🦣 How can you use Elephant Ears?

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  🟢 Alocasias and Colocasias, or Elephant Ears, are both remarkable and popular plants that can bring a touch of tropical elegance to any garden.
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  🟢 Striking Foliage: large, lush foliage. The leaves can be enormous, resembling the shape of elephant ears, hence the common name. The foliage is usually rich green, but there are also varieties with hues of purple, black, or variegated patterns. These vibrant leaves create a dramatic focal point.
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  🟢 Tropical Aesthetic: large, architectural leaves add a sense of drama and create a stunning backdrop for other plants.
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  🟢 Versatility: work well in containers, making them suitable for patio gardens. In larger landscapes, colocasias and alocasias can be planted directly in the ground, either as standalone specimens or as part of mixed border plantings. They can also be utilized around water features or in bog gardens since they enjoy moist conditions.
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  🟢 Low Maintenance: thrive in full to partial shade. Regular watering and occasional fertilization will help them grow vigorously.
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  🟢 Impressive Size: Some varieties can grow several feet tall, creating a stunning vertical element in the garden.

📸 Colocasia esculenta Jacks Giant: This astonishing elephant ear is well-named, it really does look like something that would grow for the giant! The foliage is absolutely massive, many feet long and wide, with a glossy texture, prominent ribbing, and a rich blue-green cast that lightens to chartreuse around the edges.

📚 Learn more from previous posts:
What to plant by the pond?
Pharaoh Mask with stunning 3D effect
Mojito Elephant Ears
Colocasia vs Alocasia - what is the difference?

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🐶 A treat for Avocado lovers 🐶

"Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." - Adelle Davis

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  📸 Sunshine is NOT sharing with her Mom (Mango) her delicious Avocado that she just harvested from our garden. Even Philemon the Cat knows that Avocado is good for you!


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❓ What is Curry made of? 🍛

• 🌿 Murraya koenigii - Curry Leaf - is the Flavor Powerhouse!
• 🌿 Curry leaf, also known as curry patta, is a beloved ingredient in Indian kitchens, prized for its aromatic, oil-rich leaves.
• 🌿 These tiny green leaves bring a burst of flavor to dishes, often used fresh or quickly fried in butter or oil to unlock their full potential. In some recipes, they are toasted or oven-dried just before use for an extra punch.
• 🌿 Traditionally, curry leaves are enjoyed by diabetics in southern India for their health benefits.
• 🌿 The plant also graces you with small, fragrant white flowers, followed by showy purple fruit - making it as delightful to the nose as it is to the taste buds!

🛒 Grow your own Curry Leaf

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🦞 Lobster Claw - Simply Spectacular!

🦞 Heliconia rostrata - Lobster Claw. This exotic plant makes a bold statement with its parrot-like blooms. The colorful, dangling flowers last long and are perfect for bouquets. Growing up to 7 feet tall, it thrives in large pots or tropical landscapes, handling temperatures in the high 20s. Just give it room to stretch those stalks!

📚 Learn more from previous post:
How to grow Lobster Claw

🛒 Plant Lobster Claw

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💵 What you think, you become

"What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create." - Buddha

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😍 How to make exotic Canistel Egg Fruit Custard - Recipe

Want to surprise your guests with an exotic tropical treat at your holiday dinner? Try this Canistel Egg Fruit Custard - a creamy dessert infused with the sweet richness of canistel, a dash of lime, and a hint of cinnamon!

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  📌 Ingredients:


3/4 cup ripe Canistel, mashed
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups milk (scalded)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
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  📌 Directions:

1. Beat eggs lightly. Stir in sugar, fruit & lime, salt & cinnamon.
2. Add hot milk slowly, while stirring. Pour into buttered custard cups.
3. Set in pan of hot water about 1 inch deep.
4. Bake at 350F about 30-40 minutes, until custard is done.

And at last but not least, Canistel is a sweet treat: Canistel Custard!

📚 Learn more about Canistel Egg Fruit
10 Health Benefits of Canistel Fruit
Pouteria campechiana - Canistel, the curious heart-shaped Egg Super-Fruit

🛒 Order Canistel Egg Fruit Tree

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🐾 I am happy where I belong

"I long to be at home wherever I find myself." - Maya Angelou

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⭐️ Why is it called Star Apple?

• 🍏 Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) - do not confuse with Start Fruit (Carambola) - is hard to find exotic fruit tree.
• 🍏 It is a favorite in the Caribbean and Central America as well as Southeast Asia.
• 🍏 The fruit has a mild grape-like flavor, and is best eaten fresh.
• 🍏 Inside the fruit looks like a star when cut across!

🛒 Plants Caimito Star Apple

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🧙‍♀️ 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!

🛒 Plant Mexican Bird of Paradise

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✨ 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!

📚 Learn also from previous post:
Most interesting edible gingers

🛒 Plant Chinese Keys Ginger

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