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Index > Garden Blog

Date:

What is the most medicinal Indian fruit tree?

Phyllanthus acidus - Otaheite Gooseberry, Amlak, tree

Phyllanthus acidus - Otaheite Gooseberry, Amlak, fruit

Phyllanthus acidus - Otaheite Gooseberry, Amlak, fruit

🤔 What is the most medicinal Indian fruit tree?
  • 🧅 Phyllanthus acidus - Otaheite Gooseberry, Amlak - is very close related to the famous Phyllanthus emblica (Amla, Amlaki), however it is much hardier plant.
  • 🧅 Known as Amritphala in Sanskrit, which literally means the fruit of heaven or nectar fruit. It is so called because it is rich in many desirable properties, including medicinal.
  • 🧅 Small to medium in size tree, under 20 feet, very bushy and pretty.
  • 🧅 Fruits are borne in loose clusters, which hang from the tree trunk and main branches. Fruits are very acidic and tart, and esteemed for jellies, preserves and pastries.
  • 🧅 There are no commercial plantings; only in home gardens.
  • 🧅 The Amla fruit paste is a major ingredient of Chavyanprash, a popular Ayurvedic tonic. It is the richest source of vitamin C. Phyllanthus acidus is called Ari Nelli in Tamil, and the Phyllanthus emblica (Amlaki) is Muzhu Nelli in Tamil. Muzhu Nelli is even richer in Vitamin C etc.


🛒 Plant your own Amlak Tree

#Food_Forest #Remedies

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Date:

What is the Jasmine Oil made of?

French Perfume Jasmine, Poets jasmine (Jasminum officinale)

What is the Jasmine Oil made of?
  • 🌞 French Perfume Jasmine, or Poets jasmine (Jasminum officinale) is the most popular jasmine in the world as it is the source of the original Jasmine essential oil.
  • 🌞 There are two varieties - with single flower (Jasminum x grandiflorum - it has larger size flower and is more rare) and double flower ( Jasminum officinale Flore Pleno). They are very hard to tell apart when not in bloom as the leaves look the same, but the flowers differ (see video).
  • 🌞 Essential oil of this jasmine is one of the most important components in perfumery.
  • 🌞 Grown in the perfume fields of Southern France.
  • 🌞 Semi-evergreen to deciduous vine with lots of fragrant white flowers in spring, summer, and fall.
  • 🌞 Drought tolerant and hardy, it has good tolerance to a wide range of temperatures and is easily maintained in pots.
  • 🌞 Jasmine associates nicely with climbing roses, honeysuckle or clematis, but it looks superb grown on its own.


🎥 The difference between the double and single flower varieties.

🛒 Shop French Perfume Jasmine

#Hedges_with_benefits #Perfume_Plants

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10 common mistakes to avoid with mail order plants

10 common mistakes to avoid with mail order plants
⚠️ 10 common mistakes to avoid with mail order plants

Continued from previous post 👆

  • 6. Placing the plant in the wrong environment

  • It's important to give your plant the right temperature, light, and humidity based on its natural habitat. We grow tropical plants. They won't survive in areas with freezing temperatures.

  • 7. Not trimming damaged branches.

  • Transit can cause minor damage to leaves or branches. Trimming these parts can help the plant recover faster.

  • 8. Expecting immediate growth

  • Plants need time to adjust after the trip. Give them a chance to settle for a few weeks before expecting new growth or blooms.

  • 9. Fertilizing too soon

  • Do not fertilize your plant right after arrival. Let it get established first - usually a few weeks - before adding fertilizer to avoid stressing the plant.

  • 10. Not checking for pests

Always inspect new plants for pests. Shipping stress can lead to infestations, so a close check is vital.

🌷By avoiding these mistakes and following the planting instructions included with your order, you'll be on the right path to creating your tropical paradise. Take care of your new plant, and it will thrive, rewarding you with vibrant growth for years to come.

#How_to

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Date:

10 common mistakes to avoid with mail order plants

10 common mistakes to avoid with mail order plants
⚠️ 10 common mistakes to avoid with mail order plants

⁉️ Q: How to get happy and healthy plants from mail order? Will they survive the trip and grow well after transportation? What mistakes should I avoid?

A: At Top Tropicals, we have over 20 years of experience shipping plants. We know how to pack them properly and ensure the safest journey possible. We ship the biggest and healthiest plants, and our customers are often amazed at how great they look after a few days in a dark box. But receiving a healthy plant is only half the adventure. Now that the plant is in your hands, it's up to you to keep it thriving. The first couple of weeks after shipping are critical. With the right care, your new plant can reward you with beautiful flowers and fruit for years to come. Here are 10 common mistakes to avoid when buying plants by mail order.

  • 1. Not unpacking plants immediately

  • Leaving plants in the box too long can cause stress or damage. Unpack them as soon as they arrive to let them breathe and adjust.

  • 2. Ignoring acclimation

  • Plants need time to adjust to their new environment. Don't place them in full sun or extreme conditions (heat, wind) right away.

  • 3. Overwatering right after arrival

  • Many people water their new plants too much. Plants often need time to recover from transit, and too much water can cause root rot.

  • 4. Stepping up too soon

  • Repotting immediately in a large pot can cause root rot. Plant in a pot just the size of a root ball, step up only after the plant is showing new growth.

  • 5. Ignoring the plant's needs

Research the specific needs of your plant before it arrives. Light, water, and soil requirements vary greatly, and misunderstanding them can lead to issues.

⬇️ Continued in next post 👇

#How_to

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How to add flowering vines to the landscape

Urechites lutea (Pentalinon luteum) - Yellow Mandevilla

🔍 How to add flowering vines to the landscape
  • 🍀 Vines, by their nature, are almost always climbers. There are also some that make good hanging flower vines for your baskets hanging under trees or on the front porch.
  • 🍀 Some vines are also in the fruit category. The Passiflora is a beautiful perennial climbing vine that has very showy flowers and then a fruit that can be eaten off the vine or made into a wonderful juice. It would make a nice fast growing vine for a fence or trellis. The Barbados Gooseberry also falls into this category.
  • 🍀 One of the most popular fast growing flowering vines is the trumpet vine - Allamanda. It is an evergreen vine and will take some cold without damage, although it is still considered a tropical flowering vine. It can be grown as a large shrub or small tree and makes a beautiful focal point in the landscape.
  • 🍀 If you have some large trees in your yard, a great climbing vine for shade that also produces a usable product is the Pepper family. Yes, they flower and yes some of them produce pepper that you can use in your kitchen. If you like to know what is in your food, grow your own!
  • 🍀 Another perennial, fast growing and evergreen climbing vine is the Monstera. Monsteras will climb the side of a large tree and can produce an edible fruit after a few years. It is very tropical looking, but will take some cool nights as it is protected under the canopy of the tree.


🎥 Urechites lutea (Pentalinon luteum) - Yellow Mandevilla

🛒 Shop flowering vines

#Hedges_with_benefits #How_to

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Some bunny loves you, and that bunny is me

Some bunny loves you, and that bunny is me
😍 Some bunny loves you, and that bunny is me.

Share your loving pets in comments!
📸 🐈🐈🐈👇

🐾 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden 

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Date:

How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle?

How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle? How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle? How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle?
🍋 🎂 How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle?

  • 🍭Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum - is one of the strangest tropical fruit that makes sour taste sweet!

  • 🍭 The miracle is that if lemon or other sour food is eaten after the miracle fruit, the sour tastes sweet, as if sugar has been added. That kind of magical experience is unforgettable!

  • 🍭 A natural chemical in the fruit masks the tongue sour taste buds so that lemons taste like lemonade or lemon pie, or lemon candy! The sweet sensation lasts for half an hour to a few hours.

  • 🍭 Miracle fruit berries are valued as a food supplement for chemo-therapy patients to improve the taste of food.

  • 🍭 This small, evergreen shrub grows very slowly to a height of 4-6 ft in container, and 6-10 ft in natural habitat. A 10 years old plant might be easily only 4-5 feet tall. It forms an oval to pyramidal shaped bush or small tree.

  • 🍭 Miracle fruit is a small compact bush, and can be a rewarding indoor plant. It can be grown in a 1-3 gal pot and produce most of the year. Seed to fruit in 2 to 3 years. Flower to fruit in 30 to 45 days.


📚 Learn more about Miracle fruit, its history, and how to grow it:
Everyday Miracle - Grow the Dream!

🛒 Plant your own Miracle Fruit

#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Remedies

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Date:

How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle?

Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum

Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum

Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum

Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum

Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum

Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum

🍋 🎂 How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle?
  • 🍭Miracle Fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum - is one of the strangest tropical fruit that makes sour taste sweet!
  • 🍭 The miracle is that if lemon or other sour food is eaten after the miracle fruit, the sour tastes sweet, as if sugar has been added. That kind of magical experience is unforgettable!
  • 🍭 A natural chemical in the fruit masks the tongue sour taste buds so that lemons taste like lemonade or lemon pie, or lemon candy! The sweet sensation lasts for half an hour to a few hours.
  • 🍭 Miracle fruit berries are valued as a food supplement for chemo-therapy patients to improve the taste of food.
  • 🍭 This small, evergreen shrub grows very slowly to a height of 4-6 ft in container, and 6-10 ft in natural habitat. A 10 years old plant might be easily only 4-5 feet tall. It forms an oval to pyramidal shaped bush or small tree.
  • 🍭 Miracle fruit is a small compact bush, and can be a rewarding indoor plant. It can be grown in a 1-3 gal pot and produce most of the year. Seed to fruit in 2 to 3 years. Flower to fruit in 30 to 45 days.


📚 Learn more about Miracle fruit, its history, and how to grow it:
Everyday Miracle - Grow the Dream!

🛒 Plant your own Miracle Fruit

#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Why do we love Ground Orchids?

Ground orchids collage

Q: I need your expert advice on a low growing perennial with pretty flowers that I can plant in semi-shade close to my house. What is your favorite perennial?

A: Our most favorite bright flowering perennials are ground orchids!

Ground orchids are the easiest and most rewarding flowers for a tropical garden. They thrive in regular garden soil or potting mix, tolerate both sun and shade, and bloom nearly year-round.

Their adaptability makes them a perfect choice for any spot in the garden, whether you need to fill a sunny patch or a shaded area under trees. And look at these colors! From vibrant purples to soft pinks and yellows, ground orchids bring a splash of tropical beauty with minimal effort. Their consistent blooming makes them a must-have for gardeners seeking color all year.

Kittens with Ground 
orchids

Ground orchids video

Date:

What is the most aromatic medicinal herb

Lippia alba - Poleo, Pitiona

Lippia alba - Poleo, Pitiona

What is the most aromatic medicinal herb
  • 💮 Lippia alba - Poleo, Pitiona: this medicinal plant related to Lantana is widely cultivated in Mexico as an ornamental for its aromatic foliage and pretty white flowers.
  • 💮 The essential oil composition is unique to each plant!
  • 💮 The leaves are used for flavoring foods, such as mole sauces from Oaxaca, Mexico.
  • 💮 The plant is used medicinally for its somatic, sedative, antidepressant, and analgesic properties.
  • 💮 Leaves and roots are used to make tea or syrup for cough relief and are said to relieve symptoms from anxiety to flatulence and hypertension.


🛒 Order Lippia alba

#Food_Forest #Remedies

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