Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

A flying bat with whiskers. Tacca. It's rare. It's weird.

• Tacca Lily - also known as the Black Bat Flower or Devil Flower, looks like something brewed up in a witch's greenhouse.
• The flower isn't really a single flower - it's a full-on performance. Giant black-maroon "wings" stretch out like a bat in flight, while long, drooping filaments dangle like eerie whiskers or jungle jewelry. Some can reach over a foot long!
• Those weird, wild filaments? They're not just for show - they are believed to help mimic the look of decaying matter to attract pollinators like flies. Creepy? Yes. Clever? Absolutely.
• The plant blooms best when it feels pampered - think filtered light, tropical vibes, and spa-level humidity. A smart indoor exotic for a bathroom with a skylight!
• It grows from a rhizome, and while the Black Tacca (T. chantrieri) is prized for its spooky looks, its Green cousin (T. leontopetaloides) is actually used to make a type of tropical arrowroot starch.
• Some gardeners say it takes a while to bloom (maybe a few months) - but once it does, it becomes the crown jewel of the greenhouse. People will ask if it's real. You'll say, "Yes, and it lives here!"
• Tacca comes in different species/colors: Black, White, Green:

Tacca nivea - White Tacca
Tacca chantrieri - Black Tacca
Tacca leontopetaloides - Green Tacca

📚 Learn more:

• ▫️ The rarest Green Tacca - Tacca leontopetaloides
• ▫️ When Bat Head Devil Flower is in bloom
• ▫️ Bat Head - Devil Flower

🛒 Shop Bat Head Lilies - Devil's Flower Tacca

#Nature_Wonders #Shade_Garden #Container_Garden #Fun_Facts

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A flying bat with whiskers?

Have you seen a flower like this? Find out from the next post!⤵️

Tacca Lily - also known as the Black Bat Flower or Devil Flower, looks like something brewed up in a witch's greenhouse.

🛒 Shop Bat Head Lilies - Devil's Flower Tacca

#Nature_Wonders #Shade_Garden #Container_Garden #Fun_Facts

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🐈 Conquer yourself

"The first and best victory is to conquer self." - Plato

🐈📸 Timo, Bob, Cash and Wesley on their virtual tour of conquering mice at PeopleCats.Garden 

#PeopleCats #Quotes

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What Mango fruits year around? Xosi Tu Quy - Four Seasons crisp Vietnamese mango perfect green or ripe.
Mango Rainbow🌈

Xosi Tu Quy, Four‑Seasons, or Jin Huang, is a Vietnamese variety celebrated for its ability to flower and fruit multiple times annually. It produces medium-to-large, bright yellow, firm, fiber‑free fruit with a small seed and crisp, mildly sweet flesh. Ideal for green-eating and pickling, it also ripens to a gentle sweetness with floral-honey nuance. The tree grows vigorously with a dense canopy and shows good resistance to anthracnose - perfect for warm, humid, tropical or subtropical yards. In Florida it typically fruits May-August, possibly longer in ideal conditions.

🛒 Shop Mango varieties

📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try

#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow

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💚 The fiery plant that fights sugar: Nature secret insulin?

• Costus igneus - Insulin Plant, also known as Fiery Costus or Spiral Flag, this vibrant tropical plant is famous for its potential health benefits - especially for people managing diabetes. Nicknamed the insulin plant, it's believed to help lower blood glucose levels naturally.
• Its lush, turmeric-like leaves spiral around upright stems, with a glossy dark green top and a striking light purple underside. The plant grows up to two feet tall and forms elegant clumps from underground rhizomes.
• In warm months, it produces bright orange, cone-like flowers that stand out beautifully in the garden.
• Beyond its beauty, the insulin plant is credited with aiding digestion, reducing cholesterol, boosting energy, improving skin health, supporting weight loss, relieving stress, and promoting heart wellness. A real botanical multitasker!

🛒 Grow your own sugar-fighter - order the Insulin Plant

📚 Learn more:
Most interesting edible gingers

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Shade_Garden #Fun_Facts

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➕ A single soul inhabiting two bodies

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle

🐈📸 Philemon and Sushi at PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Quotes

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What avocado you can eat with the skin? Cold hardy Avocado Joey

• 🟢Prime picks for serious gardeners! Cold-hardy, creamy, and compact - Joey is a must-have for growers in cooler zones!
• 🟢Joey avocado is a cold-hardy, Type  B avocado with creamy, nutty flavor and purple-black skin. The fruit has smooth, thin, purple-black skin and rich, buttery, somewhat sweet flesh with a nutty flavor - perfect for slicing. The skin is so thin - you can eat it with skin!
• 🟢Discovered by Joey Ricers in Uvalde, Texas, Joey is a compact egg-shaped avocado that thrives even in cooler climates (surviving the teens to 20s F) and ripens from August to October. It survived temperatures around 10F near San Antonio, Texas (Zone 8b). Once established, the tree can take temperatures down to 15F for short period of time without significant damage.
• 🟢Growing into a dense, upright tree reaching 10-25 ft, it's self-pollinating but pairs well with a Type  A variety to boost yield
• 🟢Heavy bearer, Joey is a top choice for cooler subtropical regions and container gardens alike.

🛒  Shop Cold Hardy Avocados

📚Learn more:

• · Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?
• · Avocado Variety Guide
• · Posts about #Avocado

#Food_Forest #Avocado

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Adenium Rainbow, Part 2 🌈

Continued from the previous post ⤴️

• 🌸 Our Desert roses at Top Tropicals - Adeniums - were planted in March - and the first video posted in April.

Now, in June, they have more and more blooms! We are sharing these amazing colors with you.
• 🌸 Check out the varieties still in stock and grab yours before they’re gone!

📚 More about #Adenium

🛒 Shop Adenium colors and hybrids

#Container_Garden #How_to #Shade_Garden #Adenium

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🐶 Tomorrow is another day

"After all, tomorrow is another day." - Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind

🐈📸 Bobby the Dog at PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Quotes

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🏠 Ten common greenhouse mistakes and how to avoid them

• 1. Overwatering

It's easy to overwater in a controlled environment. Many greenhouse plants need less water than you think. Overwatering can lead to root rot, yellowing leaves, and fungal issues. Monitor soil moisture regularly and adjust watering based on the plant type, season, and current weather conditions.
• 2. Not enough light

Don’t block too much light - plants need full-spectrum light to thrive. Most greenhouse plants require as much light as possible to ensure healthy, vigorous growth. Lack of light causes leggy, weak plants and increases the risk of disease, pests, and fungal problems.
• 3. Too much of sun and heat

Greenhouses with plastic covers can trap intense heat, and during sunny afternoons, plants may get “cooked”. Direct sunlight can quickly overheat and damage foliage. Use shade cloth during the hottest months or to protect light-sensitive plants and prevent heat stress.
• 4. Overcrowding plants

Packing in too many plants reduces airflow, creating ideal conditions for disease and pest outbreaks. Give each plant enough space to breathe, grow, and receive light. Proper spacing also makes pest control and maintenance easier.
• 5. Poor ventilation

Lack of airflow leads to overheating, humidity buildup, fungal disease, and weak growth. Use fans, roof vents, or roll-up sides to improve circulation and maintain healthy growing conditions.
• 6. Skipping pest inspections

Greenhouses can trap pests in an ideal environment. Check plants regularly for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and fungus. Use systemic insecticides or organic treatments like neem oil at the first sign of trouble.
• 7. No consistent schedule

Inconsistent watering, feeding, and lighting can stress your plants and reduce productivity. Set a simple routine, and monitor conditions daily - even a quick walkthrough helps catch problems early.
• 8. Neglecting temperature and humidity control

Temperature and humidity can fluctuate dramatically between day and night. Use a thermometer (preferably with max/min memory) and a hygrometer to track conditions. Install heaters, shade cloth, misting systems, or dehumidifiers as needed.
Modern WiFi-based sensors that monitor temperature and humidity 24/7 are convenient tools - you can keep tabs on your greenhouse right from your smartphone.
• 9. Recycling old soil

Avoid reusing soil from plants that died, as it may harbor root diseases or pests. Always use fresh, high-quality soil for new plantings. Don't cut corners - healthy soil is key to healthy plants.
• 10. Dirty tools, containers, and covers

Reusing dirty pots or tools spreads disease. Clean and disinfect containers, trays, and tools regularly. Use a diluted bleach solution to clean clear plastic or ground covers if they show mold or algae buildup.

#How_to

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