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How to enhance your garden with hardy tropical: Fast Growing White Orchid Tree

Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree

🪚 How to enhance your garden with hardy tropical: Fast Growing White Orchid Tree
  • 💮 Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree - is the most cold hardy of all bauhinias. It is a medium-sized, fast-growing tree with short trunk and spreading branches that provide excellent shade.
  • 💮 Abundant, fragrant white flowers adorned with subtle lemon-green markings, blooming from winter through spring and intermittently in summer.
  • 💮 Cold Hardy: Among the most frost-tolerant Bauhinias, thriving in temperatures as low as 26F. ​
  • 💮 Rapid Growth: Grows quickly, reaching heights of 15 to 30 feet, ideal for creating a lush, shaded area. ​
  • 💮 Attracts Pollinators: The large, showy flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, enhancing your garden's ecosystem.​
  • 💮 Low Maintenance: Drought-tolerant once established and thrives in well-drained soil with full sun exposure. ​


📚 Orchid trees from previous posts:

🛒 Enhance your garden with White Orchid Tree

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Butterfly_Plants

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Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History

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

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Whats inside this bumpy Annona fruit? Delicious Health benefits!

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

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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

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Flower of Dinosaurs

Magnolia flower and a cat

Magnolia flower and a cat

🦖 Flower of Dinosaurs

Did you know that -
Magnolias are one of the oldest flowering plants, dating back about 95 million years! They actually predate bees, as their flowers are designed to be pollinated by beetles. In fact, magnolias and dinosaurs coexisted during the Cretaceous period, making them one of the oldest living species of flowering plants!

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Fun_facts

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Smell the Little Gem

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

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Chayas health benefits: a must-have tropical leafy vegetable for sustainable gardening

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

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Date:

How to choose the right Butterfly plants?

🦋 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

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No one will notice!

🐾 No one will notice!

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats

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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

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