardiness
3 - Protect tender plants during cold spells and especially from freeze
4 - Reduce watering during cooler months, keeping the root zone on a dry side
5 - To give your plants a kick start, fertilize with liquid SUNSHINE Boosters fertilizers - they are safe to be used year round
6 - Plant fruit trees: winter planting is beneficial to avoid heat stress for roots
7 - Plant Butterfly and Hummingbird Attractants
8 - Plant bulbs, vegetables and herbs. Use eco-safe, natural SUNSHINE boosters for all your edibles.
9 - Plan your summer garden and order seeds early
10 - Start tropical plants from seeds (indoors for cooler climates)
11 - Start ordering tropical plants and beneficial soil mix to get them established after shipping in pots
12 - Clean and oil garden tools

People of TopTropicals. Dog of the Year: Tilda, the Assistant Photographer

Today is a sad day. Our Editor and Photographer assistant Tilda left us for her last trip to Eternity... to the Dog's Paradise. For many years, Tilda has been helping Top Tropicals Editor and Plant Expert Marina Rybka to take pictures of beautiful plants from all over the world. We can often see Tilda's tail, paws, ears or eyes in many photos of our plant catalog. With Marina's and Tilda's help, our catalog today has 4900 tropical plant profiles with 53989 photos!
Tilda, you will always stay with us. You will follow us in every shot you made with your Mom. Thank you for being there for Marina and her TopTropicals. Thank you for making life of tropical gardeners happier! You made the difference. We love you forever.

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club and Zoo

Thank you for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us! Every little bit helps. Thank you and God bless you and your pets!

Growing Loquat in container

Q: I purchased a Sherry Loquat tree from you in April of 2020. It got off to a slow start initially, but now is five feet tall with healthy leaf growth! It is in a 15-gallon pot and was brought into the house by October 15th. I live in Zone 6 and kept the plant outside from end of May to October 15th. I have given the tree artificial lights in addition to slow release fertilizer. Can you please advise me on what steps I need to take to get the Sherry Loquat tree to fruit? E.g., lighting requirements, soil pH, soil type, etc.

A: Loquat is normally winter flowering and spring fruiting tree, here in Florida it is usually heavily covered with fruit by April. With a proper care, you may see flowers throughout the winter and they may set some fruit for you. Considering that during this time you have to keep the plant indoors, here are some recommendations:

1. Soil. Well-drained, porous potting mix. Do not use any heavy garden soils. For our plants we use the following mix which is excellent for containers: Abundance

2. Light. The brighter the better. Sunroom would be great, or at least put the tree next to a large window. Extra lighting with grow lights is beneficial. Any type of light will work, you can even use a simple clip-on light, the brighter the better. 8-10 hours a day.

3. Water. Loquat is drought tolerant but for fruiting it will need regular watering; just don't keep soil soggy, let is slightly dry before waterings.

4. Fertilizer program. Use liquid fertilizer. We recommend Sunshine Boosters that are safe to use with every watering and year around - SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster.
We recommend to switch plants from traditional "slow-release" fertilizer to the liquid one because it makes a huge difference in plant growth and flower/fruit quality and quantity. Sunshine Boosters are scientifically balanced fertilizers that supply all necessary elements for daily plant needs. They are natural and eco-safe, great for any edibles.

5. Micro-elements. These are essential for potted plants, because in containers roots can't reach out to elements that are usually present in soil when trees grown in the ground.

Apply micro-element remedies that are very effective for improving fruit production, especially when flower or fruit drop occurs:
SUNSHINE Honey - promotes more efficient blossoming and pollination, makes flowers bigger and reduces bud drop.
SUNSHINE SuperFood - improves plant vigor and quality and size of flowers
These are all natural, eco-friendly supplements that work great for fruit trees and other edibles.

Read more about Loquat trees: The best grafted Loquat varieties.

Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster

How to grow a happy Red Jade Vine?

Q: My Red Jade Vine has the leaf tips turning brown. I water this plant four times a week and I am using a half a teaspoon of miracle grow bloom booster 15-30-15 per 2 gallons, every two weeks. In the beginning I had to water this plant off city water in South Fort Myers. Over the last two months I picked up a dechlorinator buggy plus threw that on my hose and I've been watering it with that but it didn't seem to make a difference. I put this plant in the ground last September. It has three shoots that run into the top of the tree, so it is growing but leaves seem to drop off down low at the base of the vine and the brown tipping running into the top of the plant. But not the newest shoot its leaves are solid green all the way at the top. Thanks for any advice.

A: Mucuna benettii - Red Jade vine - is not the easiest plant to grow, and we are glad your vine is growing well. For those who love this plant but not ready to face all challenges, we recommend its cousin - Camptosema grandiflora - Dwarf Red Jade Vine, which is much hardier and easier plant.
We looked at the photos and these are our thoughts.

1) The top of the plant with green fresh leaves definitely indicates that the plant is generally healthy and vigorous.
2) Dry tips of the old leaves may indicate excess salts in soil, in combination with the summer heat that it went through. Based on your feeding program description, that fertilizer may create a problem. Water soluble traditional fertilizers are EDTA-chelated which often causes nutrients lock up in soil and leaf drop. Try to stay away from that fertilizer for a month and let the rains and/or irrigation water flush the soil for a couple of weeks.
3) Red Jade vine is a very sensitive species. Normally, during hot season it is safe to use traditional fertilizers, especially slow-release granulated. However, with this plant we recommend you to switch to more delicate formula and use only liquid fertilizer.
SUNSHINE Megaflor - Bloom Nutrition Booster will be the best. It is safe to use it as frequent as with every watering! It is amino-acid based, and will be totally consumed by the plant without nutrient lockup.
4) Another cause of dry leaf tips may be micro-element deficiency.
Megaflor booster already has all necessary micro-nutrients in it, plus you may apply some extra: SUNSHINE Superfood.
5) You may continue using regular water for watering (including city water) as long as you use amino-acid based plant food and supplements: they improve soil acidity (what tropical plants like is acidic soil, and Florida soils are alkaline). Additionally, to improve soil acidity which can be critical for this Mucuna species, you may add 1" layer of pure peat moss on top of the soil around the plant. Please keep us in loop how the plant is doing. It is pretty rare species in cultivation and we will be happy to help you to keep it thriving.

Spanish Lime Tree

Q: Do I need two plants of the Spanish lime to have fruits? Do you have a grafted tree that I would only need one plant?

A: From our experience with Spanish Lime trees - Melicoccus bijugatus, fruiting habit really depends on variety. There are self-pollinating varieties that only require one tree. Seedling usually require cross-pollination between two trees for better production. It doesn't mean that one tree won't bloom or fruit - it will, but production may be lower than if they were cross-pollinated.
The Spanish Lime trees we currently have in stock are seedlings from a good, self-pollinating variety Key West, however, only grafted trees are precisely true to variety since they are technically clones. Seedlings normally take a few years (3-4) until they start fruiting. Spanish Limes don't have to be grafted to produce quality fruit, however, grafted trees may take less time till they fruit.
This species is really hard to obtain and we do not have any grafted trees now, and probably not for another year. So if you really want this fruit tree, you may want to try at least with a seedling. We only have a few left in stock and many people want them. Otherwise, you may sign up for the wish list and wait until we (hopefully) have grafted specimens (enter Melicoccus bijugatus in wish list).

Growing Stephanotis and cold protection

Q: I bought from you 3 plants Stephanotis How do I protect them from this low temperature now? I live in Ft Myers Beach.

A: In Ft Myers Beach, you have frost-free winters. You don't have to worry about cold protection for the Stephanotis. It is pretty cold hardy plant in spite of being a true tropical (it enjoys Hawaii environment for example). From our own experience, Stephanotis can even take a light frost for a short period of time without any damage.
You can keep this plant either in a pot or plant in the ground in a nice sunny location for more profuse flowering. It can climb a tree, a fence, or a pagoda.
However, keep in mind that during cool weather you need to reduce amount of watering. Wet + cold is a bad combination for plants. Water again only when the soil gets slightly dry. In summer time, extra water is not critical because it evaporates quickly with high temperatures.

Mango ID and ripeness

Q: As the World's Leading Authority on Tropical Plants, I hope you can help us out. We obtained a mango tree from a City giveaway, and planted it a few years ago. This is the 1st year it has produced fruit. They are almost all green color, & range from 6-7 inches in length. Attached are a few photos of the tree & its fruit. Please help to identify the type, and how to determine when they would be ready to pick. Or should we just wait until they fall off of the tree?

A: If the tree is grafted, it normally starts flowering within a year after planting. If the tree is over 6 years old and just now started fruiting - chances are, this is a seedling (possible at giveaways) without specific variety. However the fruit looks pretty good size and shape, hopefully it tastes great. You will find out soon!
Based on the pictures, there maybe a few possible choices, including varieties (or their seedlings) Keitt, Rosigold, it can be even Lancetilla if fruit grows bigger than 7" long. The next step would be, wait until the fruit get some color, then it will be easier to narrow down the variety. Also see if there is a lot of fiber or no fiber.
You may wait until at least one fruit ripens on the tree and let it fall naturally - that will be the color (can be all green, but in your case it looks like it's turning yellow blush). After that, you may pick full size fruit before they fall and let them ripen on a kitchen table. Usually once the fruit starts showing color, it is close to ripening. For all-green varieties, just wait till fruit grows to maximum full size. You may also check if the fruit gets softer to touch, then it's ready.

Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster

What is an ideal potting mix?

Q: A few years ago, I purchased a Barbie Loquat from you, and I'm pleased to say it's been growing very well. I now have several loquat seedlings. I have read that a well-draining medium should be used, and I have found that the various formulations provided on the web for such medium seem vaguely reminiscent of the recipe provided in your transplanting instructions. Therefore, I would like to retrieve your recipe, unless you could recommend an even better one?

A: The main requirements for a good potting mix are:
- perfect drainage, allowing air circulation that is so necessary for healthy roots; oxygen circulation helps to avoid root rot
- water retention: to keep nutrients in soil
- low pH (soil acidity) which is important for most tropical plants
- adequate amount of organic matter in the mix, in combination with proper fertilizer program

In our nursery we experimented with many different potting mixes for the past couple decades. We ended up with an ultimate mix for tropical container plants that we designed ourselves. This custom mix is called -

Abundance - TopTropicals professional soilless potting mix

It meets all the requirements above which makes it a perfect mix. All our plants are happy with it. Abundance is a professional quality (nursery-grade) potting mix with great drainage characteristics, ideal for any tropical plants. It is organically derived soil-less mix, free of any additives.
Ingredients are:
- fine Canadian peat moss
- coconut coir
- perlite
- aged pine bark (soil conditioner).
See more info on soil mixes.
We have this mix available for purchase in different packaging sizes - 2, 3, and 7 gal bags.

Besides proper potting mix, all container plants require regular fertilizing. We recommend the newest, scientifically balanced fertilizers Sunshine Boosters that are natural, eco-safe, great for all edibles and organic gardening. They are safe to use with every watering, provide all necessary elements for plant daily needs, and won't burn the roots.
For your loquat tree, consider Sunshine C-Cibus, it boosts both flowering and fruit production. Loquat is Winter-Spring bloomer, hopefully you will get some crop soon!

See more information about potting mix science

Plant of the Month:

Fragrant Dombeya Tree

Every tropical gardener wants to have a Dombeya (a.k.a. Tropical Hydrangea) in their collection - an easy to grow, fast growing winter bloomer. These plants don't require any special care, thrive in neglect in both sun or shade, and flower profusely during Fall-Winter months - what an awesome treat! Dombeyas are also wanted for their vigorous growth habit - they can cover unwanted view in no time, fill and empty corner in your yard, create a colorful tropical display, and attract lots of butterflies and bees. They are not afraid of water logging, in fact the more you water them, the faster they grow. The large tropical leaves are beautiful - soft, fuzzy, with shallow, maple-like lobes. This plant is tolerant to both light frost and periods of drought.
Most Dombeyas grow into round, dense bushes, but this one variety of is very special. Dombeya burgessiae from South Africa actually grows into a small (10-15 ft), pretty, upright tree that is covered with beautiful blossoms during winter. The flowers are creme color with raspberry centers, attracting lots of pollinators, and what is the most special - they are sweetly fragrant! What a beauty!

Surround yourself with aromatic cloud of Dombeya winter blooms!