Date:
Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Carambola - Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)
#8. Carambola - Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)
💛 Growing Carambola tree is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy this unique star-shaped delicious fruit right at home. It fruits on the 3d year from seed. The tree is easy to grow and reliable producer, providing wind protection.
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How to make tasty Carambola Banana Whip

Carambola Banana Whip

Carambola

Banana
Blend ingredients until smooth. Scoop into frosted mugs. Garnish with Carambola and Banana slices.
🍷 Enjoy while cold ❄️
📚 From previous posts:
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Why Bananas? They are good for you and are fun to grow!

Red Banana

Praying Hands Banana

Banana fruit

Rojo Banana

Variegated Banana
- 💛 Bananas are berries, not fruits!
- 💛 They float in water like apples and watermelons.
- 💛 Bananas are high in potassium, which helps muscles work properly.
- 💛 They can improve your mood because they contain tryptophan, which your body turns into serotonin.
- 💛 Bananas are great for your heart because they have lots of fiber and potassium.
- 💛 Eating bananas can help with digestion since they are rich in fiber.
- 💛 They are a natural energy booster, perfect for a quick snack.
- 💛 Bananas can help keep your blood pressure in check due to their low sodium and high potassium content.
- 💛 They contain vitamins like B6 and C, which are good for your immune system.
- 💛 Rubbing the inside of a banana peel on mosquito bites can reduce itching and swelling.
❔ What is your favorite Banana or Plantain variety?
Share in comments👇
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Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
🍈 Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) reaches 80 pounds in weight and up to 36 inches long! It is one of the most fascinating fruit in the world.
- ✳️ The fruit consists of large edible bulbs of yellow, sweet, banana-flavored aromatic flesh.
- ✳️ The fruit is so large and heavy that the tree has a smart feature to produce only at the base of the trunk. So the tree can be (and should be) pruned annually to 7-12' producing as much as 200 lbs. of fruit per year!
- ✳️ Seedlings start fruiting within 3-4 years. Fruit ripen pretty quickly, 4-6 months from flower to maturity.
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How can Banana be a flower? Meet the Banana Magnolia, a Fragrant Marvel

Magnolia figo - Banana Magnolia

Magnolia figo - Banana Magnolia

Magnolia figo - Banana Magnolia

Magnolia figo - Banana Magnolia
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Date:
5 best plant gift ideas for any occasion
These plants are large, developed and beautiful NOW!
The Chonemorpha fragrans, also known as the Frangipani vine, is truly a botanical marvel. With its exquisite clusters of perfume-fragrant, large flowers and lush green foliage, this vine captivates with its beauty and charm. Not only does it adorn gardens with its elegant presence, but its intoxicating scent also fills the air, creating a sensory delight for anyone nearby. The leaves, reaching up to 12 inches in size, further enhance its appeal. As a large, woody vine, it requires sturdy support such as a fence or robust structure to thrive, adding to its majestic presence in any garden landscape or indoor setting.
Bunchosia argentea - Peanut Butter Tree - gets its name because its small fruits taste like peanut butter. Isn't that cool? This attractive small tree has clusters of yellow flowers that are followed by an abundance of dark red fruit. The rich, sweet flesh has a texture very similar to peanut butter. Yes, it tastes exactly like peanut butter! Sweet, soft pulp with a peanut flavor. One of the most fascinating exotic fruits, as amazing as Miracle fruit, Peanut Butter Fruit is loved by both kids and adults. The tree is small in size, grows only 10-15 ft, or can be kept as a bush. It starts fruiting within 2-3 years from seed! Keep it in a pot if you have limited space; it can be grown indoors, too. Very rare in cultivation.
Magnolia figo commonly known as the Banana Magnolia, is a botanical wonder. Its creamy yellow, banana-shaped flowers release a sweet, fruity fragrance that fills the air with a delightful aroma (slightly resembling banana), making it a standout among flowering shrubs. The glossy, deep green foliage provides an elegant backdrop to the striking blooms, further enhancing its visual appeal. Growing up to 10 feet tall, this dense and bushy evergreen shrub or a small tree adds a touch of sophistication to any landscape, whether as a focal point in a garden bed or a graceful accent in a container. As a very cold-hardy tropical plant, it thrives in zones as low as zone 8. Great container plant.
The Cattley Guava, scientifically known as Psidium littorale, is a delightful small tropical fruit tree that adds both beauty and flavor to any landscape. With its pretty round fruits - miniature guavas - this tree offers a unique culinary experience. The fruits boast a sweet and tangy flavor, making them perfect for jams, jellies, and desserts. You can make lots of guava juice just out of one tree! Cattley Guava is not only a tropical delight but also surprisingly cold-hardy plant. Great container fruit tree.
Kailarsenia vietnamensis - Vietnamese Gardenia, is a stunning botanical treasure. It stands out for its large, fragrant flowers and remarkable ease of cultivation. Unlike most gardenias that can be not easy to grow, this variety demonstrates resilience, tolerating overwatering, poor soils, and showcasing exceptional cold hardiness. The flowers are like beautiful artworks, and they give off a lovely smell that fills the air. Whether grown in containers or planted directly in the ground, this bushy beauty thrives, offering versatility and charm to any garden or indoor setting. Learn more about Vietnamese Gardenia.

Ice Cream Bean Tree (Inga edulis)

Ice Cream Bean Tree (Inga edulis)

Ice Cream Bean Tree (Inga edulis)

Ice Cream Bean Tree (Inga edulis)
Ice Cream Bean Tree (Inga edulis) - fast growing shade tree with wonderful fruit that kids love! 👯♀️
- ✳️ Bean pods up to 3 ft long contain sweet, juicy, white pulp that has a soft cotton wool texture and tastes of vanilla ice-cream.
- ✳️ The fruit has fantastic health benefits. It contains up to 25% sugar, 10% protein, 5% fiber, vitamins C, A and E, and minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and zinc. The protein content is two times higher than that of a banana!
- ✳️ A mature tree will produce around 100 fruits in a season. Seedlings start fruiting within 3-4 years.
- ✳️ Fast growing, umbrella-shaped tree, 20 ft tall and almost as wide, provides plenty of shade. This is our favorite tree when we need to create shade quickly.
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We Grow Happiness

Dragon fruit and a cat

Dragon fruit smoothie

Dragon fruit yellow
Dragon fruit, regardless of variety, makes excellent smoothies. A perfect Dragon Fruit Smoothie can be made with a creamy blend of dragon fruit, mango, and banana. The tropical flavor is played up with a squeeze of fresh lime.
Recipe:
2 dragon fruit, peeled
1/2 cup of mango pulp
- banana
1 cup of milk of your preference - tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp Lime juce
Some Ice
Add Mint for decoration
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Date:
Florida Starter Garden in Winter
Photo above: Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree
Q: We just moved to Florida and our yard is currently just plain grass. I want to add some beautiful tropical plants, but I'm not sure where to start. Can you suggest easy-to-care-for plants that look nice in winter, preferably with flowers? Considering it's Winter time and some trees look dormant... But I can't wait to start my tropical garden!
A: Florida residents are blessed to have mild winters, and many tropical and subtropical plants enjoy this climate year around. Just be mindful of your location's specific conditions (sun-shade, wet-dry, cold sensitive or hardy). Here are some recommendations for easy-to-grow, evergreen plants that love Florida and look great even in winter. They'll establish well during cooler months, add a splash of color to your garden with their flowers, and even treat you with fruit!
Winter flowers - will bloom now!
Clerodendrum Winter Starburst
Clerodendrum Blue Butterfly
Eranthemum Blue Sage
Odontonema Firespike
Pavonia - Brazilian Candles
Photo above: Odontonema cuspidatum - Firespike
Fragrant Garden
Banana Magnolia
Jasminum sambac Little Duke Supreme
Vietnamese
Gardenia
Nyctanthes - Parijat
Ylang Ylang vine
Photo above: Gardenia vietnamensis - Vietnamese Gardenia
Curious unusual trees
Hong Kong Orchid Tree
Candle Tree
Photo above: Parmentiera edulis - Candle Tree, Guahalote
Easy fruit
Noni Tree
Yellow Dragon Fruit Palora
Coffee Tree
Photo above: Morinda citrifolia - Noni Tree
Great looking now:
for Shade and Indoor Garden
Calathea
zebrina - Zebra Plant
Black Bat Head Lily
White Bat Head Lily
Medinilla
Vanilla Orchid
Reed Ground
Orchid
Calathea Fuzzy
Pheasant
Colocasia Mojito
Syngonium
Photo above: Tacca nivea - White Bat Head Lily