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Date:

What is the most beautiful ginger? 5 most spectacular Ginger species

Hedychium flavum x coronarium - Yellow Butterfly Ginger

Hedychium flavum x coronarium - Yellow Butterfly Ginger

Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - Variegated Spiral Ginger

Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - Variegated Spiral Ginger

Zingiber Zerumbet - Pine Cone Ginger, Shampoo Ginger

Zingiber Zerumbet - Pine Cone Ginger, Shampoo Ginger

Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt

Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt

Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus

Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus

🎋 What is the most beautiful ginger? 5 most spectacular Ginger species.

Ginger is famous for its culinary and medicinal uses, and many species are also strikingly beautiful, making them perfect centerpieces for tropical gardens or potted plant collections, especially in shaded spots. Here are a few of our favorite cultivars.
  • 🍭 Hedychium flavum x coronarium - Yellow Butterfly Ginger, Nardo Ginger Lily - rare hybrid of White Butterfly ginger we mentioned earlier, it is more vigorous and tall than its parent. With attractive long green leaves with a slight fuzziness, this ginger has open long spikes of pastel yellow flowers with a beautiful heady aroma. Exquisitely fragrant!
  • 🍭 Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - Variegated Spiral Ginger - is a show stopper! Very popular in Hawaii and Florida. Spiraling stems rise with a strong white variegation and topped with green and white cone like flowers. Vigorous grower, it prefers shade, moist soil and lots of water.
  • 🍭 Zingiber Zerumbet - Pine Cone Ginger, Shampoo Ginger - is probably the most popular one. All parts of this ginger are spicy fragrant. The cone shaped flowers are long lasting and useful for cut flower arrangements. It is in fact used as a shampoo in Asia and Hawaii, and as an ingredient in several commercial shampoos! Pinecone ginger is considered a "canoe plant", that is, a plant introduced throughout the Pacific by the ancient Polynesian settlers.
  • 🍭 Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt - The name refers to the colorful raspberry colored stem, but that's not the only colorful thing about it: the leaves are dark green, long and glossy with velvety deep purple undersides. The inflorescence is a vivid red with tight bracts and bold yellow flowers. The butterflies love to drink the nectar from the flowers. Large vigorous ginger, growing up to 5-6 ft tall.
  • 🍭 Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus - from Gabon in West Africa. It has a dazzling pink trumpet flower with a yellow throat. It is very floriferous with an inflorescence of numerous flower buds on a shortish plant of 3-4 ft that stands very erect. It is an easy grower


📚 More gingers in previous posts:
Alpinia formosana x zerumbet Variegata - Variegated Ginger
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
Hedychium coronarium - Butterfly Ginger
Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe

❔ What is your favorite Ginger? Share in comments👇

🛒 Shop Gingers

#Shade_Garden #Container_Garden #Food_Forest

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

How to French Kiss the Red Button Ginger

Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss

Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss

Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss

Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss

⚡️ #Fun_Facts:How to French Kiss the Red Button Ginger

💋 Costus spicatus x woodsonii (Red Button Ginger, French Kiss): this ginger's inflorescence resembles a cluster of bright red buttons, making it a standout in tropical gardens.

🛒 Order French Kiss

#Hedges_with_benefits

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Its not an orchid! But it looks like orchid:

Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe

Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe

Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe

Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe

💮 It's not an orchid! But it looks like orchid: Laos Silver Stripe
  • 💋 Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe is one of the most beautiful of all the Kaempferia Peacock Ginger cultivars. It is one of the large types.
  • 💋 The plant has boldly striped leaves of green and silver.
  • 💋 The flowers are orchid shaped white and purple
  • 💋 Small, compact perennial, great for container culture. Deciduous in winter, like many others from Ginger family.
  • 💋 Shade lover, great as exotic houseplant.
  • 💋 This hard to find variety is a must for every Ginger collector.


🛒 Order Laos Silver Stripe

#Shade_Garden #Container_Garden

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Thumbs up the most fragrant ginger ever!

White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)

👍 Thumbs up the most fragrant ginger ever!
  • 🦢 White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium) is a must for every Southern garden.
  • 🦢 Famous for its intense, sweet scent.
  • 🦢 Symbol of Hawaiian Paradise along with Plumeria and Jasmine we mentioned earlier.
  • 🦢 Lei and hair decoration: popular in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands for leis and hair adornments.
  • 🦢 Butterfly-like flowers: bears fragrant, butterfly-resembling flowers in summer.
  • 🦢 Great cut flower: long lasting cut flowers, ideal for scenting the home.
  • 🦢 Can survive light freezes, with tops regrowing in the spring. Takes sun or shade.


🛒 Shop Butterfly Ginger

#Shade_Garden #Perfume_Plants

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Shade Tree Discount Program
How to reduce an electric bill and energy costs?

Cassia fistula

Photo above: Cassia fistula - Golden Shower Tree - one of the most popular trees. This all time favorite is fast growing and elegant.

Q: How to reduce an electric bill and energy costs?

A: This summer is expected to be hot. And the next summer... and next... Want to reduce your electric bill and energy costs? There is an excellent solution: plant a shade tree! Once fully grown, these trees will help keep your house cooler and lower your energy expenses.

Today we are offering a special discount you can use for purchasing trees that will keep your homes cooler in Summer and gardens warmer in Winter!
Check out Fast Growing Shade Trees, as well as other flowering trees and fruit trees and use discount below:

GETSHADE

Your savings with this code:
5% off orders $100+
15% off orders $150+
20% off orders $200+

Excluding S/H. Excluding 15 gal material. Exp. 6-12-24

Shop Flowering Trees

Tabebuia tree

Photo above: Tabebuia - spectacular winter bloomer.

Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree

Photo above: Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree. The most beautiful of all orchid trees.

Shop Fruit Trees

Mango trees with fruit

Photo above: Mango trees now. Many varieties are vigorous, large trees.

Cattley guava tree

Photo above: Cattley Guava Tree is an elegant solution for small spaces. Red Button French Kiss Ginger goes well with it!

Date:

Would you like to spice Up Your Garden with Variegated Ginger?

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger flower

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger flower

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger

🫚 Would you like to spice Up Your Garden with Variegated Ginger?
  • 🌿 Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata is a clumping ginger valued for its beautiful variegated foliage. With its colorful foliage and beautiful flowers, variegated ginger is a stunning ornamental.
  • 🌿 Striking Foliage: Glossy green leaves with white striping add a pop of color and interest to your garden.
  • 🌿 Unique Flowers: Unlike other gingers, its beautiful, fragrant, shell-like flowers droop from leafy stems, adding summer charm.
  • 🌿 Perfect Size: This small shrub grows 2-4 feet tall and can be pruned for size control.
  • 🌿 Moisture Lover: Keep the soil moist for happy, thriving plants.
  • 🌿 Ideal Conditions: Thrives in shaded garden corners with organically rich, well-drained soil. Mulch for best results.
  • 🌿 Low Maintenance: No serious insect or disease problems, making it an easy addition to your garden.
  • 🌿 Indoor Option: Can be grown as a houseplant with bright light and humid conditions, reaching 3-4 feet indoors.
  • 🌿 Edibe: Like every ginger, this ornamental beauty also has edible rhizomes.


🛒 Shop Vriegated Ginger

#Shade_Garden #Container_Garden #Food_Forest

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Fun Fact:

Tamarind fruit - Tamarinus indica

Tamarind fruit - Tamarinus indica

Tamarind fruit - Tamarinus indica

Tamarind fruit - Tamarinus indica

Tamarind flowers - Tamarinus indica

Tamarind flowers - Tamarinus indica

📖 Fun Fact: Tamarind is used as a souring agent in many cuisines around the world, adding a tangy flavor to dishes. How to use Tamarind in cooking?

🍲 Tamarind Chutney Recipe

Ingredients:
  • · 1 cup tamarind pulp
  • · 1 cup water
  • · 3/4 cup brown sugar or jaggery
  • · 1 tsp each of ground cumin, ginger, and coriander
  • · 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • · Salt to taste


    • Instructions:
  • · Simmer tamarind pulp and water.
  • · Strain, return to heat, and add sugar.
  • · Stir in spices and salt.
  • · Simmer until thickened.
  • · Cool and store in the refrigerator.


🛒Grow your own Tamarind Tree

#Edible_Forest #Fun_Facts #Recipes

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

CAT BREEDS:
European Shorthair - a cat that came from the wild...

European Shorthair Cat

By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

Q: I saw your beautiful cats in your garden and now I know you are not only plant experts, but also cat experts. Do you now what is the classic color of European shorthair cat?

A: You are right, here at Top Tropicals we have a whole PeopleCats garden with all sorts of cats, and we can tell stories about each breed and personality! In fact, our cat expert Alex Boutova just started a series about cat breeds.
With European shorthair cat breed, there is a twist! Sometimes, people get confused because European shorthair covers lots of different cats found all over Europe. It's not just one type of cat, but a whole bunch! You've got cats with two colors, including bicolor cats (including tuxedo cats), multicolor cats, and even cats with just one solid color like black, grey, ginger, or tabby...

Continue reading:
European Shorthair: a cat that came from the wild.

Learn More about European Shorthair Cat

European Shorthair Cat with a bunny

Date:

Three colors of flowers
for 4th of July

Blue, Red and White flowers for 4th of July

Q: Our anniversary is on the 4th of July. Do you have anything that might be a good gift? Maybe something flowering that has red, white and blue flowers... I know that is a lot to ask but maybe you have an idea?

A: We appreciate your intriguing question and extend our heartfelt congratulations on your approaching anniversary. Numerous tropical plants lend themselves beautifully to a captivating blend of red, blue, and white hues. Here are our top recommendations for the most delightful combination:

White: Jasmine sambac fragrant bush (var. Arabian Nights is our favorite, it's a free-bloomer and easy to grow)

Blue: Clitoria Vine, it is fast growing controllable vine, everbloomer. There is also a White variety of Clitoria, you can plant them together!

Red: Gloxinia, a smaller perennial that perfectly fits into this combination of three.

More flowers for white-blue-red colors:

White: Gardenias, Jasmines, Almond Bush, Brunfelsia, Clerodendrum Bridal Veil, fragrant Cashmere Bouquet, White Brazilian Plume Flower, Montanoa - Tree Chrysanthemum

Blue: Blue Sage Lead Flower, Blue Butterfly Clerodendrum, Weeping Blue Ginger, Duranta, Thunbergia erecta - Kings Mantle, and its white variety Alba, Blue Sky vine

Red: Cat Tail Acalypha, Dwarf Poinciana, Red Bottlebrush, Pavonia multiflora - Brazilian Candles (it's actually red-and-blue), Red Button Ginger - French Kiss, Brazilian plume, Firespike , Scarlet Flame Passion Flower, Quisqualis (has white and red flowers on the same plant).

Shop More Tropical Plants

Quisqualis Indica - Rangoon Creeper

Quisqualis Indica - Rangoon Creeper. Spectacular bloom, flowers change color from white to pink to red. Sweet fragrance. Very fast growing, perfect for covering a fence or pagoda.

Date:

Elderberry Kir Royale

Grow your own... drink and medicine

Sambucus canadensis (nigra) - Elderberry, American Elder

In the summertime, Elderberry bushes transform into small, bushy trees adorned with sizable umbels of white flowers. As late summer approaches, the tree produces an abundance of dark purple berry clusters. Elderberry is known for its ability to withstand cold weather and can thrive in a variety of soils in either full or partial sun. While it typically grows to a height of 10 feet, its spreading can be managed through pruning.

This dense shrub is beloved by nesting birds, who are not the only creatures that appreciate its fruit. People also prize Elderberry for its delicious uses in winemaking, cocktails, and jellies. Elderberry syrup or cordial can be used to create flavorful fruity drinks and cocktails, like the Elderberry Kir Royale. Alternatively, the berries can be left to infuse their flavor into spirits, with Elderberry gin being a particularly delightful option.

Sambucus canadensis Elderberry, American Elder berries

Elderberry Cordial

When it comes to combating various strains of the flu virus, Elderberry Cordial ranks among the top natural remedies. Whether sipped in small servings or drizzled over a delectable dessert, Elderberry Cordial is a guilt-free way to fortify your immune system against colds and flus.

2 cups of fresh elderberries
16 oz water

  1. 1/2 cups sugar
    1/2 lemon (rind + juice)
  2. tablespoons minced fresh ginger
    1 stick cinnamon, crushed
    1ΒΌ cups dried elderberries
    1/4 cup dried rosehips

About 3 cups brandy
Honey, to taste

Add all ingredients in a jar and cover with a lid. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 3-4 weeks. When ready to decant, strain and squeeze through cheesecloth. For every 1 cup of liquid retained, add 1/2 cup honey. Mix thoroughly. Pour the cordial into a decorative bottle for storage, or gift giving.

Elderberry Kir Royale Cocktail

5 oz white wine, sparkling wine or champagne
2 oz Elderberry cordial
Rocks
Mint leaves (optional)
Pour the Champagne in a flute glass. Add the Elderberry Cordial slowly.
Party time!

Shop Elderberry

Elderberry Kir Royale Cocktail

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