Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Watch this before cooking with black pepper! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum)

🍃 Watch this before cooking with black pepper!

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is famous for its berries, but the leaves are edible too, and in some regions they’re used just like betel leaves or bay leaves. Here are a few ways you can use them:
  • Cooking wrap: Fresh leaves can be used to wrap fish, meat, or rice before steaming or grilling, similar to banana or betel leaves. They add a mild peppery aroma.
  • Flavoring curries and soups: Whole leaves can be simmered in curries, broths, or stews to infuse a gentle peppery note, then removed before serving (like bay leaves).
  • Herbal teas: Fresh or dried leaves can be steeped with ginger, turmeric, or lemongrass to make a warming tea traditionally used for digestion and colds.
  • Chutneys and pastes: In South India, young pepper leaves are ground with coconut, tamarind, and chilies to make a tangy chutney.
  • Medicinal uses: Folk remedies use the leaves for coughs, sore throats, and as a poultice for muscle aches.


🍛 Black pepper leaf chutney
  • ♨️Lightly saute 6-8 pepper leaves in a little oil.
  • ♨️Blend with 1/2 cup grated coconut, 2 green chilies, tamarind, salt, and cumin.
  • ♨️Optional: top with a quick tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves.
  • ♨️Serve with rice or dosa.


☕️ Pepper leaf tea - when you feel under the weather
  • Boil 2-3 leaves with a cup of water.
  • Add a slice of ginger and a pinch of turmeric (optional).
  • Simmer 5 minutes, strain, and sweeten with honey.


Both recipes give a warm, peppery aroma without being too spicy. Pepper leaves are milder than the berries, so you’ll get aroma more than heat.

🛒 Grow your own Black Pepper plant - spice and vegetable!

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Why every garden needs a banana tree (or three!) A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why every garden needs a banana tree (or three!)

Bananas

🍌 Why every garden needs a banana tree (or three!)
  • 🍌 Peel this: Banana secrets revealed.

    • The truth about bananas is - Bananas are everyone's favorite snack. Sweet, nutritious, and loaded with potassium. They're great for muscle cramps, post-workout recovery, and quick energy. But did you know you can grow your own bananas, even in a small backyard or container?
  • 🍌Banana Trees (Musa x acuminata) are:

  • 🟡Super easy to grow
  • 🟡Fast-growing and low maintenance
  • 🟡Clumping and self-reproducing
  • 🟡Beautiful and tropical-looking with their big, tropical leaves and showy, exotic flowers

  • 🍌Dwarf varieties fit in tight spaces, and rare types like Red Bananas or the creamy Banana Ice Cream bring flavors you’ll never find at the grocery store. Plus, your own bananas are organic, fresh, and way tastier.
  • 🍌 Start your banana patch today - and enjoy your own homegrown fruit all year long!


🛒 Explore Banana Varieties

📚 Learn more about Banana varieties:

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#Food_Forest #Bananas

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A banana with no bananas? Scarlet red flowers of Musa coccinea. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

A banana with no bananas? Scarlet red flowers of Musa coccinea

Musa coccinea, Scarlet Banana

🔥 A banana with no bananas? Scarlet red flowers of Musa coccinea.
  • 💃 Musa coccinea, Scarlet Banana, is a small tropical plant from China and Vietnam that grows like a banana but doesn’t bother with fruit you can eat. Instead, it puts out tall, upright spikes of red bracts with yellow flowers tucked inside - like a torch made of petals.
  • 💃 Each stem flowers once and then fades, but new shoots keep popping up from the base, so the plant just keeps going. The leaves are classic banana style: big, dark green, and glossy.
  • 💃 You’ll see the flowers in summer, and they last a long time - bright, strange, and impossible to ignore. The plant stays compact, does well in pots, and even the fruit (small and orange) adds a weird touch. It's one of those plants that doesn't try to fit in.


🛒 For fans of strange plants

📚 Learn more:

#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden #Bananas

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Five best tropical fruits to naturally boost your energy. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Five best tropical fruits to boost your energy

Five best tropical fruits to boost your energy

⚡️ Five best tropical fruits to naturally boost your energy

How to boost your energy without coffee, or taking medications and supplements? Naturally - from your #Food_Forest! These 5 tropical fruits are not only delicious but packed with nutrients that support natural, sustained energy.
  • 🔥 Banana - Packed with vitamin B6, potassium, and natural sugars, bananas provide a quick yet steady energy boost, perfect for pre- or post-workout fuel.
  • 🔥 Mango - Rich in natural sugars and B vitamins, mangoes help convert food into usable energy while also supporting digestion for better nutrient absorption.
  • 🔥 Jackfruit - Loaded with vitamin B1 (thiamine) and complex carbohydrates, jackfruit fuels the body steadily and supports healthy energy metabolism throughout the day.
  • 🔥 Avocado - A powerhouse of monounsaturated fats, B vitamins, and potassium, avocados help sustain energy levels and promote healthy circulation for optimal vitality.
  • 🔥 Macadamia Nut - Loaded with thiamine (B1) and healthy fats that support nervous system function and long-lasting energy without blood sugar crashes.


📚 Learn more:

🛒 Shop Energy-Boosting Plants for Natural Energy

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies #Bananas #Avocado #Mango #Jackfruit

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Father's Day Sale!

Happy Father's Day Cat

This Father's Day, celebrate with a food forest - don't just mow, grow! Plant something meaningful that will not only bring joy today but also provide delicious fruit, edibles, and fragrant blooms for years to come. Whether you're a father or celebrating one, this is the perfect day to plant and nurture a garden that will thrive, just like the love you share with your family. Plant today to enjoy the fruits of your labor tomorrow!

Use the code below to save 15% on your entire order:

FATHERS25

Min order $150. Excluding S/H. Exp. 6-15-25

Reminder: use our FREE and DISCOUNTED SHIPPING for qualified orders

Shop Now

Mango trees in pots

Join our local event:
June 14, 2025 - Father's Day Plant Market, 9 am - 4 pm

Join us on Saturday June 14 for Father's Day Plant Market
- Kids, bring your dads and surprise them with the gift of a tree! Let them pick any tree they like and plant it together.
- Fathers, bring your kids and teach them how to connect with nature - show them how to plant a tree and grow something lasting!
Stroll through our lush gardens, meet the friendly PeopleCats, and enjoy a fun day for the whole family. Our team will help you choose the perfect plants for your space and guide you every step of the way.

Event Highlights:

30% OFF online prices
FREE plant with any purchase (including Guava)
Gift bags for first 25 customers with $50+ order
$5-10 specials
$10-20 Large Banana Trees - many varieties!
Exciting raffle prizes
Green Magic fertilizer FREE samples
Live music by the Famous Hand Pan Lady!

Event discounts valid at both locations:

Ft Myers Garden Center: 13890 Orange River, Ft Myers, FL
Sebring B-Farm: 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL

Explore the Event

Top Tropicals Plant Market

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What fruit can reduce your blood pressure?

Top ten tropical fruit that help reduce blood pressure

Q: Can you recommend trees which fruit are beneficial for balancing blood pressure? I have limited space, so I want to be selective and grow a food forest that truly supports my health.

A: You don't need to spend $$$ on doctors and medications to stay healthy and young. By eating right and adding a few powerful plants and fruits to your diet, you can naturally keep your blood pressure in check. If you plant them today - you can harvest your own medicine tomorrow. And don't forget - gardening itself is therapeutic! It keeps you active, reduces stress, and helps your whole body stay in balance.

💚 Top ten tropical fruit that help reduce blood pressure:

🍈 Jackfruit - Contains potassium and magnesium, which help relax blood vessels and regulate blood pressure.

🍉 Guava - Rich in potassium and fiber, supports vascular health and may help lower blood pressure.

🍊 Papaya - High in potassium and antioxidants, promoting healthy blood pressure.

🍌 Banana - Well-known for its high potassium content, which helps counteract sodium and lower blood pressure.

🍍 Pineapple - Contains potassium and bromelain, which may support circulation and reduce inflammation.

🍅 Persimmon - High in fiber and antioxidants, which can contribute to better heart and vascular function.

🍇 Mulberry - Contains resveratrol and other antioxidants linked to heart health and blood pressure support.

Tamarind - Rich in potassium and fiber, may help regulate blood pressure and support arterial health.

🍑 Loquat - Contains potassium, aiding in fluid balance and blood pressure control.

🍒 Tropical Cherry (Eugenia) - Contains antioxidants and supports healthy circulation.

Shop tropical fruit trees that boost your health

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What banana fits anywhere? Meet the world's smallest banana tree - big flavor in a tiny package. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What banana fits anywhere? Meet the worlds smallest banana tree - big flavor in a tiny package

Banana Truly Tiny

🔥 What banana fits anywhere? Meet the world's smallest banana tree - big flavor in a tiny package
  • Banana Truly Tiny is one of the most in-demand banana plants for collectors, small-space gardeners, and anyone who wants to grow bananas indoors. Here's why:
  • World's Smallest Banana Plant: As the name suggests, it’s the most compact edible banana variety. It grows just 2-3 feet tall, making it perfect for apartments, balconies, or desktops.
  • Edible Mini Bananas: Yes, it produces real, sweet, snack-sized bananas - not just an ornamental plant! The fruit is delicious and just the right size for kids or snacking.
  • Perfect for Containers: Its dwarf size makes it ideal for pots. You don’t need a yard or greenhouse - just a sunny window or patio.
  • Cute, Decorative, and Functional: It’s both a conversation piece and a fruit producer. Great for gifts, collectors, and home décor.
  • Indoor-Friendly: One of the few banana plants that thrives indoors with good light and care. It also stays manageable and won’t outgrow your space.
  • Fast-Growing and Fun: Like other bananas, it grows quickly and is exciting to watch - perfect for kids, first-time growers, and anyone who wants a rewarding plant.
  • Why Everyone Wants Truly Tiny? Because it’s the cutest banana plant in the world, and it actually produces fruit! Whether you're a collector or just want something exotic and productive in a small space, Truly Tiny is in a league of its own.


🛒 Get Truly Tiny - the cutest banana you'll ever grow!

📚 Learn more about #Bananas

#Food_Forest #Container_Garden #Discover

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What fruit can reduce your blood pressure. Tropical fruit and plants that help keep blood pressure in balance. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Tropical fruit that can reduce your blood pressure

Tropical fruit that can reduce your blood pressure

❤️ Tropical fruit and plants that help keep blood pressure in balance.
Part 1: What fruit can reduce your blood pressure?

💲 You don’t need to spend $$$ on doctors and medications to stay healthy and young. By eating right and adding a few powerful plants and fruits to your diet, you can naturally keep your blood pressure in check. Plant them today and harvest your own medicine tomorrow! And don’t forget - gardening itself is therapeutic! It keeps you active, reduces stress, and helps your whole body stay in balance.

💚 Tropical fruit that help reduce blood pressure:
  • ✅ Jackfruit (Artabotrys hexapetallus) - Contains potassium and magnesium, which help relax blood vessels and regulate blood pressure.
  • ✅ Guava (Psidium sp.) - Rich in potassium and fiber, supports vascular health and may help lower blood pressure.
  • ✅ Papaya (Carica papaya) - High in potassium and antioxidants, promoting healthy blood pressure.
  • ✅ Banana (Musa sp.) - Well-known for its high potassium content, which helps counteract sodium and lower blood pressure.
  • ✅ Pineapple (Ananas comosus) - Contains potassium and bromelain, which may support circulation and reduce inflammation.
  • ✅ Persimmon - High in fiber and antioxidants, which can contribute to better heart and vascular function.
  • ✅ Mulberry (Morus sp.) - Contains resveratrol and other antioxidants linked to heart health and blood pressure support.
  • ✅Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) - Rich in potassium and fiber, may help regulate blood pressure and support arterial health.
  • ✅ Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) - Contains potassium, aiding in fluid balance and blood pressure control.
  • ✅🍒 Tropical Cherry (Eugenia) - Contains antioxidants and supports healthy circulation.


Part 2: Edible plants reducing blood pressure - see next post⤵️

🛒Shop tropical fruit trees that boost your health

📚 Learn more:
Tropical fruit health benefits guide
#Disover more #Remedies and #Fruit_Forest

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How to double your banana crop without extra space. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How to double your banana crop without extra space

Banana Double Mahoi

🍌 How to double your banana crop without extra space
  • 🍌 Double Mahoi - is a Cavendish banana variety that typically produces a double stalk of bananas in its second year, boosting the harvest. It is one of the most popular banana varieties for home growers - and for good reason! Here's what makes it so great:
  • 🍌 Double the Fruit: After the first fruiting, this variety often produces a second flower stalk - two harvests from one plant, which is rare among bananas.
  • 🍌 Heavy Producer: Known for large, dense bunches of sweet, dessert-type bananas. One plant can produce up to 100 bananas per cycle!
  • 🍌 Dwarf Size: Grows only about 6 to 8 feet tall, making it perfect for smaller yards, containers, or even patios.
  • 🍌 Tasty Fruit: The bananas are sweet, soft, and flavorful, similar to the classic Cavendish but often fresher and more satisfying.
  • 🍌 Self-Pollinating & Reliable: Easy to grow, doesn't need another plant to fruit, and performs well with basic care.
  • 🍌 Great for Containers: Compact growth and fast fruiting make it ideal for container growing - even indoors with enough light.
  • 🍌 Fast Fruiting: Can begin producing in 12-18 months under good conditions.
  • 🍌 Why everyone wants Double Mahoi Banana? Because it's the most productive dwarf banana for home gardens. You get lots of fruit, it doesn't take up much space, and you can grow it in almost any warm climate - or in a pot anywhere else. Double Mahoi is the go-to banana for gardeners who want reliable harvests in a small footprint.


🛒 Grow twice the Bananas - plant Double Mahoi

📚 Learn more about #Bananas

#Food_Forest #Discover

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