"/>
Index > Garden Blog

Date:

How old is Southern Magnolia?

Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia

🦕 How old is Southern Magnolia? 95 million years old!
  • 💮 #Fun_Facts: Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia, is a unique and ancient flowering plant dating back about 95 million years to the time of the dinosaurs!
  • 💮 Its beautiful, large perfumed flowers are "primitive" and evolved before bees existed, relying on beetles for pollination. The tough petals and reproductive parts are a result of adapting to beetle activity.
  • 💮 Another fascinating feature is its cone-like fruit, which contains striking bright red seeds. These seeds are covered in a fleshy coating that attracts birds and small mammals, aiding in their dispersal, making the magnolia not only stunning but important for the ecosystem.


🛒 Order Southern Magnolia

#Perfume_Plants #Trees

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What tree to plant for wonderful fragrance?

Magnolia (Michelia) champaca x Alba

💄 What tree to plant for wonderful fragrance?
  • 🏵 Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree is in full bloom in our garden (in the video: var. Alba). The fragrance is smelled yards away! It is filling the air around.
  • 🏵 The flowers from this tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca - are used to make the world's most expensive perfume 'Joy' and smell like fruity bubble gum 🎀... you can't stop sticking your nose in this flower!
  • 🏵 Sacred tree of India and SE Asia, its flowers exude a divine fragrance that is exceedingly pleasing to the Gods... and women.
  • 🏵 Perfect small landscape tree of a columnar shape. Ideal for containers.
  • 🏵 Relatively cold hardy
  • 🏵 Rare collectible, a gem of any plant collection!


📚 See earlier post about Champaka Tree

🛒 Shop Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree

#Perfume_Plants #Container_Garden #Trees

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What flower looks plastic

Clusia lanceolata - Porcelain Flower or Cerra Cipapau Apple, flower

Clusia lanceolata - Porcelain Flower or Cerra Cipapau Apple, flower

Clusia lanceolata - Porcelain Flower or Cerra Cipapau Apple, fruit with seeds

Clusia lanceolata - Porcelain Flower or Cerra Cipapau Apple, fruit with seeds

Clusia lanceolata - Porcelain Flower or Cerra Cipapau Apple, fruit

Clusia lanceolata - Porcelain Flower or Cerra Cipapau Apple, fruit

🫖 What flower looks plastic... or ceramic?

🔥 #Fun_Facts: Clusia lanceolata - Porcelain Flower or Cerra Cipapau Apple is a delightful small tree native to America with flowers looking just like they are made of porcelain! Gorgeous pink flowers with mauve throats look almost artificial. The tree happily blooms in shade, and the fruit resembles a small apple and is enjoyed by birds and wildlife. Very undemanding plant.

🛒Order online

#Container_Garden #Trees #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Discover the most impressive Florida Vine

Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine

Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine

🔥 Discover the most impressive Florida Vine!

💻 "I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." - Claude Monet

📸 Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine, is a stunning winter bloomer native to Florida. Its vibrant orange flowers resemble a fiery cascade, blanketing the tops of trees where the vine climbs. The tubular blossoms form dense clusters, creating a striking, flame-like appearance that stands out against the winter landscape, making it a spectacular sight during the cooler months.

What is your favorite tropical vine? Share in comments👇

🛒 Order Flame Vine

#Hedges_with_benefits #Quotes

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Unlock the Beauty of Nature at Home!

🌺 Unlock the Beauty of Nature at Home!  

🥭 Transform your living space into a tropical paradise with our stunning selection of tropical plants and fruit trees (#Food_Forest) at TopTropicals. Each plant is a gateway to vibrant colors and fresh scents, bringing life and joy to your home.

🌻 But that’s not all! Join our channel for exclusive tips on #How_to nurture your new green companions.

From watering schedules to sunlight needs, we provide everything you need to become a tropical plant whisperer!

🔴 Subscribe now for expert advice: 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

How soon will Peanut Butter Tree fruit?

Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea)

🍲 How soon will Peanut Butter Tree fruit?

This is a 3-year old Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea) that we introduced in earlier post. It's the second year it's been fruiting. Delicious fruit!

Bunchosia argentea
- Peanut Butter Tree, earns its name from its fleshy fruits that boast a delightful peanut butter flavor.

📚 Learn more from previous posts:

🛒 Get your own Peanut Butter Tree

#Food_Forest

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Florida native plants for Florida and beyond

Florida Native Plants

If you live in Florida community with HOA, you may need these plants!

Did you know that we carry Native Florida plants?

At Top Tropicals, we have the biggest selection of tropical plants from around the World, with a special selection of Florida Natives. If you are looking for a particular Florida Native plant, just let us know - we can get them for you, because... we are here in Florida and we know them all!

If your Florida yard is regulated by a Homeowners Association, you may be required to plant native plants or those species on approved list. Why? These policies aim to promote sustainable landscaping practices and protect Florida's unique ecosystems. Although this may seem to limit your choices, there are plenty of Florida-friendly plants to choose from!

In general, native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, making them more resilient and requiring less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. This makes them easy to grow and great for beginners.

Native plants provide essential habitat and food sources for local wildlife, including birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. And Florida flora has a lot to offer for the wildlife!

If you live outside of Florida, our native plants may appear to you as much exotic and rare as those from Asia, S. America or Africa! Let's take a peak at some Natives...

Erythrina herbacea - Coral Bean

In the photo above: Erythrina herbacea - Coral Bean. Coral trees - Erythrinas are very showy, red-flowering small trees that are perfect for locations with poor soil and limited irrigation, very easy to grow, great butterfly and hummingbird attractors..

Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa

In the photo above: Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa. One of the most useful tropical plants that is very cold tolerant, blooms all winter through spring with honey-fragrant flowers - canary yellow powder puffs, attracting bees and butterflies. Fast growing bushy tree, tolerates poor soils and drought.

Date:

What orchid tree has stunning red and yellow flowers year around?

Bauhinia madagascariensis - Red Butterfly Orchid Tree

💋 What orchid tree has stunning red and yellow flowers year around? Madagascar Orchid Tree.

We showed you in earlier post one showy red Orchid tree - Bauhinia galpinii; but this one is even more spectacular!
  • 🔴 Bauhinia madagascariensis - Red Butterfly Orchid Tree is a very rare plant in cultivation and one of the most spectacular Bauhinia. Rare, collectible species.
  • 🔴 Flowers and extremely showy, look like scarlet butterflies with bright yellow stripes at the base of each petal.
  • 🔴 It grows into a small tree or tall bush. Fast growing. Attracts butterflies.
  • 🔴 Plant in in full sun to get the most of its flowering season - this one literally blooms year around!


📚 More posts about Bauhinias:

🛒 Order rare Bauhinia madagascariensis

#Trees #Butterfly_Plants

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Why we want to plant a tree today

Tulip Tree

Code red: Study reveals human degradation of tropical forests
is greater than previously estimated

This summer has been scorching hot across the globe, with every summer month breaking temperature records in recorded history.

Have you ever wondered what kind of natural world your children or grandchildren will inherit? Will they grow up surrounded by lush forests and greenery, or will they only know cities made of metal and concrete?

Tropical forests are super important for biodiversity and fighting climate change, but humans are messing them up more than we thought. Using fancy tech from the International Space Station, scientists found that human activities like logging and road-building are degrading these forests a lot. Even edges of forests are suffering, reducing canopy height and biomass significantly. This degradation is often overlooked, even though it has a huge impact on carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.

Planting trees in your yard, or even better, several trees, helps combat this problem by restoring some of the lost biodiversity and absorbing carbon dioxide. Plus, it's a fun way to make your space greener and contribute to a healthier planet!

Together, we've planted over 15,000 trees this year!

This year at TopTropicals, we have planted quite a few trees. Let's see...
- 44 mango trees planted at our BFarm...
- 49 tropical fruit trees
- 127 flowering trees and shrubs... (special thanks to Mick and Aurelio)
- 15,282 plants were ordered and, hopefully, planted by our customers this year so far...

Join us. Plant a tree today to make the difference!

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett

Morning in the forest

Date:

How to make tasty Carambola Banana Whip

How to make tasty Carambola Banana Whip
🍹 How to make tasty Carambola Banana Whip

  • ✔️ 1 ripe Carambola
  • ✔️ 3 ripe Bananas
  • ✔️ 1 tbsp Honey
  • ✔️ 1/2 tsp Cocoa (optional)


Blend ingredients until smooth. Scoop into frosted mugs. Garnish with Carambola and Banana slices.

🍷 Enjoy while cold ❄️

📚 From previous posts:

🛒 Order Carambola and Banana trees

#Recipes #Food_Forest

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals