Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Easy Latin: unlocking plant names - why scientific names matter and how to decode them. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cat with Latin names of plants

Cat with Latin names of plants

💻 Easy Latin: unlocking plant names - why scientific names matter and how to decode them
  • ✔️ Plants need scientific names (or Latin names) to keep things clear and avoid confusion. Common names can vary from place to place, and one name might refer to different plants.
  • ✔️ A scientific name is like a plant's social security number - it's unique and makes sure everyone knows exactly which plant you're talking about. For example, if you say "Trumpet tree," you could be talking about Brugmansia, Tabebuia, Oroxylum, or even Dolichandrone. With a scientific name, there's no guessing! It's the perfect plant ID to keep things simple and precise.
  • ✔️ So, if you're looking for a specific plant to add to your wishlist, be sure to find its scientific name first - that way, you'll be sure to get the right plant!


🛠 Examples of Latin names and their meanings:

🍋 Citrus sinensis – "Citrus" is the genus for citrus fruits, and "sinensis" means "from China," indicating the origin of the sweet orange.

🌸 Plumeria rubra – "Plumeria" is named after French botanist Charles Plumier, and "rubra" means "red," referring to its flower color.

🍁 Acer palmatum – "Acer" means "sharp," referring to the sharp-pointed leaves, and "palmatum" means "hand-shaped," referring to the leaf's shape.

By understanding the Latin names and their meanings, you can learn about a plant's origins, growth habits, and other key traits!

📚 Learn more:
Easy Latin name guide

#How_to

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What small plant can bring both beauty and aroma in your garden. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

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What small plant can bring both beauty and aroma in your garden. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Datura metel - Horn-of-Plenty

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When Angel Trumpet is in bloom. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Brugmansia suaveolens - Angel Trumpet

🌛 When Angel Trumpet is in bloom

🌈 Brugmansia suaveolens - Angel Trumpet - one of the most popular favorites for Southern gardens. Small tree or bush with trumpet-like fragrant flowers that change color from white (bud) through yellow to pink (mature). Fast growing and easy to grow.

🛒 Shop Angel Trumpets

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Perfume_Plants

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Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angel's Trumpet. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angels Trumpet
👼 Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angel's Trumpet.

  • 🎺 Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) is one of the most wanted flowering shrubs in Southern landscapes.

  • 🎺 It is known for its large, trumpet-shaped flowers that hang downward from the branches.

  • 🎺 The flowers come in a range of colors🌈 including white, yellow, pink, orange, and emit a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, especially in the evening.

  • 🎺 Very easy to grow and undemanding, this fast growing shrub or a small tree will fill your garden with happiness, blooms and fragrance just within one season.

  • 🎺 Heavy feeder! Apply fertilizer on a monthly basis for rapid growth and free flowering.


🛒 Shop Angel's Trumpets

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angel's Trumpet. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angels Trumpet Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angels Trumpet Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angels Trumpet Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angels Trumpet Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angels Trumpet Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angels Trumpet
👼 Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angel's Trumpet.

  • 🎺 Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) is one of the most wanted flowering shrubs in Southern landscapes.

  • 🎺 It is known for its large, trumpet-shaped flowers that hang downward from the branches.

  • 🎺 The flowers come in a range of colors🌈 including white, yellow, pink, orange, and emit a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, especially in the evening.

  • 🎺 Very easy to grow and undemanding, this fast growing shrub or a small tree will fill your garden with happiness, blooms and fragrance just within one season.

  • 🎺 Heavy feeder! Apply fertilizer on a monthly basis for rapid growth and free flowering.


🛒 Shop Angel's Trumpets

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angel's Trumpet. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) pink

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) pink

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) white

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) white

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) peach

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) peach

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) yellow

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) yellow

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) pink

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) pink

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) white

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) white

👼 Flower of Angels that every gardener wants: Angel's Trumpet.
  • 🎺 Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) is one of the most wanted flowering shrubs in Southern landscapes.
  • 🎺 It is known for its large, trumpet-shaped flowers that hang downward from the branches.
  • 🎺 The flowers come in a range of colors🌈 including white, yellow, pink, orange, and emit a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, especially in the evening.
  • 🎺 Very easy to grow and undemanding, this fast growing shrub or a small tree will fill your garden with happiness, blooms and fragrance just within one season.
  • 🎺 Heavy feeder! Apply fertilizer on a monthly basis for rapid growth and free flowering.


🛒 Shop Angel's Trumpets

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

🏵 TopTropicals

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Datura: a fragrant treat for tropical or indoor garden

Q: A few years ago I purchased Datura from you and it was doing well. As a matter of fact I took cuttings and propagated new plants. Now they have markings on the leaves and I do not know what it is. Any remedy?

A: Generally, Datura is a bi-annual plant, unlike its close relative perennial Brugmansia that grows for many years. Which means, Datura is short-lived (2-3 years maximum for the same plant) although it seeds easily and is a very fast grower, reaching from seedling to 4-5 ft size in a matter of couple months.
At this time of the year, markings on the leaves may be a result of normal aging (the plant may already exhausted its natural cycle) in combination with a cool weather that affects the leaves and overall look.
Here at Top Tropicals we especially love this plant and keep up with propagating new plants every few months. Propagation may be by means of seeds or cuttings, but seeds are always better for stronger, longer-lasting Datura specimens. A lot of times you will notice little baby seedlings around the Mother plant, even if you think all seeds has been harvested.
Just continue growing younger plants from seeds, and Datura will always be with you in your garden to bring you joy of showy scented flowers. It makes a great houseplant too!

Read more about Datura...

Datura seeds always come in abundance and germinate easily

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How to grow Angel Trumpet in Florida

Q: I purchased an Angel trumpet in March, 2018. It wasn't looking very good so I asked what to do about it. Your reply was to fertilize and keep it watered. I did & it started to improve. I went on vacation & it reverted, dropping leaves... How do I keep it happy?

A: With growing Angel Trumpets in Florida, there are a few things that may go wrong, although in general Brugmansia is a vigorous rapid grower. Once the plant is established, it is very easy to grow. Looks like your plant had some troubles at the start and is still struggling. Dropping leaves could be a sign of a root problem.

These are the main important points for Brugmansia growing:
1. Must be planted in a high spot, using very well-drained soil. Brugmansias do not like soggy conditions (happens with Florida summer). They like water, but only as long as drainage is good.
2. Full sun is a must for a healthy plant.
3. Brugmansias are heavy feeders. Fertilize at least once a month once the plant is established:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Angel Trumpet Delight - Smart-Release Booster
4. They are susceptible to bugs... check underneath the leaves and if any pests, spray with solution of any vegetable oil, water, and some dish soap.

The bottom line is, do not overwater but don't let it dry out. It's rainy season now, maybe too much rain affecting the plant.
Try these Sunshine Boosters, they have amazing results and often help us to bring stressed and weak plants back to life:
SUNSHINE-Power - plant booster
SUNSHINE-E - plant booster

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Selecting the right jasmine

TopTropicals.com

Q: Would you please help me select the right jasmine? I want to find a jasmine that smells like lily of the valley or honeysuckle or roses, not the one that smells like gardenia. I'm in Missouri, zone 6, so I want a jasmine for my deck for the summer, so I want it to bloom this season.

A: There are 3 major types of tropical flower fragrances - Sweet, Fresh, and Fruity (including Lemony). Below are the most interesting fragrant tropical flowers, excluding Gardenias (which are sweet type). These are all same-year bloomers, so you can enjoy the fragrance this year assuming proper care and bloom booster feeding.

* - The fastest growers that can be treated as annuals. Others can be grown in a pot and brought inside for winter, and be enjoyed every year.

Sweet

* Aloysia virgata - Almond Bush
* Cestrum diurnum - White Chocolate Jasmine, Day Blooming Jasmine
* Cestrum nocturnum - Night blooming jasmine
* Heliotropium peruviana - Turnsole, Cherry Pie
Portlandia Cubanola domingensis - Cubanola (Warm white Chocolate)
Portlandia grandiflora - Glorious Flower of Cuba (Warm white Chocolate)

Fresh

Beaumontia grandiflora - Easter Lily Vine
* Brugmansia Jean Pasco - Yellow Angels Trumpet
* Brugmansia Variegated Orange Angel Trumpet
* Brunfelsia americana - Lady of the night
* Brunfelsia lactea - Lady of the night
* Brunfelsia nitida - Lady of the night
Crinum Queen Emma - Spider lily
* Eucharis grandiflora - Amazon Lily
* Hedychium coronarium - Butterfly Ginger
Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower
Hoya odorata - Fragrant Hoya
Ixora hybrid Sea Green
Ixora odorata - Fragrant Ixora
* Jasminum azoricum - River Jasmine
* Jasminum Molle - Indian Jui
Jasminum nitidum - Star Jasmine
* Jasminum officinale Flore Pleno - French Perfume Jasmine
* Jasminum polyanthum - Pink Winter Jasmine
* Jasminum sambac Belle of India
* Jasminum sambac Grand Duke
* Jasminum sambac Maid of Orleans
* Polianthes tuberosa - Tuberose
*Sclerochiton harveyanus - Blue Lips, Mazabuka (Lavender-violet-like)

Fruity

Aglaia odorata - Chinese Perfume Plant (Lemony)
Artabotrys siamensis - Climbing Ylang-Ylang (Lemony)
Cananga fruticosa - Dwarf Ylang-Ylang
Carissa grandiflora - Natal Plum
Cerbera x manghas hybrid - Enchanted Incense
* Jasminum dichotomum - Rose Bud Jasmine
* Lonicera japonica - Japanese Honeysuckle
Magnolia figo - Banana Magnolia (Banana-like)
Magnolia x Alba grafted (Bubble-gum-like)
* Mirabilis jalapa - Four oclock plant
Oxyceros horridus, Randia siamensis
* Quisqualis - Rangoon Creeper
* Radermachera Kunming - Dwarf Tree Jasmine
* Stephanotis floribunda - Bridal Bouquet
Strophanthus gratus - Climbing Oleander
Telosoma cordata - Pakalana vine (Lemony)

Fertilizers for profuse flowering:

Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
SUNSHINE-Superfood micro-elements

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