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Index > Garden Blog

Date:

What is the Secret of how to Make Vanilla Orchid bloom?

Vanilla Bean Orchid climbing a tree

😱 What is the Secret of how to Make Vanilla Orchid bloom? Let it climb!
  • ✨ Check out this Vanilla Bean Orchid thriving at TopTropicals! It's happily climbing a tree, gripping the bark tightly with its aerial roots.
  • ✨ Here's the scoop: Vanilla orchids won't bloom until they start climbing and feel securely attached to something strong.
  • ✨ If you are growing Vanilla in a pot, no worries - just add a small log or a burlap-covered board. This clever hack gives your vanilla the "solid ground" it craves, and soon enough, it'll reward you with blooms and vanilla beans! 🫘


📚 Learn more:
Where does Vanilla come from? How to grow your own Vanilla Beans.
Vanilla - The Most Versatile Orchid

📱 How to produce my own vanilla: secrets of Vanilla pollination
Vanilla dillioniana - The Biggest Vanilla Orchid in 100 Gal Pot

🛒
Shop Vanilla Bean Orchids

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Date:

How to take care of house plants in Winter

Indoor House plants

Indoor House plants

🎩 How to take care of house plants in Winter

💡 Let There Be (Enough) Light!
Shorter days mean less light. Move plants closer to windows but avoid freezing drafts.

🚽 Water, but Sparingly
Overwatering is a winter no-no. Check soil dryness before watering—your plants won’t mind a little thirst.

🌈 Humidity is Happiness
Dry air isn't their friend. Use a humidifier or group plants together for a moisture boost.

👀 Wise Snacks
Use only amindo-acid based liquid Fertilizer in winter, like Sunshine Boosters. Let plants take their seasonal nap from dry plant food.

🤗 Keep It Cozy
Protect plants from cold windows and heat vents - consistent warmth is key.

🍀 Dust Those Leaves
Clean leaves help plants soak in the limited light. They'll thank you with a brighter look!

🌱 Your plants may slow down for winter, but with a little care, they’ll thrive until spring!

🛒 Shop Indoor Garden

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Date:

Are you tired of boring office plants?

ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

🏕 Are you tired of boring office plants?
  • 💤 Tired of boring office plants? Try the ZZ Plant! This ancient beauty, nicknamed the Aroid Palm, is anything but ordinary. Its thick glossy leaves make it a bold statement piece, miles ahead of a common Ficus or Dieffenbachia.
  • 💤 The ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) isn't just stylish - it's tough. This drought-tolerant wonder thrives on negleform new plants all on their own, a quirky trick unique to this ancient relic. And its very shade-tolerant, so you can place it in pretty much any spot except a closet...
  • 💤 Easy care, jaw-dropping looks, and an air of mystery - the ZZ Plant is the ultimate pick to upgrade your workspace vibe!


📚 Check out the black leaf variety Zamioculcas x Black Dragon - Black ZZ Plant that we mentioned earlier:
Black-black-black plant! It's totally black, that's right!

🛒 Shop ZZplants

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How to harvest and eat Monstera Ice Cream

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Variegated Swiss Cheese Plant leaves

Monstera deliciosa - Variegated Swiss Cheese Plant leaves

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit and flower

Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant fruit and flower

🍨How to harvest and eat Monstera Ice Cream
  • 🍀 Monstera deliciosa - Swiss Cheese Plant - is a stunning jungle climber from Mexico and Guatemala celebrated for its dramatic, perforated leaves and delectable tropical fruit.
  • 🍀 Known for its large, fenestrated leaves with oblong or oval perforations, giving it the nickname "Swiss Cheese Plant."
  • 🍀 In its natural habitat, seedlings grow toward darkness until they locate a tree, then climb toward the light.
  • 🍀 Fruits begin appearing about three years after planting. The 9-inch, green, cone-like fruit ripens over a year, its scales separating to reveal sweet, creamy white pulp.
  • 🍀 Tastes like a mix of pineapple, sugar apple and ice cream with a strong tropical aroma.
  • 🍀 The fruit must be ripe to eat, as unripe pulp contains oxalic acid, which irritates the mouth and throat. To ripen, pick when the base wrinkles slightly, then wrap in a bag. When the scales loosen, it’s ready to eat. Rinse off black specks before eating.
  • 🍀 Spectacular variety Thai Constellation is a stunning variegated form with cream-and-green marbled leaves, has become a collector's dream. Specimens can sell for thousands of dollars, making it one of the most sought-after houseplants.


🛒 Shop Monstera plants

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Date:

How to get an unusual showy foliage plant for tropical look

Osmoxylon lineare, or variegated Miagos bush (Golden Feather)

🌴 How to get an unusual showy foliage plant for tropical look
  • 🍀 Osmoxylon lineare, or variegated Miagos bush (Golden Feather), is a small, ornamental shrub native to Southeast Asia and the Philippines.
  • 🍀 This rare variegated variety from Thailand has beautiful unusual foliage: dark green variegated with gold.
  • 🍀 Growing to about 2-4 feet tall, it features striking foliage with an exotic, bamboo-like appearance, making it an eye-catching addition to a Southern garden or indoor space.
  • 🍀 This hardy plant requires little care but thrives with regular moisture and warmth. It tolerates a range of light conditions from full sun to semi-shade and prefers frost-free temperatures. Although frost may cause some damage, it can tolerate brief exposures to temperatures in the 30s F.


🛒 Order Osmoxylon

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Date:

Does Red flowering banana produce fruit?

Musa coccinea - Scarlet Red Flowering Banana

Musa coccinea - Scarlet Red Flowering Banana

💄 Does Red flowering banana produce fruit?
  • 🌷 Musa coccinea - Scarlet Red Flowering Banana - is a rare, small size tropical banana tree native to China and Vietnam, known for its vibrant red flower bracts that surround delicate yellow blooms.
  • 🌷 With glossy, dark green leaves resembling classic banana foliage, this plant makes a striking addition to a rare plant collection.
  • 🌷 Although it doesn't produce edible bananas, it grows small orange fruits that enhance its ornamental appeal.
  • 🌷 The plant's pseudostems die back after flowering, but new shoots (banana pups) emerge from the roots, ensuring its continued growth.
  • 🌷 Compact and easy to grow, it's perfect for small gardens, pots, or as a colorful indoor arrangement.


🛒 Order Scarlet Red Flowering Banana

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Is Sapphire Gem really a ginger?

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

💎 Is Sapphire Gem really a ginger?
  • 💎 Despite its name, Blue Ginger is not a true ginger but a member of the Commelinaceae family, closely related to the well-known Tradescantia houseplants.
  • 💎 Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem is a clump-forming perennial enchants with its deep sapphire-blue blooms - a rare and striking color for the tropics.
  • 💎 Growing 2-5 feet tall, it features dark green stems with leopard-like spots at the leaf axils and shiny, horizontally held foliage.
  • 💎 Native to Brazil and Peru, Blue Ginger thrives in semi-shade or partial shade with moist, well-draining soil, making it an ideal addition to shade gardens, patios, or indoor collections.
  • 💎 Its vibrant blue, lavender, or purple flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, creating a lively display.
  • 💎 In warm climates it remains evergreen and can tolerate brief dips into the low 30s. In cooler regions, it grows beautifully in pots and can be overwintered indoors in a cool, bright location. For best results, keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, maintain good air circulation, and fertilize moderately during the growing season.
  • 💎 In warm environment, the plant is evergreen and doesn't go dormant (unlike true gingers). Close relative - Dichorisandra pendula - Weeping Blue Ginger


🛒 Get your own Exclusive Christmas Colorama

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

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Date:

What is the most excusive tropical Christmas flower?

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

🎄 What is the most excusive tropical Christmas flower?
  • 🎅 A festive showstopper, Ruellia colorata, known as Colorama, is a rare and vibrant addition to exotic container plant collection. Its brilliant scarlet bracts color up for Christmas and stay bright carmine for several months.
  • 🎅 Native to Brazil, this small plant grows 2-4 feet tall, displaying brilliant scarlet bracts and crimson flowers that stay bright for months, adding a touch of holiday cheer.
  • 🎅 One of Colorama's most striking features is its photoperiodic response: the top leaves turn crimson red around Christmas time due to changes in daylight length, much like the beloved Poinsettia. After winter, these leaves return to green, keeping the plant lively and versatile year-round.

  • Photoperiodism is the process where plants respond to the length of day and night, triggering changes such as leaf coloration or flowering.
  • 🎅 Its blooms are a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds, making it a favorite for wildlife enthusiasts.
  • 🎅 Colorama thrives in shady to semi-shady spots and requires regular watering to stay lush and healthy. It's perfect for USDA zones 9-11 but can also be grown in colder regions if protected from frost. For winter care in cooler climates, move it indoors or to a warm area to keep this stunning beauty happy and blooming.
  • 🎅 When grown in pots, ensure good drainage, use rich organic soil, and place the plant in a bright location.
  • 🎅 Prune twice a year to maintain its compact, bushy shape, and fertilize with a flowering fertilizer once established.


🛒 Get your own Exclusive Christmas Colorama

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Date:

Why is it called Blood Feather?

Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather

Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather

🪶 Why is it called Blood Feather?
  • 🩸A true gem for tropical plant enthusiasts, Sanchezia stenomacra - Blood Red Feather - is a rare and stunning perennial.
  • 🩸Native to the jungles of Peru, it thrives in humid environments with filtered light, making it perfect for lush, shaded spots in your garden, greenhouse or indoor plant collection.
  • 🩸Its striking blood-red flowers, shaped like delicate feathers, add a bold splash of color and are irresistible to hummingbirds. Feathery burgundy-red plumes rise above the deep green foliage and last for weeks. The true flowers are orange-red and tubular, emerging from the wispy flower heads day after day.
  • 🩸Upright, vigorous grower. When plants become too large, they can take a hard pruning and quickly recover and re-flower. Flowering continuously throughout the year, it even does well under partial sun.
  • 🩸A rare find for private collections, this showy plant is sure to become a centerpiece of your tropical paradise.


🛒 Order Blood Red Feather Sanchezia

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Does Queen of the Night bloom only one night out of the year?

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night

🪩 Does Queen of the Night bloom only one night out of the year?
  • 💎 Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night, is a captivating cactus famous for its nocturnal, powerfully fragrant blooms!
  • 💎 Native to tropical rainforests, it thrives as an exotic houseplant with its wide, fleshy leaves.
  • 💎 This plant earns its royal title by producing stunning, large white fragrant flowers that open only at night, creating a spectacular and fleeting display of beauty.
  • 💎 Each flower lasts only one night, but if you missed it - no worries! New blooms will follow from multiple buds. So you actually will have several nights to enjoy it!
  • 💎 A must-have for those who love unique and fragrant indoor plants.


🛒 Order Queen of the Night

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