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Why is it called Chinese Hat Flower? Winter bloomer is here!

Holmskioldia sanguinea, or Chinese Hat Flower

💍 Why is it called Chinese Hat Flower? Winter bloomer is here!
  • 👒 The Holmskioldia sanguinea, or Chinese Hat Flower, gets its charming nickname from the shape of its blooms. Each flower resembles a tiny, colorful hat or parasol, with a narrow tubular structure backed by a broad, circular calyx, giving it a "hat-like" appearance!
  • 👒 This unique form has also inspired other playful names like Cup and Saucer, Parasol Flower, and Mandarin's Hat.
  • 👒 One of the most amazing features of the Chinese Hat Flower is that it's a vibrant winter bloomer. Just when many plants are dormant, it bursts into color, brightening up gardens with its eye-catching hues.
  • 👒 The classic variety produces red blooms, but there are also rare types, including Holmskioldia citrina, which has bright yellow flowers, and a bronze variety with orange-bronze blooms. These vibrant colors make it a fantastic choice for adding a splash of color to any garden during the cooler months.
  • 👒 This scrambling shrub is not only beautiful but also hardy and fast-growing, perfect for training along trellises, fences, or arbors, where its cascading blooms can shine.
  • 👒 Besides being visually striking, the Chinese Hat Flower is a magnet for pollinators, drawing in butterflies and hummingbirds.
  • 👒 For gardeners seeking a low-maintenance, colorful plant with a tropical vibe, the Chinese Hat Flower is an ideal choice!


📸 More photos of varieties in the next post ⬇️⬇️⬇️

🛒 Shop Chinese Hat Plants

#Butterfly_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

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Date:

New variety of Sapodilla? Thai Brownie!

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

✏️ New variety of Sapodilla? Thai Brownie!
  • 🍪 Back in 2005, TopTropicals crew traveled to Thailand and discovered very interesting variety of Sapodilla at the fruit market (first pic). No one could tell us the name of this variety so we named it Brownie. We brought the seeds with us...
  • 🍪 Seven years later, we've had fruiting trees from those seeds! The fruit was even more elongated that the parent.
  • 🍪 The trees we have right now for sale are the second generation, seedlings from that original Thai Brownie. Try these for your fruit forest!
  • 🍪 The elongated fruit is small, 3-4" long, smooth pulp is very sweet.


👍 What is your favorite tropical fruit? Share in comments⬇️

🛒 Online order: Sapodilla Thai Browny, Achras (manilkara) zapota

#Food_Forest

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Date:

Soulmates

Soulmates
💞 Soulmates

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." - Emily Brontë

Share your cats in comments!
📸 🐈🐈🐈👇

🔠 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden 

#Quotes

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Date:

Why you should grow your own Pomegranate Tree: the Fruit of Miracles in your Backyard

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

🔥 Why you should grow your own Pomegranate Tree: the "Fruit of Miracles" in your Backyard.
  • ❣️ Fruit of Miracles: The Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is nutrient-packed, beautiful, and perfect fruit for backyard gardens.
  • ❣️ Health Benefits:

  • 🩸 Antioxidant Power: Fights cell-damaging free radicals.
  • 🩸 Heart Health: Lowers cholesterol, boosts blood flow, and increases hemoglobin.
  • 🩸 Blood Sugar Support: Helps regulate blood sugar and has anti-inflammatory effects.
  • 🩸 Beauty Boost: Benefits teeth, prevents hair loss, and promotes youthful skin.

  • ❣️ Seeds of Goodness: Eating the seeds supports gut health, balances hormones, and nourishes skin and blood vessels.
  • ❣️ Daily Intake: Enjoy one pomegranate or 300 ml of juice daily, ideally 30–40 minutes before meals for best digestion.
  • ❣️ Grow Your Own: Planting a pomegranate tree offers a constant supply of this health-boosting fruit right at home!


👍 Do pomegranates grow well in your area? Share in comments⬇️

📚 Learn more from previous posts:
How to open a pomegranate fruit - easy!
Healing drops of blood: why Pomegranate is a superfood

🛒 Shop Pomegranate trees

#Food_Forest #Remedies

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Date:

What is the most unusual Plumeria?

Plumeria pudica variegata - Snow Bridal Bouquet, White Arrow Leaf

Plumeria pudica variegata - Snow Bridal Bouquet, White Arrow Leaf

👽 What is the most unusual Plumeria?
  • 🍀 We have in our collection very interesting variety of Plumeria pudica from Thailand. It has variegated leaves!
  • 🍀 Plumeria pudica variegata - Snow Bridal Bouquet, or White Arrow Leaf - has variegated leaf margins.
  • 🍀 Like regular Plumeria pudica, it is evergreen, never drops leaves, and grows into a beautiful, dense multi-stem bush. Great for container culture.


🛒Order Plumeria pudica variegata - limited quantities

#Container_Garden #Nature_Wonders

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Date:

Why you should grow your own Pomegranate Tree:
The "Fruit of Miracles" in your backyard

Pomegranate tree with fruit

Pomegranates aren't just pretty to look at - they're packed with nutrients that make them a true "fruit of miracles". Adding a pomegranate tree to your garden can offer you a bountiful supply of this health-boosting superfruit and bring a bit of Mediterranean charm to your backyard.

Health Boosters in Every Bite

Pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. These nutrients work wonders for your health, from boosting hemoglobin levels to strengthening your immune system. Here's why this gem of a fruit deserves a spot in your diet (and your garden):

Antioxidant Power: Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants that fight off free radicals - those pesky molecules that can damage cells and lead to various diseases.

Heart Health Hero: They can reduce cholesterol and improve blood flow, lowering your risk of cardiovascular issues. Plus, they're known for increasing hemoglobin!

Blood Sugar Support: Pomegranate helps regulate blood sugar and offers a whole range of benefits, from diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects to even a little pain relief!

Beauty Booster: This fruit has benefits for your teeth, can help prevent hair loss, and even promotes youthful-looking skin.

Seeds of Goodness

Ever thought about tossing those pomegranate seeds? Think again! Eating the seeds can help keep your gut and hormones in check. These tiny bits are packed with oils that do wonders for your skin, blood vessels, and heart.

How often to indulge?

To enjoy the maximum benefits, you can eat one pomegranate daily or drink 300 ml of juice. Try to do this 30-40 minutes before a meal to prepare your stomach for digestion.

So, why not give this "miracle fruit" a home in your garden? You'll have a natural health booster right at your fingertips, ready to add a pop of flavor and color to your meals!

Shop Pomegranate Trees

Pomegranate tree with fruit

Date:

Mark your calendars: December 14, 2024

December 14, 2024 - SATURDAY - Holiday Plant Market

Holiday Plant Market
Saturday, December 14, 9 am - 4 pm

Save the date! Join us on December 14 for our Holiday Plant Market!

It's the perfect time to find unique holiday gifts in our Tropical Wonderland, where lush greenery and vibrant blooms replace snow. Discover a stunning variety of tropical plants, from fragrant flowering shrubs and rare vines to fruit trees and spice plants - ideal for holiday giving!

Enjoy amazing deals with plants starting at just $5 and $10, plus receive a free plant with every purchase. Our plants have grown big and beautiful over the summer. Bring friends and family to explore, and let our friendly PeopleCats help you find the perfect plants. Celebrate the season with us in full tropical style - we can't wait to see you there!

Highlights of the event:

30% OFF online prices, one day only! (excluding 15 gallon material and rare plants)
$5 and $10 plants
Raffle
Free plant with any purchase as a token of our appreciation

Event discounts valid at both locations:

Ft Myers Garden Center: 13890 Orange River, Ft Myers, FL
Sebring B-Farm: 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL

to confirm attendance
RSVP on Facebook!

Plant Market

Learn more

Holiday Plant Market Cat

Plant Market

Date:

Plants the seeds today to enjoy your fruit tomorrow

seeds of Nutmeg

seeds of Nutmeg

🍿 Plants the seeds today to enjoy your fruit tomorrow

"They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds." - Mexican Proverb
  • 📸 Mr Barcy is getting ready to plant seeds of Nutmeg


    • Share your cats in comments!
  • 📸 🐈🐈🐈👇


🔠 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden 

#Quotes

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Date:

How much water is too much?

How much water is too much?
💧 How much water is too much?

🌴 "Always over-water your plants: just improve their soil drainage!" - Murray Corman, horticulturist, rare tropical fruit tree expert.

  • 🐸 One of the most common challenges in tropical plant care, including houseplants, is overwatering, particularly in container gardening. So, how much water is too much?

  • 🐸 Surprisingly, water itself isn't harmful to plants, no matter how generous your watering is. The real issue is poor drainage, which leads to stagnation and bacterial buildup, ultimately causing root rot.

  • 🐸 If you've traveled to places like Hawaii or explored tropical jungles, you might have noticed plants thriving between rocks with minimal soil, receiving a near-constant fine mist of rain. Conversely, swamps support very few trees - only bog or water plants adapted to wet conditions can survive there. The lesson? It's not the water, it's the growing medium!

  • 🐸 The Solution: For potted plants, always use a high-quality potting mix with excellent drainage properties. This should include ample "soil conditioners" such as perlite, vermiculite, and pine bark. At our nursery, we use a professional soil mix called Abundance.

Read full article.

👍 What makes an issue for you? Over water or forgetting to water? Share in comments⬇️

📚 Learn more about potting soil

🛒 Shop soil mixes

#How_to

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Date:

Six colorful plants for your indoor garden

Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather

Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather

Anthurium vittarifolium - Long Leaf Anthurium

Anthurium vittarifolium - Long Leaf Anthurium

Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant, Phaya-Yor

Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant, Phaya-Yor

Aeschynanthus speciosus - Lipstick Plant

Aeschynanthus speciosus - Lipstick Plant

Tibouchina multiflora (grandifolia) - Glory bush, Quaresmeira

Tibouchina multiflora (grandifolia) - Glory bush, Quaresmeira

Calathea zebrina - Zebra Plant

Calathea zebrina - Zebra Plant

🌈 Six colorful plants for your indoor garden

🎶 Q: I've read your post about growing tropicals indoors and you got me inspired! Can you recommend something unusual, colorful and bright, preferably with flowers, that I can grow as house plants?

🌸 A: House plants don't have to be boring and just green! Below are a few excellent choices for your indoor garden that will brighten your sunroom. Just make sure to follow the 10 key tips for growing tropical plants indoors.
  1. Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather - spectacular red feathery blooms and and soft, fussy leaves.
  2. Anthurium vittarifolium - Long Leaf Anthurium - super rare, an eye stopper, with long leaves up to 2 ft long, and bright pink fruit.
  3. Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant, Phaya-Yor - exotic flower from Thailand resembling snake's open mouth.
  4. Aeschynanthus speciosus - Lipstick Plant - popular house plant with bright showy orange blooms.
  5. Tibouchina multiflora (grandifolia) - Glory bush, Quaresmeira - can be grown outside in Southern gardens, as well as in a pot indoors. Showy purple flowers, velvet leaves are wonderfully soft 6-8" in diameter!
  6. Calathea zebrina - Zebra Plant - the brightest zebra-striped large leaves up to 1 ft long.


    7. 👍 What flowering plants do you grow in shade? Share in comments⬇️

    🛒 Shop indoor garden

    #Container_Garden

    🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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