Care for adeniums is simple once you understand what they like. Think of
them as half succulent, half tropical shrub. Keep their roots dry but never
bone-dry, give them sun, and feed them during the warm months. Do that, and they will reward you with fat trunks and nonstop flowers.
Soil and pot: Use a gritty, fast-draining Adenium Soilless Mix. Shallow wide pots work best — they let the caudex spread and show off its shape like a bonsai.
Watering: Water in the morning. Let the surface dry before watering again. Never let pots sit in saucers of
water.
Foliage: Keep leaves dry. Wet leaves invite rot and fungus.
Fertilizer: During active growth, feed with Sunshine Megaflor liquid fertilizer (flower booster); it promotes swollen trunk and sets flower
buds.
Light: Give them bright light year-round. Full sun in mild climates; filtered light if your summers are
scorching.
Winter rest: Cut water back when days shorten and let the plant rest. Dormancy is
normal.
Repotting trick: Each time you repot, lift the plant a bit so the crown roots peek above the soil. This encourages bigger
caudex.
Desert roses are made for containers, easy enough for a beginner but rewarding enough for a
collector.
Desert roses (Adeniums) are not really roses at all. They are cousins of the plumeria, but gardeners prize them for that swollen base more than for
the leaves. Want a little trick? Each time you repot, lift the plant slightly
so the crown roots peek above the soil. Over time the base swells into odd
shapes. Some look like bottles, others like bonsai elephants. That is half the fun of growing them.
At Top Tropicals we only sell grafted plants. Why? Because seed-grown
plants do not keep flower color true, but they are the only ones that form the
swollen caudex. With grafting you get the best of both worlds: reliable
flower colors from named hybrids and the sculptural trunk from seedling rootstock.
You can make hundreds of exotic colors. Tempting, isn’t it? Take advantage of this hot sale offer and and collect them all!
Before eating ice cream, try this fruit from a house plant. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Before eating ice cream, try this fruit from a house plant
Swiss Cheese Plant - Monstera deliciosa
🍨 Before eating ice cream, try this fruit growing on a house plant!
🍨 Most people know Swiss Cheese Plant - Monstera deliciosa - for its big holey leaves, but here’s the wild part: this jungle climber also makes fruit. Real fruit. And it tastes like pineapple mixed with ice cream.
🍨 Have you tried Monstera fruit? Will you eat it again?
🍨 This plant grows in the rainforests of Mexico and Guatemala, where young seedlings crawl toward the shade until they find a tree to climb. Yes, they grow in the direction of the darkest area, not just merely away from light. Interesting, ah?
🍨 In time, it sends out a green, cone-like fruit nearly a foot long. It takes a while to ripen - about a year - and only when the scales start to lift can you peel them back and find the creamy pulp inside. Ice-cream sweet and tropical.
🍨 One catch though: never eat the fruit unripe. The pulp contains oxalic acid that is generally harmless but will burn your mouth. Best trick is to let it wrinkle a little, wrap it up, and wait until the scales loosen on their own. Then it's ready.
🍨 And for collectors? The Thai Constellation, with its cream-splashed leaves, is the crown jewel. Some specimens sell for thousands. Not bad for a "Swiss Cheese Plant"!
When plants cross into the Gothic: the Darker Bat Lily. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
When plants cross into the Gothic: the Darker Bat Lily
Black Bat Lily (Tacca chantrieri)
When plants cross into the Gothic: the Darker Bat Lily
🖤 Here’s a striking look at the Black Bat Lily(Tacca chantrieri) - its dramatic dark bracts resembling bat wings, trailing whiskers, and tropical elegance all in one. If you met its cousin, the White Bat Head Lily(Tacca nivea) in earlier video, you'll notice the family resemblance - same dramatic whiskers and wing-like bracts, but this one leans fully into the dark side.
🖤 The Black Bat Flower isn’t just a bloom - it's a full performance. Giant black-maroon"wings" stretch out like a bat in flight, while long, drooping filaments dangle like eerie whiskers or jungle jewelry - some over a foot long!
🖤 Those weird, wild whiskers aren't just for show either. They're thought to mimic the look (and no, not the smell!) of decaying matter, luring in pollinators like flies. Creepy? Yes. Clever? Absolutely.
🖤 The Black Bat Flower blooms best when it feels pampered: filtered light, steady warmth, and spa-level humidity. It’s a smart exotic for a greenhouse or even a bright bathroom with a skylight.
🖤 It grows from a rhizome, and while Tacca chantrieri is prized for its gothic looks, its green cousin Tacca leontopetaloides is actually used in the tropics to make arrowroot starch.
🖤 Patience is part of the package - sometimes it takes months to bloom. But when it does, it becomes the crown jewel of the collection. People will ask if it's real. You'll just smile and say, "Yes - and it lives here."
- Helicopter Flower: during TopTropicals plant trip to Thailand, this was one of the first discoveries that caught our attention. We were suddenly stopped by an incredible, sweet perfume drifting through the air. Following the scent, we found its source - a dense, vigorous vine covered in unusual, eye-catching flowers.
🍥 Helicopter Flower? The name comes from its funny three-winged seed pods that spin like little helicopters. But the real show happens when it blooms. Clusters of pink-white-and-yellow flowers appear in profusion, with frilly petals and a fruity perfume that can stop you in your tracks. Best of all, it flowers in winter and early spring, just when most other plants are quiet, so it fills the air with fragrance at a time you need it most.
🍥 Hiptage is easy-going and adaptable. It can be trimmed as a shrub, trained into a small tree, or let go as a climber, but be ready to give it space and strong support if you let it vine. It's fast-growing, tolerant of different soils, and happy in either sun or part shade. You can even keep it in a container and trim it into a rounded bush. It's pretty cold hardy too - can take some light frost.
🍥 In India, the Helicopter Flower is called Madhavi - the Spring Herald, and often paired with mango trees in stories and gardens - the sturdy mango holding up this vigorous fragrant vine, symbolizing love, devotion, and the union of strength with beauty. Planting the two together makes for a striking, symbolic pair!
🍥 For gardeners, it's the rare combination of beauty, fragrance, adaptability, and a good story to tell. A plant that not only perfumes your garden but also brings a touch of legend to it.
Eugenias have earned a spot in many Southern gardens because they’re
easy, dependable, and surprisingly versatile. These small trees and shrubs
grow well in the ground or in containers, and they don’t waste time
before setting fruit.
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Eugenias – Limited Time
Use code EUGENIA15 at checkout.
Excluding S/H. Offer expires 08/28/2025
A: Only a few inches larger than the old one. Oversized pots hold too much
moisture and may cause root rot.
Q: Why are plastic pots better than
ceramic?
A: Plastic pots are lighter, easier to handle, and you can
cut them if a root-bound plant is stuck. Ceramic pots are heavy, breakable,
and often lack drainage.
Q: How do I safely remove a plant from its
pot?
A: Turn the pot upside down and let gravity help. Never
pull by the stems or leaves. If stuck, lay the pot on its side and squeeze or
tap it. Cut the pot if needed.
Q: Should I remove old soil from the
roots?
A: No. Roots have tiny hairs that absorb water and
nutrients. Shaking off soil damages them and sets the plant back.
Q: Why must the plant sit at the same soil
level?
A: Planting too deep suffocates the stem, and planting too
high exposes roots. Keeping the same level protects the root crown.
Q: How soon should I water again after
repotting?
A: Water thoroughly right after repotting, then wait until
the top inch of soil dries before watering again.
🌱 Done! Your plant now has room to grow stronger before fall.
After a busy summer of growth, many potted plants are bursting out of their containers. Now is the perfect time to step them up into a slightly larger
pot.
🌱 Why now in August?
Repotting before fall gives roots room to expand, while
there’s still warmth for active growth. Plants have time to sprout new shoots, fill out, and build strength before cooler weather slows them down.
✂️ Trim and Shape
This is also your last chance to give plants a light trim.
Pinching or cutting back helps them branch, bush out, and get denser — exactly what you want going
into fall.
👉 Watch our ">quick video on how to step up your plant the right way, then check your pots
— some of your summer growers are ready to move up!
⚠️ Important Note on Timing
This advice is for gardeners in warm climates or for anyone who still has at least a month of warm weather left. Tropical plants go dormant when
temperatures drop below 75F, so planting in a larger pot at that time may cause root rot — roots stop growing in dormancy, and extra moisture in the soil can lead to rotting.
Pick a pot just a few inches larger than the old one.
✅ Make sure it has good drainage — tropical plants hate sitting in water. A pot without drainage holes can cause waterlogging and root rot.
Why plastic pots are better than fancy ceramic
Ceramic pots may look pretty, but they are heavy, breakable, and often lack proper drainage. Plastic pots are lightweight, easier to handle, and — most importantly — if a plant is root-bound and stuck, you can simply cut the plastic pot
to free it without harming the roots. For looks, slip the plastic pot inside a decorative cover pot.
Why turn it upside down? Gravity helps loosen the plant, and it
slides out more easily without tugging.
Never pull a plant by its head (stems or leaves). That can damage the crown and tear
roots.
If it doesn’t come out easily: lay the pot on its side and
gently squeeze or tap the pot to dislodge the soil. If it is really stuck,
cut the old pot instead of forcing the plant.
Check the Root System
If roots are circling tightly (pot-bound), gently untangle or
loosen the outside layer so they will grow outward into the new soil.
Do not shake off or remove old soil from the root ball. Roots have
tiny hairs that absorb water and nutrients, and damaging them will set the
plant back. Keep the root mass intact and disturb as little as possible.
Set at the Same Level
Place the plant in the new pot so it sits at the same soil level as
before.
👉 This is important: burying the stem too deep can suffocate it,
while setting the plant higher than before may expose roots and cause drying.
Keeping the level the same protects the root crown.
Fill and Firm
Add more soil and fertilizer around the sides. Press lightly around the
edges to remove air pockets.
Water Thoroughly
Give it a deep watering to help roots settle.
Aftercare
Don’t water again until the top inch of soil feels dry.
Freshly repotted plants are vulnerable to soggy soil and root rot if kept too
wet.
"
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23);">Watch the video how to repot properly
The sunny show-off hummingbirds love. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
The sunny show-off hummingbirds love
Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise
🌞 The sunny show-off hummingbirds love
🌞 Caesalpinia mexicana - Mexican Bird of Paradise - the sunny show-off you didn't know you needed. Many gardeners have popular and more common common Bird of Paradise Caesalpinia pulcherrima, with red flowers, but this one is rare in gardens.
🌞 While most Bird of Paradise plants rely on looks alone, this one ups the game with fragrant blooms. From spring through summer, it's covered in butter-yellow flowers that stand out against soft, feathery foliage. Hummingbirds love it, and when the blooms fade, it makes woody seed pods that snap open like nature's fireworks.
🌞 It's native to northern Mexico, which means it handles heat, sun, and dry conditions without a fuss. You can grow it as a compact shrub or let it stretch into a small tree. Either way, it’s easygoing, low-maintenance, and beautiful all season.
Adenium care
