Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)

Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise

‍♀️ The plant you didn’t know you needed!

🟨 Many gardeners love and want Caesalpinia pulcherrima, the common Bird of Paradise, but Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise - is a rare treasure with a delightful twist - fragrant flowers! This hardy, drought-tolerant shrub thrives in intense heat and is perfect for small yards or patios.
🟨 During the warm months, it bursts with butter-yellow blooms that pop against feathery green foliage, attracting hummingbirds. As the flowers fade, woody pods form and snap open dramatically. It grows quickly to 10 feet and can be shaped into a small tree or kept as a compact shrub.
🟨 Native to northern Mexico, it thrives in full sun and well-drained soil with very little water. If you're looking for a low-maintenance beauty that adds both fragrance and charm, this plant is a must-have!

✨ Why should you grow Chinese keys ginger in your garden?

🟡If you're looking for a plant that offers both culinary versatility and health benefits, Boesenbergia rotunda, or Chinese Keys Ginger, or Fingerroot, is a fantastic choice.
🟡This Southeast Asian herb is known not just for its ability to spice up soups and seafood dishes, but also for its role in traditional medicine. From aiding digestion to boosting vitality and longevity, this plant brings more than just flavor to the table.
🟡Whether you're a foodie exploring new tastes or someone seeking natural wellness solutions, this unique ginger might just be the perfect addition to your garden and kitchen!

Boesenbergia rotunda, or Chinese Keys Ginger

✨ Why should you grow Chinese keys ginger in your garden?

🟡If you're looking for a plant that offers both culinary versatility and health benefits, Boesenbergia rotunda, or Chinese Keys Ginger, or Fingerroot, is a fantastic choice.
🟡This Southeast Asian herb is known not just for its ability to spice up soups and seafood dishes, but also for its role in traditional medicine. From aiding digestion to boosting vitality and longevity, this plant brings more than just flavor to the table.
🟡Whether you're a foodie exploring new tastes or someone seeking natural wellness solutions, this unique ginger might just be the perfect addition to your garden and kitchen!

Lula Avocado – The Winter Warrior of Florida

🟢 Lula is an avocado variety that's tougher than most! Known for its frost resistance, this cultivar is perfect for homeowners and gardeners in Central Florida and around Orlando. In fact, it was once the top commercial avocado in South Florida, thanks to its ability to endure chilly winters and produce heavily even when other varieties might struggle.
🟢 Lula fruits are medium to large, pear-shaped, and sometimes feature a slender neck. Their skin is smooth, with a greenish tint, enclosing pale to greenish-yellow flesh. With a 12-16% oil content, the Lula offers a creamy, rich flavor that’s a delight in guacamole or straight from the fruit. The large, tightly held seed also makes it a reliable producer, minimizing seed sprouting issues during the harvest.
🟢 The harvesting season runs from November to December, offering a long production window that stands out among other avocado varieties. Originally developed from a tree planted by Mrs. Lula Cellon in 1915 near Miami, this variety has proven its early bearing nature and heavy yields, making it ideal for both home gardeners and small orchard owners.
🟢 If you're looking for an avocado tree that thrives in Central Florida's conditions, bears flavorful fruit, and can withstand the cold, Lula is your go-to! Just give it plenty of space to grow tall and enjoy years of delicious harvests.

✨ What is the most popular fragrant Lady of the Night

Looking to add a little magic to your garden? Brunfelsia americana - Lady of the night - is all time favorite of fragrant gardens.
This Brazilian beauty isn't your ordinary shrub - it grows compact, loves partial shade, and rewards you with creamy white flowers that release their sweetest fragrance under the cover of darkness. It's like nature's way of setting the mood for evening strolls!
Plus, its blooms are irresistible to butterflies and hummingbirds, turning your garden into a lively stage.
Lady of the Night is like having a fragrant garden party that starts when the sun goes down. Low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly, and elegant - what more could you want? Whether outdoors or in, this shrub will bring charm and excitement to any space, day or night!

Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa

😊 How a fast-growing screen becomes a honey-fragrant wildlife attractor

🐝 Acacia farnesiana - Sweet Mimosa - is a delightful evergreen shrub that's as tough as it is charming!
🐝 This large, multi-stem shrub can reach 15 feet tall and wide and sports thorny branches - a real character with a wild streak! But don't let the thorns scare you off; it offers rewards aplenty.
🐝 Its canary-yellow, powder-puff flowers bloom all winter through spring, filling the air with a honey-like fragrance that attracts butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
🐝 This plant doesn't just survive - it thrives in poor soils, tolerates drought and alkaline conditions, and grows incredibly fast!
🐝 Whether you're planting it as a privacy screen or just looking for a pop of cheerful color during chilly months, this hardy shrub keeps its evergreen leaves even through cold snaps when other plants throw in the towel.
🐝 Native to Mexico and Central America, Sweet Mimosa has spread its charm far and wide, becoming popular in southern U.S. landscapes like Florida, Texas, and Arizona. It even finds use in perfume production with its flowers contributing to the fragrance known as "cassie" in Europe.
🐝 Every gardener should have this resilient plant ready to brighten the garden and attract wildlife year-round!