How to grow cold-hardy avocados and how cold-hardy are they? Top Tropicals Blog

Redder than red: when orange wasnt enough, nature made this hottest flower

Senecio confusus variety Sao Paulo, Pseudogynoxis chenopodiode, Bright red Mexican flame vine

💥 Redder than red: when orange wasn't enough, nature made this hottest flower

🔻This vine didn't get the memo about "'just orange"! Senecio confusus variety Sao Paulo (Pseudogynoxis chenopodiodes), or Bright red Mexican flame vine - is our favorite variety of the classic Mexican flame vine here at Top Tropicals. Sao Paulo isn't just orange, it's fire-engine red!
🔻Spectacular bright red blooms year-round and thick evergreen leaves that are larger and darker than regular Orange variety; they provide a lush, tropical look. Red variety is also more vigorous than regular Orange Senecio.
🔻Fast-growing and easy to train over fences, arbors, or trellises.
🔻Drought-tolerant once established and thrives on neglect.
🔻Attracts bees, butterflies, and birds
🔻A must-have for beginners and collectors alike, this vine delivers a nonstop show of blazing color all winter and beyond.

Mango Wise tree with fruit on it

Magnolia champaca, the Joy Perfume Tree in full bloom

Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) - the Brown Sugar fruit tree

🍯 Finally: a sugar that is good for your health!

🍩 Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) - the Brown Sugar fruit that loves you back with a health kick! Sapodilla is a delicious tropical fruit with soft, brown, sweet flesh and a malty, caramel-like flavor. It's loved not just for its unique taste, but also for its rich nutritional and medicinal value. Sapodilla is a sweet, nourishing fruit that doubles as a natural energy snack and a digestive aid.

🍴 Culinary Benefits: The sweet you don't have to feel guilty about!

🍩 Eaten fresh - Just scoop the flesh out and enjoy! Tastes like brown sugar or caramel with a hint of pear.
🍩 Smoothies and shakes - Adds creamy sweetness without the need for added sugar.
🍩 Desserts - Used in ice cream, custards, or fruit salads.
🍩 Jams, preserves - Makes a rich, flavorful jam.
🍩 Dried sapodilla - Can be sun-dried like dates for a chewy, candy-like snack.

💚 Sapodilla's Health Benefits:

🍩 Rich in fiber - Helps regulate digestion, prevent constipation, and support gut health.
🍩 Natural energy booster - High in natural sugars and calories, great for quick energy.
🍩 Packed with antioxidants - Contains polyphenols and flavonoids that help fight inflammation and cell damage.
🍩 Vitamins A, C - Supports eye health, immune function, and skin regeneration.
🍩 Iron, potassium, and folate - Supports blood health and may help maintain heart function and blood pressure.

Platycerium elephantotis - Elephant Ear Staghorn Fern

🍀 How to grow the Fern with Elephant Ears

Continued from previous post

🐘 If you love dramatic foliage but don't want the diva attitude, this gentle giant is for you!
🐘 Platycerium elephantotis - Elephant Ear Staghorn Fern - is native to tropical Africa, it loves warm temps, high humidity, and indirect light. It thrives in partial sun to bright indirect light and should be kept evenly moist. As it matures, mount it on a wooden plaque, since as one of the largest staghorn ferns in cultivation, it can become a massive specimen! Elephant Ear Staghorn Fern is sure to impress your gardening friends.
🐘 A fantastic choice for shaded patios, trees, or fern walls - it brings jungle vibes without being fussy. More sculptural than spiky, elephantotis is a must-have for collectors, houseplant lovers, and fern fans who want something out of the ordinary. It's big, bold, and undeniably cool.
🐘Fun_facts: The bigger the fern, the better it gets - this species just keeps getting more majestic with age!