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Date:

TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE, Part 2:

TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE, Part 2:
🍑 What fruit and edibles can help with health issues and VITAMIN deficiencies 🥑

...Continued from previous post ⤴️

7. 💅 Beauty Enhancer
(Vitamin B7 - Biotin):
Banana, Avocado, Aloe Vera, Clitoria (Butterfly Pea), Patchouli.

8.🩸Blood Builder
(Vitamin B9 - Folate):
Avocado, Guava, Papaya, Moringa, Chaya (Maya Spinach Tree), Mulberry.

9. 🦠 Immunity Booster
(Vitamin C - Ascorbic Acid):
Guava, Pineapple, Carambola, Mango, Dragon Fruit, Loquat, Longevity Spinach (Gynura), Moringa, Allspice, Camphor Tree, Bay Leaf, Yerba Mate, Cherry, Peach, Passion fruit, Mulberry, Eugenia, Cinnamon, Piper sarmentosum (Vietnamese Pepper), Wiriwiri and Biquinho Pepper.

10. ✋ Skin Shield
(Vitamin E - Tocopherol):
Avocado, Sapote, Dragon Fruit, Moringa, Patchouli, Aloe, Annatto, Camphor Tree.

11. ❣️Clot Controller
(Vitamin K - Phylloquinol):
Moringa, Sauropus (Katuk), Chaya.

12. 🍲 Digestive Aid
(Enzymes):
Pineapple, Papaya, Ginger, Turmeric, Mango, Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Bay Leaf, Betel Leaf, Peach, Eugenia, Jackfruit, Lippia dulcis, Allspice, Lippia alba (Poleo), Wiri wiri and Biquinho Pepper, Passion fruit.

📚 Learn more in our next posts about specific benefits of each fruit or plant...

🛒 Explore tropical fruit trees with benefits

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

TROPICAL FRUIT HEALTH BENEFITS GUIDE, Part 1:

🍑 What fruit and edibles can help with health issues and VITAMIN deficiencies 🥑

We've got a handy little cheat sheet to help you choose the right foods when you're low on vitamins or dealing with health issues.
Save it and give your body a tune-up!

🥗 12 powerful vitamins and their food sources
  1. 👁️ Eye Sight Protector

    2. (Vitamin A - Retinol):
    Mango, Loquat, Papaya, Carambola, Moringa, Annato, Annona, Cherries, Peach, Blueberry.

    2. ⚡ Energy Booster
    (Vitamin B1 - Thiamine):
    Jackfruit, Pineapple, Banana, Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan), Camellia sinensis (Tea plant), Coffee, Yerba Mate, Wiriwiri and Biquinho Pepper

    3. 💧 Cell Repairer
    (Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin):
    Dragon Fruit, Sapote, Avocado, Moringa

    4. ❤️ Heart Helper
    (Vitamin B3 - Niacin):
    Guava, Jackfruit, Sapodilla, Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan), Passion fruit, Hibiscus sabdariffa, Yerba Mate, Cacao, Annona, Mulberry, Cinnamon, Camellia sinensis (Tea Plant), Curry Leaf

    5. 🤯 Stress Fighter
    (Vitamin B5 - Pantothenic Acid):
    Avocado, Mango, Dragon Fruit, Camellia sinensis (Tea plant), Clitoria (Butterfly Pea), Lippia alba (Poleo)

    6. 😊 Mood Balancer
    (Vitamin B6 - Pyridoxine):
    Banana, Jackfruit, Sapote, Passion fruit, Banisteriopsis caapi (Ayahuasca), Cacao

    Continued in next post...⤵️

    🛒 Explore tropical fruit trees with benefits

    #Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

    🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Carambola Jam recipe

⭐️ Carambola Jam recipe

😁 Ingredients:

  • · 4 ripe carambolas, washed and thinly sliced
  • · 1 cup granulated sugar
  • · 1/2 cup water
  • · Juice of 1 lemon
  • · 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)


📞 Instructions:

  • · In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  • · Add the sliced carambola and ground ginger. Reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit softens and the mixture thickens.
  • · Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then transfer to sterilized jars.
  • · Refrigerate and enjoy on toast, with yogurt, or as a glaze for meats.


🎁 This simple yet unusual jam highlights carambola’s unique star shape and tangy-sweet flavor! 😏

🛒 Plant your own Carambola Tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Date:

When young Carambola trees are covered with fruit

Carambola trees

😎 When young Carambola trees are covered with fruit

😇 Young Carambola trees, planted just last year (2024) at Top Tropicals garden, have been fruiting non-stop since fall! Though small, they’re loaded with fruit, and with so many trees, we’ve had more than we knew what to do with. So, we turned our bounty into jam - and it came out absolutely delicious! Stay tuned for the recipe in our next post. 👎

🛒 Plant your own Carambola Tree

#Food_Forest

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What trees are fruiting and blooming right now?

Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia

Photo above: Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia

Q: What tropical trees are fruiting and flowering in March?

A: There's always something blooming and fruiting, especially with spring on the way! Our garden is buzzing with bees and butterflies, and in the nursery, you'll always find plants in bloom or bearing fruit. Here are a few standout winners of the season.

Orchid Trees

Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree

Orchid trees are among the most spectacular trees in Florida, flowering from late winter through spring. They are fast-growing, not fussy about soil or water, and bloom for several weeks in a stunning display of white, purple, pink, or red flowers. In the photo: Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree - the most cold-hardy of all Bauhinias, tolerating temperatures as low as 26F. You can see them in full bloom across Florida right now!

Shop Orchid trees

Carambola - Star Fruit

Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)

Starfruit trees (Averrhoa carambola) have been fruiting in our garden since fall, and they just keep producing! We've had so many starfruits that we ended up making lots of jam.

Shop Carambolas

Calliandra

Calliandra tweedi With Love - Red Tassel Flower

Calliandras are known to be spectacular winter bloomers, but in our garden, they seem to flower year-round. They make fantastic ever-blooming hedges or striking small specimen trees.
In the photo: red-flowering Calliandra tweedii "With Love" - Red Tassel Flower, yright now, this beautiful bush is covered in red blooms in front of our office at Sebring Farm.

Shop Calliandras

Mulberry Trees

Mulberry fruit on the tree

Yes, it's Mulberry season! Some varieties have already ripened, while others are just about to. We're competing with the birds to see who gets the first fruit, but honestly, there's plenty for everyone! These trees are very cold hardy and highly productive.

Shop Mulberry trees

Loquat Trees

Loquat tree Eriobotrya japonica

Loquat trees (Eriobotrya japonica) are loaded with fruit right now! We've started picking them and have already made some delicious preserves - you can only eat so many fresh. Loquats continue fruiting through April and May, making them one of the most rewarding, easy-to-grow, and productive fruit trees.

Shop Loquat trees

Tabebuia Trees

Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia, Pau DArco, Taheebo

Tabebuia trees put on a spectacular show from late winter through spring! Golden and pink Tabebuias are small, compact trees that fit any yard and deliver a breathtaking display year after year.
Check out these short videos of blooming Tabebuias:
Tabebuia chrysotricha - Dwarf Golden Tabebuia
Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia, Pau DArco, Taheebo

Shop Tabebuia trees

Date:

How many varieties of Bananas can I grow?

Bananas (Musa sp.) in containers

🍌 How many varieties of Bananas can I grow?
  • 💛 At Top Tropicals, we have a few dozen varieties of Bananas (Musa sp.) - ranging from popular commercial and plantain types to spectacular ornamental bananas with colorful, tropical foliage.
  • 💛 Banana plants are a favorite in Southern gardens, indoor plant collections, and greenhouses in cooler climates. Fast and easy to grow, they transform any space into a tropical paradise in just one season and can produce fruit for you in as little as 8–18 months after planting.
  • 💛 Bananas are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with potassium for heart health, fiber for digestion, and vitamins B6 and C for immunity. They’re a natural energy booster, great for snacks, smoothies, and even baking. Plus, their tryptophan content can improve your mood, and their low sodium helps regulate blood pressure.
  • 💛 With so many delicious and unique varieties, growing different types of bananas lets you enjoy a range of flavors, textures, and uses - whether fresh, blended, or cooked - making them a must-have in any tropical or indoor garden!


Discover the most popular edible and ornamental bananas in our next post 🔽

🎥 Banana selection today at TopTropicals farm. Come over to pick the best one!

📚 More about Banana from previous posts:

🛍 Shop Banana varieties

#Food_Forest

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

When you have a big crop of Star Fruit: sweet and Spicy Carambola Salsa recipe

Carambola Salsa

Carambola Salsa

⭐️ When you have a big crop of Star Fruit: sweet and Spicy Carambola Salsa recipe

😁 Ingredients:
  • · 2 ripe Carambola (starfruit), finely diced
  • · 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • · 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • · 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • · 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • · Juice of 1 lime
  • · 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
  • · Pinch of salt


📞 Instructions:
  • · Combine the diced carambola, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a bowl.
  • · Add lime juice, honey, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
  • · Chill in the fridge for 15–30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
  • · Serve with tortilla chips, grilled fish, or as a topping for tacos.


🎁 This recipe balances carambola's sweet-tart flavor with a spicy kick! 😏

🛒 Plant your own Carambola Tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

The star of the orchard

Start Fruit - Carambola Tree (Averrhoa carambola)

😛 The star of the orchard

Start Fruit - Carambola Tree (Averrhoa carambola). Growing this tree is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy this unique and delicious fruit right at home!

📚 Learn more from previous posts:
Star Fruit from our garden
How to grow your own Carambola
Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #8. Carambola - Starfruit
Carambola Banana Whip
Carambola tree is the Star of the orchard

🛒 Shop Star Fruit varieties

#Food_Forest

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Date:

Why is it called Star Apple?

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)

⭐️ Why is it called Star Apple?
  • 🍏 Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) - do not confuse with Start Fruit (Carambola) - is hard to find exotic fruit tree.
  • 🍏 It is a favorite in the Caribbean and Central America as well as Southeast Asia.
  • 🍏 The fruit has a mild grape-like flavor, and is best eaten fresh.
  • 🍏 Inside the fruit looks like a star when cut across!


🛒 Plants Caimito Star Apple

#Food_Forest

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Date:

Top 10 fruit youll ever need for your health benefits:

Bananas

Bananas

😼 Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits:
#5 Banana 🍌
  • 🟡Bananas are rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure and supports heart health.
  • 🟡They provide a quick source of energy and are great for post-workout recovery.
  • 🟡The fiber in bananas aids digestion and promotes gut health.
  • 🟡East them fresh, add to smoothies, bake into breads and desserts, or use in various savory dishes.


📚 More about Banana from previous posts:

🛒 Plant a Banana Tree

#Food_Forest #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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