Endangered species from the outgone era of the Napoleon's War
by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
...Napoleana was described in 1804, the same year its namesake (Napoleone di Buonaparte) crowned himself Emperor
of the French. Today the tree is almost extinct. Esteemed for the exquisite,
vividly colored, exotic hat-shaped flowers, Napoleana is a must of a rare
tropical tree collection. Napoleana seeds constitute a false kola, which has a
taste closely resembling that of true kola. The flowers are fragrant and smell like Butterscotch... CONTINUE
READING >>
Q: I love your tropical fruit selection and I wish I lived in a warmer climate. Is
there any fruit tree that can be happy indoors during winter and have fruit? I
am not expecting a big crop but it would be fun to have a small piece of
tropics at home. I don't have much gardening experience, can you suggest something
easy for a start?
A: Several tropical fruit trees can be grown indoors, in pots,
providing bright light that is necessary for flowering and setting fruit. Among
them are many varieties of Bananas,
Guavas,
Annonas and tropical Cherries - these can be easily maintained in containers. Even dwarf
varieties of
Avocado and Mango
are good candidates for indoor culture. You can bring containers indoors for
winter and take outside into full sun during warm months so your plants can
store lots of energy in Summer.
The easiest fruit tree for indoor culture that doesn't require bright light
and can be grown indoors year around is a Coffee tree. Start with it, it is on sale today! Once you gain some experience, you can upgrade to
a Chocolate tree!
Remember, all container grown plants need balanced nutrition program. It
can be easily provided with Sunshine Boosters your around. For fruit trees, just add some Sunshine C-Cibus Crop Booster to your cart.
August is the hottest month in most places, and tropical/subtropical
areas are not the exception. In Florida we have some hot August days in upper
90's. Is it still OK to plant during hot weather? Yes, and here are some
guidelines for you:
1. Hot metabolism.
Many tropical plants grow faster at high temperatures. Select heat-resistant species for August planting (below are just
a few suggestions).
2. Water adequately.
Water thoroughly your newly planted tree. Water daily (lightly) with a hose for at least a week, don't
rely on sprinklers. Then reduce watering to every other day and gradually switch to sprinkler system if you have it. Do not overwater: non-established plants don't like combination of heat+wet.
3. Mulch well.
Keep mulch 1" away from the trunk to avoid rot.
4. Shading.
Protect the young tree from hot sun with a shade cloth or a sheet if leaves get wilted, for 1-3 days, then remove it, let the plant adjust to bright light.
...One of the most popular leaf vegetables in South Asia and Southeast
Asia, the Tropical Asparagus (Katuk) - Sauropus androgynus, is notable for its high yields and palatability. Cooked Tropical Asparagus is great with crab meat, minced pork, dried shrimp, or in a soup...
Katuk is one of the most popular leaf vegetables in Southeast Asia. It is
among only a few flora containing vitamin K. Leaves and stemmed can be cooked as vegetable; the plant has many medicinal
properties.
Katuk is fast growing and keeps growing as you trim it for your kitchen needs. Multiple upright stems can reach 6-7 ft high. It has
great ornamental value, has pretty red flowers and ornamental fruit showing
shiny black seeds when they crack open. Varieties with green leaves and
variegated leaves have slightly different flavor but are equally good for your
healthy, fiber-rich diet... CONTINUE READING >>
Ground Orchids for every Home
10% OFF 3 days only!
Ground orchids are the
easiest and the most rewarding flowers for a tropical garden. They grow in
regular garden soil or potting mix, take both sun and shade and bloom nearly year around. And look at these colors! Watch the video:
Top Tropicals has the largest selection of beautiful ground orchids of
all kinds of colors, at low prices. Check them out today, while supply lasts! They sell fast!
To make it affordable for everyone, we are offering additional 10% discount
coupon so you can collect them all! Hurry up, this offer expires in 3 days! For 10% off any order over $150, use this code:
Callisia fragrans, Golden
Tendril:
Holistic Medicinal Plant
by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
...This beautiful, low-maintenance plant has been living in our homes
for over two hundred years. The name of Callisia speaks for itself - Callisia
from the Greek is kallos meaning beauty and fragans means
fragrant. It is not only an easy ornamental plant for both garden and indoor
collection, it has wide medicinal use in Europe. Its active biological substances
that can fight infections, stimulate metabolism, strengthen immunity and
circulatory system...
...Moreover, the leaves and flowers of Callisia fragrans are edible, the
plant has been used as a food source in tropical countries. The rhizomes are
also edible and can be boiled or roasted... Every garden or indoor plant
collection should have this easy and useful plant!.. CONTINUE READING >>
New video: Royal Poinciana
The most beautiful tropical shade tree
"The Royal Poinciana is one of the most spectacular flowering trees
in the USA, and probably among the top 10 on this planet. In full bloom, it is
like a regal elephant caparisoned in red and yellow brilliance." (Larry
M. Schokman, The Kampong, National Tropical Botanic Garden)
One of the most conspicuous flowering trees seen in the tropics, Royal poinciana (Delonix regia) has bright fiery red/orange
blossoms cover its mimosa type leaves which close up and go to sleep for the
night.
This large tree, which naturally assumes a spreading umbrella shape, is now
found in gardens, parks, and planted along streets throughout the tropics.
In late spring, as the new leaves appear, the tree is covered with masses of
five-petalled red flowers resembling orchid flowers. Blooming is followed by
long, flattened, leathery dark brown or black seed pods. Delonix requires full
sun and adequate space to take its characteristic form....
Read Article about this tree.
Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by subscribing to our channel at
YouTube.com/TopTropicals
and get our latest video news of what is fruiting and blooming!
Night blooming
jasmine is a tropical garden favorite: the sweetest fragrance at night is
intoxicating! It is one of the most famous and desirable fragrant plants.
Flowers are pale yellow to white, open at night and stay extremely fragrant until
sunrise. Aroma is sweet, pleasant and intoxicating. These flowers are widely
used in India and other countries of South Asia for perfumery, medicinal
applications and in religious ceremonies. Best location will be near driveway,
window or entrance, where the magic fragrance can be appreciated.
Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by subscribing to our channel at
YouTube.com/TopTropicals
and get our latest video news of what is fruiting and blooming!
Grow Food Not Lawns - this is the theme for our Garden party. But it's much more than that. It's a philosophy and a
state of mind. One that more and more people are adopting as the world's food
supply continues to dwindle and get more expensive...
Like all things plant and garden related, each of us can adopt this state
of mind at whatever level we're capable of and comfortable with. Many of our
customers just want to start small and see what it's all about. After all, the
world of tropical plants can be more than just beautiful, it can be
sustaining as well!
Growing your own food is more than just about price, it's also about
quality, choices and availability. As you watch the choices, and quality of
store bought food go down and prices continue to go up, maybe it's time to grow
more of your own food?
Fun Facts
- A mature mango tree can produce 200 to 300 fruit per year - A single avocado tree is capable of producing 500 avocados in one
year - A mature papaya plant can produce as many as 100 fruits per
growing season - One longevity spinach plant can provide you with a fresh supply of
healthy spinach leaves all the time!
At Top Tropicals we offer a wide selection of fruit, including mango and avocado, and even spinach to get you started and to continue down the road on your own
self sustaining journey. Even better, to help you with your food project, we
have not only added to our varieties, but we have reduced prices on many
items to make it even more affordable and enjoyable!
Who is cutting prices in today's
world?! - We are, because...
...it's important that we do what we can to make it
easier for our customers!
We have Avocados starting at only $49.95 and Mangos as low as $79.95, with dozens of varieties in stock! Use
our discount coupons to save even more, and if you're local or in Fort Myers,
stop by our Garden Center and
save even more!
...Well, you did it didn’t you? You love fresh mangoes, don’t you?
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to pick your own mango fresh off a tree in
your back yard?
So you bought a mango tree hoping to do just that. You are in USDA growing
zone 10 or 11 aren't you? If so, you should have no problems with weather
extremes other than possibly an occasional frost in zone 10A. If you can cover
your tree, you will not likely see any damage. But what if you are a little
further north and you have decided to try your luck on the magnificent mango
fruit tree? Mangoes are a tropical fruit tree best grown in tropical zones with
temperatures that stay above 40F. If you are in zone 9A or 9B, you may still
have luck growing a mango tree...
