Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date:

Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History
🐾 Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History

  • 🐾 What is your favorite place in Florida?

    • Ours is Florida Keys! And what is our favorite place in Florida Keys? Hemingway Museum with Six-Toed Cats!

  • 🐾 Six-toed cats, also known as polydactyl cats, are a unique genetic trait that makes their paws look like they're wearing mittens - sometimes even with a "thumb." Most commonly, they have extra toes on their front paws, though some may have them on their back feet too.

  • 🐾 Ernest Hemingway’s home is famous for housing about 40-50 polydactyl cats, all descendants of a white six-toed cat named Snow White, a gift from a ship captain. The polydactyl gene is passed down, so even cats with the usual number of toes can have six-toed kittens.

  • 🐾 Polydactyl cats can appear in many breeds - Tabbies, Tortoiseshells, Calicos, and more. They're found in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but they share one fascinating feature: extra toes!

  • 🐾 True to Hemingway’s tradition, all of the museum's cats are named after famous people. These cats aren't just cute - they’re smart and can learn to respond to their names, making them extra special!

  • 🐾 So next time you see a six-toed cat, remember you're looking at a piece of literary history with a bit of extra "paw-some" charm!


📚 Learn more:
Hemingway's six-toed cats

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Fun_facts

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What's inside this bumpy Annona fruit? Delicious Health benefits! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Annona squamosa - Sugar Apple, Sweetsop

🎃 What's inside this bumpy Annona fruit? Delicious Health benefits!
  • 🍏 Annona squamosa - Sugar Apple or Sweetsop, is not related to Apple at all; in fact it's in the same family with Ylang Ylang perfume trees - Annonaceae!
  • 🍏 Sugar Apple is considered by many to be the most delicious tropical fruit. The fruit is a true treat, with pulp that resembles creamy custard, offering a flavor experience that's hard to beat. Some cultivars like Vietnam Sugar Apple Nadi - have pulp virtually melting in your mouth!
  • 🍏 Sugar Apple tree starts fruiting within 3 years from seed and has compact growth habit, making it ideal for small gardens and containers. Beyond its delightful flavor and ornamental appeal, this fruit offers a variety of health benefits:

· Digestive Aid: High fiber promotes digestion and alleviates constipation.
  • · Antioxidant Properties: Combats oxidative stress, reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
  • · Mood Enhancement: Vitamin B6 boosts mood and helps fight depression.
  • · Eye Health: Rich in vitamin A, supports healthy vision.
  • · Blood Pressure Regulation: Potassium and magnesium help regulate blood pressure.
  • · Skin Health: Antioxidants protect skin from oxidative damage.
  • · Weight Management: Low in calories, high in fiber, promotes satiety.
  • · Immune Support: Vitamin C boosts the immune system.
  • · Anti-inflammatory: Reduces inflammation linked to chronic conditions.


📚 More about Annonas:

🛒 Plant

#Food_Forest #Discover

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

A French Emperor's Hat Blooming in Your Garden? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

A French Emperors Hat Blooming in Your Garden?

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

🎩 A French Emperor's Hat Blooming in Your Garden?
  • 🎩 Napoleon's Hat (Napoleonaea imperialis), a unique and charming plant that's sure to stand out in your garden!
  • 🎩 Napoleon's Hat lives up to its name with large, saucer-shaped flowers that bloom straight from the leaf axils or even directly from the trunk! Talk about making a statement.
  • 🎩 The hat-shaped, brightly colored flowers smell like butterscotch! Yes, your garden will smell like a candy shop🍬
  • 🎩 It's Kola's Cousin! The reddish seeds resemble kola nuts and even have a similar taste, giving you a fun, "false kola" experience.
  • 🎩 An instant conversation starter, Napoleon's Hat is a quirky, fragrant addition to your garden - perfect for those looking for something a little different.


🛒 Plant Napoleon's Hat and show off with the most bizarre flower!

#Fun_facts #Trees #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Flower of Dinosaurs. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Magnolia flower and a cat

Magnolia flower and a cat

Date:

Smell the Little Gem. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia

💎 Smell the Little Gem

🕊 Get up close with the Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia - its huge, creamy white petals look like sculpted wax, and the scent is fresh, lemony, and unforgettable!

📚 Learn more:

🛒 Plant the Iconic Southern Magnolia

#Perfume_Plants #Trees

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

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?

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

  • 🌿 Health Benefits:

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

  • 🌿 Important Tip:

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

  • 🌿 Growing Chaya:

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


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


🛒 Start growing your Chaya today for a sustainable garden!

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

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?

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

  • 🌿 Health Benefits:

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

  • 🌿 Important Tip:

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

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


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


🛒 Start growing your Chaya today for a sustainable garden!

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

How to choose the right Butterfly plants? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How to choose the right Butterfly plants?
Watch Top Tropicals on TV 📺

  • Want to bring more butterflies to your garden? It's simple - plant butterfly-friendly plants!

  • Not sure which plants to choose? Top Tropicals has a wide selection of butterfly attractors ready for you! Visit our nursery or shop online today.

  • Top Tropicals plant expert Kristi will help you to select the best butterfly plants for your yard!


📱 Watch ABC7 Fort Myers News: Butterfly plants with Kristi at Top Tropicals
Shop Now for Butterfly Plants!

#Butterfly_Plants

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

No one will notice! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Date:

This mysterious plant will make pink butterflies fly in your stomach! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

This mysterious plant will make pink butterflies fly in your stomach!

Kalanchoe x Pink Butterfly

💖 This mysterious plant will make pink butterflies fly in your stomach!
  • 💖 Kalanchoe x Pink Butterfly - Variegated Mother of Thousands... This exceptional plant, originally gifted to us by horticulturist Mark Hooten, quickly became one of the highlights of our rare plant collection.
  • 💖 The Kalanchoe x Pink Butterfly is a true standout, known for its unique, stable variegated "sport" - meaning it has a lower chlorophyll content, allowing vibrant, bright pink pigments to shine through. This makes it one of the most colorful succulents you'll encounter!
  • 💖 The plant produces an abundance of tiny, butterfly-like plantlets along its leaves. Unlike other Kalanchoe plants, it has lost the ability to root from these plantlets, making it even more intriguing.
  • 💖 Pink Butterfly is incredibly easy to care for, drought-tolerant, and thrives in both sun and shade, making it the perfect exotic houseplant for any space.
  • 💖 This variegated form is a mutation of an older hybrid, the origin of which is a bit mysterious. The original hybrid, Kalanchoe x houghtonii, was a cross between Kalanchoe daigremontiana and Kalanchoe delagoensis. Over time, a variegated sport of this hybrid emerged, giving rise to the beautiful Kalanchoe x Pink Butterfly we see today.
  • 💖 A must-have for any succulent collector, this plant will not only bring a splash of color to your home but also a touch of rarity!


🛒 Add Kalanchoe x Pink Butterfly to your rare plant collection

#Container_Garden #Nature_Wonders #Shade_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
< Previous pageNext page >Most recent entryBlog table of contents