Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Chaya's health benefits: a must-have tropical leafy vegetable for sustainable gardening. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

🌱 Chaya's health benefits: a must-have tropical leafy vegetable for sustainable gardening

  • 🌿 What is Chaya?

Β· Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) is a little-known, nutrient-packed leafy green.
  • Β· It is a small perennial tree or shrub, native to the Yucatan Peninsula.
  • Β· Also known as Maya Spinach, Kikilchay, or Chaykeken.
  • Β· Younger leaves and stems are used like spinach: cooked and served with oil or butter.

  • 🌿 Health Benefits:

Β· Rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A & C.
  • Β· Aids digestion, improves circulation, and supports lactation.
  • Β· Used in folk medicine for diabetes, high blood pressure, and anemia.

  • 🌿 Important Tip:

Β· Always cook the leaves (boil for 10-15 minutes) to neutralize toxins and make them safe to eat.

  • 🌿 Growing Chaya:

Β· Fast-growing perennial, thriving in full sun to partial shade.
  • Β· Perfect for food forests or backyard gardens.
  • Β· Propagate easily from 6-12 inch stem cuttings and make more to eat!
  • Β· Can grow up to 6-8 feet tall and be continuously harvested with proper care.


🌿 Garden Benefits:
  • Β· Pretty white flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
  • Β· Resilient to drought and thrives in various soil types. Heat and cold tolerant.


πŸ›’ Start growing your Chaya today for a sustainable garden!

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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Chaya's health benefits: a must-have tropical leafy vegetable for sustainable gardening. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Chaya, Maya Spinach, Kikilchay, Chaykeken - Cnidoscolus aconitifolius

🌱 Chaya's health benefits: a must-have tropical leafy vegetable for sustainable gardening
  • 🌿 What is Chaya?

Β· Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) is a little-known, nutrient-packed leafy green.
  • Β· It is a small perennial tree or shrub, native to the Yucatan Peninsula.
  • Β· Also known as Maya Spinach, Kikilchay, or Chaykeken.
  • Β· Younger leaves and stems are used like spinach: cooked and served with oil or butter.

  • 🌿 Health Benefits:

Β· Rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A & C.
  • Β· Aids digestion, improves circulation, and supports lactation.
  • Β· Used in folk medicine for diabetes, high blood pressure, and anemia.

  • 🌿 Important Tip:

Β· Always cook the leaves (boil for 10-15 minutes) to neutralize toxins and make them safe to eat.
  • 🌿 Growing Chaya:

Β· Fast-growing perennial, thriving in full sun to partial shade.
  • Β· Perfect for food forests or backyard gardens.
  • Β· Propagate easily from 6-12 inch stem cuttings and make more to eat!
  • Β· Can grow up to 6-8 feet tall and be continuously harvested with proper care.


🌿 Garden Benefits:
  • Β· Pretty white flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
  • Β· Resilient to drought and thrives in various soil types. Heat and cold tolerant.


πŸ›’ Start growing your Chaya today for a sustainable garden!

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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The Most Fragrant Medicinal Herb You'll Ever Grow! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Lippia alba - Poleo, Pitiona

❀️‍� The Most Fragrant Medicinal Herb You'll Ever Grow!
  • 🌱 Just brushing past it releases a wave of spicy, citrusy fragrance - Lippia alba, also known as Poleo or Pitiona, is an herb garden must-have. Fast-growing, drought-tough, flood-friendly, and practically indestructible - it thrives where other plants fail!
  • 🌱 HELTH BENEFITS OF POLEO - LIPPIA ALBA

  • 🌿 Crush a leaf - instantly uplifting aroma! Close relative of popular Lantana but with much better scent.
  • 🌿 Grows into a lush, dense groundcover with dainty pink blooms
  • 🌿 Used in traditional Oaxacan cooking - especially mole sauces
  • 🌿 Leaves and roots make teas and syrups for cough, anxiety, digestion, and more
  • 🌿 Known for sedative, antidepressant, and analgesic effects
  • 🌿 Each plant has a unique essential oil profile!


🌱 Whether you’re into healing herbs, culinary magic, or just want the best-smelling plant in your garden - this is it.

πŸ›’ Bring Home Nature’s Most Fragrant Medicine!

πŸ“š Learn more:
What is the most aromatic medicinal herb

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover #Hedges_with_benefits

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How to Grow Your Own Cinnamon Tree Spice and Health Right by the Kitchen. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum), young leaves

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum), young leaves

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum), flowers

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum), flowers

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum)

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum)

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum), balk and leaves

Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum), balk and leaves

🏺 How to Grow Your Own Cinnamon Tree – Spice and Health Right by the Kitchen
  • 🌿 The Cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum aromaticum or zeylanicum), is an easy, fast-growing tropical plant that thrives in pots, making it perfect for patios, balconies, or even sunny indoor spaces.
  • 🌿 It naturally grows compact and bushy, so it's great for container gardeners - even those outside the tropics.
  • 🌿 You don't need to wait years for fruit - because cinnamon is the bark and the leaves!
  • 🌿 Once your tree is established, you can begin gently harvesting bark and fragrant leaves. Both parts of the plant are bursting with that signature warm aroma. Use the bark as a spice in baking, curries, or mulled drinks, and steep the leaves in teas or add them to savory dishes.
  • 🌿 Cinnamon has been treasured for over 4,000 years. Ancient Egyptians used it in rituals, and Roman emperors burned it at funerals to show wealth - it was once worth more than gold. Its value helped drive global trade and exploration.
  • 🌿 Today, cinnamon is celebrated not just for its flavor, but also its health benefits. It may help lower blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and fight bacteria and fungi. It's even linked to improved memory and brain function! The tree's powerful scent comes from cinnamaldehyde, a natural compound with medicinal properties.
  • 🌿 Two main types of cinnamon:

🟀 Cassia Cinnamon – stronger, spicier, and most common in supermarkets
🟀 Ceylon Cinnamon – milder and sweeter, often called "true cinnamon"

🌿 In short: With a cinnamon tree near your kitchen, you’re not just growing a plant - you're growing a spice, a medicine, a piece of world history, and a daily source of joy!

πŸ›’Start growing yours today - fresh, homegrown cinnamon is truly the spice of life!

πŸ“š Lean more from previous posts:

#Food_Forest #How_to #Remedies

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Fuel Your Day Naturally: Grow Plants That Boost Your Energy. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Tropical fruit that boost energy

Tropical fruit that boost energy

⚑️ Fuel Your Day Naturally: Grow Plants That Boost Your Energy

Feeling tired, sluggish, or mentally foggy? Your garden can be your energy station!
These tropical fruits and edibles are rich in Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), natural caffeine, and metabolism-enhancing compounds that help convert food into fuel, power your body, and sharpen your mind - naturally and sustainably.

⚑️ Top 9 Energy-Supporting Plants (Vitamin B1 - Thiamine):
  • 🟑 Jackfruit - A delicious tropical source of vitamin B1, supporting energy production and nervous system function.
  • 🟑 Pineapple - Contains thiamine, essential for turning food into usable energy.
  • 🟑 Banana - Supplies vitamin B1 and quick-access natural sugars, ideal for an energy lift.
  • 🟑 Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) - A protein-rich edible legume packed with thiamine to aid in energy metabolism.
  • 🟑 Camellia sinensis (Tea Plant) - Leaves used to brew green and black tea, combining caffeine with L-theanine to promote sustained mental energy.
  • 🟑 Coffee - One of nature's most famous energy boosters - grown from a beautiful tropical tree.
  • 🟑 Yerba Mate - A South American favorite for mental clarity and physical stamina - with natural caffeine and nutrients.
  • 🟑 Wiri wiri and Biquinho Peppers - These fiery little peppers are rich in capsaicin, which may help boost metabolism, burn fat, and enhance overall energy levels.
  • 🟑 Macadamia Nut - Loaded with thiamine (B1) and healthy fats that support nervous system function and long-lasting energy.


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

πŸ›’ Shop Energy-Boosting Plants for Natural Energy

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies #Bananas

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Legendary healing at your fingertips: how to grow Golden Tendril as houseplant or ground cover. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Callisia fragrans, Golden Tendril

🌱 Legendary healing at your fingertips: how to grow Golden Tendril as houseplant or ground cover
  • 🌱 This isn't just a pretty plant - it's a European household remedy, treasured for generations! Callisia fragrans, known as Golden Tendril, is packed with natural compounds that support digestion, immunity, skin health, and respiratory relief.
  • 🌱 And now - the rare Variegated Golden Tendril is available too - Callisia fragrans x soconuscensis Melnikoff. With stunning striped leaves, it's a true collector's gem with the same powerful health benefits.
  • 🌱 It's easy to grow, fast, fragrant, and even edible. Grows beautifully indoors or out, in baskets, containers, or as groundcover, and needs very little water or care. Tolerates sun or shade, very low maintenance.
  • 🌱 Clusters of dazzling white blooms hover above the plant like a cloud of shimmering lace - soft, fragrant, and so enchanting, they look like they were stitched from moonlight!
  • 🌱 HEALTH BENEFITS OF GOLDEN TENDRIL PLANT:

  • βœ… Improves digestion and helps regulate metabolism
  • βœ… Boosts circulation and supports heart and immune health
  • βœ… Supports respiratory health – used traditionally for asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia
  • βœ… Antibacterial action – research shows it inhibits Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, common causes of respiratory infections
  • βœ… Relieves stomach pain, ulcers, nausea, and diarrhea
  • βœ… Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties for joint pain, burns, and skin conditions
  • βœ… Skin protection and healing – antioxidant compounds defend against UV and free-radical damage. Poultice from rhizomes – used for boils and abscesses in folk medicine
  • βœ… Topical use – leaves are used for insect bites, skin diseases, and minor wounds


πŸ›’ Grow your own natural remedy. Legendary plant. Legendary benefits.

πŸ“š Learn more about Golden Tendril:
Callisia fragrans, Golden Tendril - Holistic Medicinal Plant

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies #Shade_Garden #Container_Garden

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See the Difference: Grow Plants That Protect Your Vision. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

See the Difference: Grow Plants That Protect Your Vision
πŸ‘ 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.

πŸ‘ 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.


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

πŸ›’ Shop Vision-Boosting Plants - buy tropical fruit trees for your eye health

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

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Why do the Chinese drink tea? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why do the Chinese drink tea?
🌱 Why do the Chinese drink tea?

  • πŸƒ It actually has to do with the Chinese theory of the five elements - wood, metal, fire, water, and earth:

木 金 火 ζ°΄ 土

  • πŸƒ Tea comes from a plant - Camellia sinensis - the Tea Leaf Tree - that is used to make all true teas: green, black, white, and oolong. The Tea Tree contains the element of wood (木) 🌳

  • πŸƒ When it's roasted in a cast-iron pan, it gains the element of metal (金)

  • πŸƒ Then it's dried over fire, adding the element of fire (火) πŸ”₯

  • πŸƒ When it's brewed with boiling water, the element of water enters (ζ°΄) πŸ’¦

  • πŸƒ Finally, tea is poured into a clay vessel, symbolizing the element of earth (土) 🍯

  • πŸƒ In this way, all five elements - wood, metal, fire, water, and earth - come together in a single cup.

  • πŸƒ The plant grows slowly and can thrive in containers or frost-free gardens with sun to semi-shade.


πŸ›’ Grow your own tea

πŸ“šLearn more from previous posts:
Tea facts
How to grow your own tea?
Where does the tea come from?
Instructions how to make tea from tea leaves (PDF)

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Fun_facts

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Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 2. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba

Turmeric (Curcuma)

Turmeric (Curcuma)

Moringa

Moringa

Piper betle (Betel Leaf)

Piper betle (Betel Leaf)

Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper Leaf)

Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper Leaf)

Coconut tree with fruit

Coconut tree with fruit

Longevity Spinach

Longevity Spinach

Katuk

Katuk

Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 2

Memory & Cognitive Support (Brain Boosters)
Edible Plants and Herbs:

Continued from previous post ‴️
  • 🟑 Ginkgo Biloba - Improves blood flow to the brain, supports memory and concentration.
  • 🟑 Turmeric (Curcuma) - Contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound shown to protect neurons and boost memory.
  • 🟑 Moringa - Loaded with antioxidants, may protect brain cells and support cognitive function.
  • 🟑 Piper betle (Betel Leaf) - Traditionally used as a mild stimulant. Contains compounds that may improve alertness and support mental clarity.
  • 🟑 Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper Leaf) - Used in traditional medicine for anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.
  • 🟑 Coconut Oil - Contains MCTs, which may fuel brain cells directly, especially beneficial in age-related cognitive decline.
  • 🟑 Cinnamon - is inked to improved memory and brain function. The tree's powerful scent comes from cinnamaldehyde, a natural compound with medicinal properties.
  • 🟑 Green Leafy Vegetables (like Longevity Spinach and Katuk) - High in folate, vitamin K, and lutein, all linked to better memory and reduced cognitive aging.


πŸ›’ Give your brain what it craves, shop tropical brain boosters: Fruit Trees & Herbal Plants

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 1. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Blueberries

Blueberries

Avocado

Avocado

Red Banana

Red Banana

Papaya

Papaya

Pineapple

Pineapple

Amlak (Indian Gooseberry)

Amlak (Indian Gooseberry)

Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters - Part 1

Want to stay sharp, focused, and energized - naturally?
Don't just eat smart - plant smart. These tropical fruits and herbs aren't just delicious - they're packed with memory-boosting, focus-enhancing, and brain-protecting compounds. When you grow them in your own garden, you're building a personal pharmacy of mental clarity and cognitive power. No pills. No plastic bottles. Just real plants with real benefits, right outside your door.

Memory & Cognitive Support (Brain Boosters)
Tropical Fruits:
  • 🟑 Blueberries – Rich in flavonoids and antioxidants; support memory and cognitive performance (Note: not tropical, but widely grouped due to powerful brain benefits).
  • 🟑 Avocado – High in monounsaturated fats, supports healthy blood flow to the brain.
  • 🟑 Banana – Contains vitamin B6 and potassium, essential for neurotransmitter function.
  • 🟑 Papaya – High in antioxidants and vitamin C, may protect brain cells from oxidative stress.
  • 🟑 Pineapple – Contains bromelain and vitamin C, which may reduce inflammation and support brain health.
  • 🟑 Amla (Indian Gooseberry) – One of the richest natural sources of vitamin C. Used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance memory, focus, and longevity. Acts as a neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and adaptogen.


Edible Plants and Herbs: continued in next post ‡️

πŸ›’ Give your brain what it craves, shop tropical brain boosters: Fruit Trees & Herbal Plants

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Bananas #Discover

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