"/>
Index > Garden Blog

Date:

See the Difference: Grow Plants That Protect Your Vision

See the Difference: Grow Plants That Protect Your Vision
👁 See the Difference: Grow Plants That Protect Your Vision

Your eyes work hard every day - give them the nutrition they deserve!
These tropical fruits and plants are rich in Vitamin A and beta-carotene, known to support clear vision, retinal health, and even help prevent age-related eye decline. Grow them in your garden and harvest real, living eye care.


👁 Top 12 Eye-Supporting Fruit and Plants (Vitamin A - Retinol)

  • 🟡 Mango - Packed with beta-carotene, which your body converts into Vitamin A to support sharp, healthy vision.

  • 🟡 Loquat - Naturally rich in Vitamin A, known for supporting retina and eye tissue health.

  • 🟡 Papaya - A tasty source of beta-carotene, great for protecting your eyes and immune system.

  • 🟡 Carambola (Starfruit) - Offers a dose of Vitamin A, beneficial for maintaining clear eyesight.

  • 🟡 Moringa - A leafy powerhouse loaded with beta-carotene that helps support visual health.

  • 🟡 Annatto - High in carotenoids, especially bixin, which may support eye health and clarity.

  • 🟡 Annona - Contains antioxidants, including beta-carotene, to help nourish your eyes.

  • 🟡 Eugenia Cherry (Cherry of the Rio Grande, Brazilian Cherry, Surinam Cherry, Pitomba) – A sweet fruit rich in Vitamin A, promoting overall eye wellness.

  • 🟡 Peach - Supports both skin and eye health with its naturally high Vitamin A content.

  • 🟡 Peanut Butter Fruit - Contains beta-carotene, a powerful nutrient for eye and vision support.

  • 🟡 Canistel (Eggfruit) - Extremely high in beta-carotene, offering deep support for vision and skin.

  • 🟡 Dragon Fruit - Offers beta-carotene and antioxidants that may protect your retinas and night vision.


📚 Learn more about health benefits of tropical plants:
TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE - Part 1 and Part 2

🛒 Shop Vision-Boosting Plants - buy tropical fruit trees for your eye health

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Hop into Easter Week Sale - Plant Joy and Save!

Hop into Easter Week Sale - Plant Joy and Save!
🐰 Hop into Easter Week Sale - Plant Joy and Save!

  • 🐣 Happy Easter Week, Tropical Gardeners!

  • Spring is here - and so is your chance to grow your own magic. Eggs may be pricey... but guess what? You can grow your own food instead! Plant a fruit tree this Easter and watch it hatch into something better than chocolate - like juicy Mangoes, Dragon Fruits and Carambolas, sweet Papayas and Bananas, healthy Avocados and Jackfruits or your very own exotic Sugar Apples hanging from the branches!

  • 🐣 Easter is about hope, renewal, and starting fresh - just like your garden! Whether you're planting your first tree or adding a rare gem to your edible jungle, now is the perfect time.

  • 🛍 Get 15% OFF everything in our store using this code:

  • 🛍 EASTERWEEK 🛍


Min order $150, excluding S/H. Exp. Exp 4-20-25.

🐰 Hop to it! Don't put all your eggs in one basket... unless it's a basket full of fruit trees of flowering shrubs. Let's plant some hope together - one tree at a time.

🛒 Plant Your Easter Joy!

#Discounts

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Hop into Easter Week Sale - Plant Joy and Save!

Happy Easter Week, Tropical Gardeners!

Spring is here - and so is your chance to grow your own magic. Eggs may be pricey... but guess what? You can grow your own food instead! Plant a fruit tree this Easter and watch it hatch into something better than chocolate - like juicy Mangoes, Dragon Fruits and Carambolas, sweet Papayas and Bananas, healthy Avocados and Jackfruits or your very own exotic Sugar Apples hanging from the branches!

Easter is about hope, renewal, and starting fresh - just like your garden! Whether you're planting your first tree or adding a rare gem to your edible jungle, now is the perfect time. Get 15% OFF everything in our store using this code:

EASTERWEEK

Min order $150, excluding S/H. Exp. Exp 4-20-25.

Hop to it! Don't put all your eggs in one basket... unless it's a basket full of fruit trees of flowering shrubs. Let's plant some hope together - one tree at a time.

Date:

TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH

TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH
🍑 TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE, Part 2:
What fruit and edibles can help with health issues and VITAMIN deficiencies 🥑

...Continued from previous post ⤴️

7. 💅 Beauty Enhancer

(Vitamin B7 - Biotin):

Banana, Avocado, Aloe Vera, Clitoria (Butterfly Pea), Patchouli.

8.🩸Blood Builder
(Vitamin B9 - Folate):

Avocado, Guava, Papaya, Moringa, Chaya (Maya Spinach Tree), Mulberry.

9. 🦠 Immunity Booster
(Vitamin C - Ascorbic Acid):
Guava, Pineapple, Carambola, Mango, Dragon Fruit, Loquat, Longevity Spinach (Gynura), Moringa, Allspice, Camphor Tree, Bay Leaf, Yerba Mate, Cherry, Peach, Passion fruit, Mulberry, Eugenia, Cinnamon, Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper), Wiriwiri and Biquinho Pepper, Callisia fragrans (Golden Tendril).

10. Skin Shield
(Vitamin E - Tocopherol):

Avocado, Sapote, Dragon Fruit, Moringa, Patchouli, Aloe, Annatto, Camphor Tree, Callisia fragrans (Golden Tendril).

11. ❣️Clot Controller
(Vitamin K - Phylloquinol):

Moringa, Sauropus (Katuk), Chaya.

12. 🍲 Digestive Aid
(Enzymes):

Pineapple, Papaya, Ginger, Turmeric, Mango, Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Bay Leaf, Betel Leaf, Peach, Eugenia, Jackfruit, Lippia dulcis, Allspice, Lippia alba (Poleo), Wiri wiri and Biquinho Pepper, Passion fruit, Callisia fragrans (Golden Tendril).

📚 Learn more in our next posts about specific benefits of each fruit or plant...

🛒 Explore tropical fruit trees with benefits

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE, Part 2:

TROPICAL FRUIT

TROPICAL FRUIT

🍑 What fruit and edibles can help with health issues and VITAMIN deficiencies 🥑

...Continued from previous post ⤴️

7. 💅 Beauty Enhancer

(Vitamin B7 - Biotin):

Banana, Avocado, Aloe Vera, Clitoria (Butterfly Pea), Patchouli.

8.🩸Blood Builder
(Vitamin B9 - Folate):

Avocado, Guava, Papaya, Moringa, Chaya (Maya Spinach Tree), Mulberry.

9. 🦠 Immunity Booster
(Vitamin C - Ascorbic Acid):
Guava, Pineapple, Carambola, Mango, Dragon Fruit, Loquat, Longevity Spinach (Gynura), Moringa, Allspice, Camphor Tree, Bay Leaf, Yerba Mate, Cherry, Peach, Passion fruit, Mulberry, Eugenia, Cinnamon, Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper), Wiriwiri and Biquinho Pepper.

10. Skin Shield
(Vitamin E - Tocopherol):

Avocado, Sapote, Dragon Fruit, Moringa, Patchouli, Aloe, Annatto, Camphor Tree.

11. ❣️Clot Controller
(Vitamin K - Phylloquinol):

Moringa, Sauropus (Katuk), Chaya.

12. 🍲 Digestive Aid
(Enzymes):

Pineapple, Papaya, Ginger, Turmeric, Mango, Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Bay Leaf, Betel Leaf, Peach, Eugenia, Jackfruit, Lippia dulcis, Allspice, Lippia alba (Poleo), Wiri wiri and Biquinho Pepper, Passion fruit.

📚 Learn more in our next posts about specific benefits of each fruit or plant...

🛒 Explore tropical fruit trees with benefits

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE, Part 1:

🍑 What fruit and edibles can help with health issues and VITAMIN deficiencies 🥑

We've got a handy little cheat sheet to help you choose the right foods when you're low on vitamins or dealing with health issues.
Save it and give your body a tune-up!


🥗 12 powerful vitamins and their food sources
  1. 👁️ Eye Sight Protector

  2. (Vitamin A - Retinol):
    Mango, Loquat, Papaya, Carambola, Moringa, Annato, Annona, Cherries, Peach, Blueberry.

    2. ⚡ Energy Booster
    (Vitamin B1 - Thiamine):

    Jackfruit, Pineapple, Banana, Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan), Camellia sinensis (Tea plant), Coffee, Yerba Mate, Wiriwiri and Biquinho Pepper

    3. 💧 Cell Repairer
    (Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin):
    Dragon Fruit, Sapote, Avocado, Moringa

    4. ❤️ Heart Helper
    (Vitamin B3 - Niacin):

    Guava, Jackfruit, Sapodilla, Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan), Passion fruit, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Yerba Mate, Cacao, Annona, Mulberry, Cinnamon, Camellia sinensis (Tea Plant), Curry Leaf

    5. 🤯 Stress Fighter
    (Vitamin B5 - Pantothenic Acid):

    Avocado, Mango, Dragon Fruit, Camellia sinensis (Tea plant), Clitoria (Butterfly Pea), Lippia alba (Poleo)

    6. 😊 Mood Balancer
    (Vitamin B6 - Pyridoxine):
    Banana, Jackfruit, Sapote, Passion fruit, Banisteriopsis caapi (Ayahuasca), Cacao

    Continued in next post...⤵️

    🛒 Explore tropical fruit trees with benefits

    #Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

    🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Carambola Jam recipe

⭐️ Carambola Jam recipe

😁 Ingredients:

  • · 4 ripe carambolas, washed and thinly sliced
  • · 1 cup granulated sugar
  • · 1/2 cup water
  • · Juice of 1 lemon
  • · 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)


📞 Instructions:

  • · In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  • · Add the sliced carambola and ground ginger. Reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit softens and the mixture thickens.
  • · Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then transfer to sterilized jars.
  • · Refrigerate and enjoy on toast, with yogurt, or as a glaze for meats.


🎁 This simple yet unusual jam highlights carambola’s unique star shape and tangy-sweet flavor! 😏

🛒 Plant your own Carambola Tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

When young Carambola trees are covered with fruit

Carambola trees

😎 When young Carambola trees are covered with fruit

😇 Young Carambola trees, planted just last year (2024) at Top Tropicals garden, have been fruiting non-stop since fall! Though small, they’re loaded with fruit, and with so many trees, we’ve had more than we knew what to do with. So, we turned our bounty into jam - and it came out absolutely delicious! Stay tuned for the recipe in our next post. 👎

🛒 Plant your own Carambola Tree

#Food_Forest

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What trees are fruiting and blooming right now?

Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia

Photo above: Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia

Q: What tropical trees are fruiting and flowering in March?

A: There's always something blooming and fruiting, especially with spring on the way! Our garden is buzzing with bees and butterflies, and in the nursery, you'll always find plants in bloom or bearing fruit. Here are a few standout winners of the season.

Orchid Trees

Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree

Orchid trees are among the most spectacular trees in Florida, flowering from late winter through spring. They are fast-growing, not fussy about soil or water, and bloom for several weeks in a stunning display of white, purple, pink, or red flowers. In the photo: Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree - the most cold-hardy of all Bauhinias, tolerating temperatures as low as 26F. You can see them in full bloom across Florida right now!

Carambola - Star Fruit

Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)

Starfruit trees (Averrhoa carambola) have been fruiting in our garden since fall, and they just keep producing! We've had so many starfruits that we ended up making lots of jam.

Calliandra

Calliandra tweedi With Love - Red Tassel Flower

Calliandras are known to be spectacular winter bloomers, but in our garden, they seem to flower year-round. They make fantastic ever-blooming hedges or striking small specimen trees.
In the photo: red-flowering Calliandra tweedii "With Love" - Red Tassel Flower, yright now, this beautiful bush is covered in red blooms in front of our office at Sebring Farm.

Mulberry Trees

Mulberry fruit on the tree

Yes, it's Mulberry season! Some varieties have already ripened, while others are just about to. We're competing with the birds to see who gets the first fruit, but honestly, there's plenty for everyone! These trees are very cold hardy and highly productive.

Loquat Trees

Loquat tree Eriobotrya japonica

Loquat trees (Eriobotrya japonica) are loaded with fruit right now! We've started picking them and have already made some delicious preserves - you can only eat so many fresh. Loquats continue fruiting through April and May, making them one of the most rewarding, easy-to-grow, and productive fruit trees.

Tabebuia Trees

Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia, Pau DArco, Taheebo

Tabebuia trees put on a spectacular show from late winter through spring! Golden and pink Tabebuias are small, compact trees that fit any yard and deliver a breathtaking display year after year.
Check out these short videos of blooming Tabebuias:
Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia
Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia, Pau DArco, Taheebo

Date:

How many varieties of Bananas can I grow?

Bananas (Musa sp.) in containers

🍌 How many varieties of Bananas can I grow?
  • 💛 At Top Tropicals, we have a few dozen varieties of Bananas (Musa sp.) - ranging from popular commercial and plantain types to spectacular ornamental bananas with colorful, tropical foliage.
  • 💛 Banana plants are a favorite in Southern gardens, indoor plant collections, and greenhouses in cooler climates. Fast and easy to grow, they transform any space into a tropical paradise in just one season and can produce fruit for you in as little as 8–18 months after planting.
  • 💛 Bananas are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with potassium for heart health, fiber for digestion, and vitamins B6 and C for immunity. They’re a natural energy booster, great for snacks, smoothies, and even baking. Plus, their tryptophan content can improve your mood, and their low sodium helps regulate blood pressure.
  • 💛 With so many delicious and unique varieties, growing different types of bananas lets you enjoy a range of flavors, textures, and uses - whether fresh, blended, or cooked - making them a must-have in any tropical or indoor garden!


Discover the most popular edible and ornamental bananas in our next post 🔽

🎥 Banana selection today at TopTropicals farm. Come over to pick the best one!

📚 More about Banana from previous posts:

🛍 Shop Banana varieties

#Food_Forest

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals