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What is the miracle behind the Miracle fruit?

Miracle Fruit, synsepalum dulcificum

🥰 What is the miracle behind the Miracle fruit?
  • 🍭 Miracle Fruit, synsepalum dulcificum is a small, red berry that can temporarily make sour foods taste sweet. The berry contains a protein called miraculin, which binds to taste buds and alters the way sour foods are perceived. Sour turns into sweet!
  • 🍭 Native to West Africa, this fruit has been used for centuries as a natural sweetener and is often enjoyed at "flavor-tripping" parties.
  • 🍭 It's also used by chemotherapy patients to help improve their sense of taste, as it can make bitter or metallic-tasting foods more palatable.


📚 Learn more from earlier posts:
How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle?
Everyday Miracle - Grow the Dream!

🛒 Plant your own Miracle Fruit

#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Remedies #Fun_Facts

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Why this pepper is different?

Piper longum - Indian Long Pepper, Pippali

🍲 Why this pepper is different?
  • 🍀 Piper longum - Indian Long Pepper, Pippali - is a sweeter, less pungent cousin of black pepper, prized for its unique flavor and healing powers.
  • 🍀 Its leaves start out heart-shaped, then lengthen as the plant matures. Originating from South Asia, Pippali is a fun and exotic choice for any spice lover seeking a fresh twist on classic pepper.
  • 🍀 Its dried fruit makes a tasty seasoning, while traditional medicine loves it for soothing coughs, easing congestion, and calming upset stomachs.
  • 🍀 This vining shrub can climb a trellis or fence, preferring shady spots with regular watering.


📚 Learn more from previous post:
What is Pepper Made From? Black, white, green, and red...
How to grow your own Pepper plants. Five most valuable 'Pipers'
Article about Pipers

🛒 Grow your own Pippali Pepper

#Food_Forest #Shade_Garden #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What plant can symbolize a Year of the Snake

Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant

Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant

🐍 What plant can symbolize a Year of the Snake

🎉 Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant!

🍾 Celebrate New Year of the Snake with this exotic Thai plant that marries beauty and folklore!

👄 Its striking blooms resemble the open mouths of snakes, adding a mysterious allure to your garden.

🥂 Traditionally used in Thailand for snake bite relief, this captivating specimen not only enhances your space but also sparks conversation among guests.

🛒 Order Snake Plant

#Container_Garden #Remedies #Shade_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Do you have Longevity Spinach in your garden?

Gynura crepioides - Okinawa Spinach, Purple leaves

Gynura crepioides - Okinawa Spinach, Purple leaves

Longevity Spinach (Gynura)

Longevity Spinach (Gynura)

Gynura crepioides - Okinawa Spinach, Purple leaves

Gynura crepioides - Okinawa Spinach, Purple leaves

Gynura crepioides - Okinawa Spinach, Purple leaves

Gynura crepioides - Okinawa Spinach, Purple leaves

Do you have Longevity Spinach in your garden?
  • 🥗 Longevity Spinach (Gynura) is a leafy green plant known for its mild flavor and nutritional benefits. It is one of the Superfoods, known for its longevity-promoting properties in traditional medicine. There are two varieties - Green (Gynura procubens) and Purple leaves (Gynura crepioides - Okinawa Spinach).
  • 🥗 It's often used in Southeast Asian cuisine, added to soups, stews, and salads for its health-promoting properties, including immune support and improved digestion.
  • 🥗 It is prized for being easy to grow and rich in vitamins and antioxidants. This green is also known as cholesterol spinach, and there are many claims that it lowers can cholesterol.
  • 🥗 Perfect for hot and humid climates unlike traditional Spinach that only grown in cooler areas. It will thrive in any type of soil, any type of light other than dark shade, and is pest-free.
  • 🥗 Very adaptable to container gardening and even grows well on a windowsill.
  • 🥗 The leaves and young shoot tips can be steamed, used in stir fry, tempura, stews, and soups. Just add them at the very end.


Check out the recipes⬇️⬇️⬇️

📚 Learn more:
5 most useful edibles for tropical garden
How to make healthy food taste delicious: Longevity Spinach Super-food Recipes
Gynura: Longevity Spinach Superfood Recipes

🎥 Best Hot Weather Spinach Crops - Longevity and Okinawa Spinach

🛒 Plant Longevity Spinach and live long

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Remedies

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Date:

Why Red Plumbago is so wanted for shade gardens

Plumbago indica - Chitraka, Scarlett Leadwort, Red Plumbago

👍 Why Red Plumbago is so wanted for shade gardens
  • ♥️ Plumbago indica - Chitraka, Scarlett Leadwort, Red Plumbago is a rare gem from India that boasts vibrant scarlet-red flowers. A semi-woody perennial shrub with graceful, flexible branches.
  • ♥️ Thrives in low-light areas, bringing bold color to places where many plants struggle.
  • ♥️ Works great in shade gardens, containers, or even indoors as a striking ornamental plant.
  • ♥️ Traditionally used in India for enhancing digestion and stimulating appetite, thanks to compounds like Plumbagin.
  • ♥️ Cold sensitive plant, protect from frost, keep above 40F.


📸 More photos in next post👇

🛒 Order Red Plumbago indica

#Container_Garden #Remedies #Shade_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Why is Jujube Tree called the Tree of Happiness?

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba)

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba)

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba) fruit

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba) fruit

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba)

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba)

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba)

Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba)

🙂 Why is Jujube Tree called the Tree of Happiness?
  • 😇 The Jujube Tree (Ziziphus jujuba) is often called the "Tree of Happiness" and is one of the #Nature_wonders.
  • 😇 Nutritious Fruit: The Jujube tree (Ziziphus jujuba) produces small, sweet, and slightly tangy fruits that are enjoyed by both children and adults.
  • 😇 Hardy and Easy: This small, spreading tree with drooping branches grows quickly and thrives in poor, dry, and even moderately saline soils. It requires minimal care to flourish.
  • 😇 Medicinal Uses: Every part of the Jujube tree, from its leaves to its bark and fruit, has medicinal properties. The fruit is known for its stress-relieving and immunity-boosting benefits.
  • 😇 Thousands of Years in cultivation: Widely cultivated in China and India, jujubes have been grown for over 4,000 years. China has more jujube trees than any other type of fruit tree.
  • 😇 Symbolism:

    • - The name Ziziphus comes from the Persian zizfum or Arabic zizouf.
    - The tree is associated with Ziziphus spina-christi, the Christ's Thorn Jujube, which provided the thorns for the biblical crown of thorns.
    - In Indian legends, the Jujube tree is said to be blessed with a boon: no matter how badly it is cut, it will never die, and a single root will cause it to regrow.
    - Revered in India, the Jujube is known as the "Tree which removes sorrow" and is often offered to the god Siva.
  • 😇 Greek Mythology: Some horticulturists draw a comparison between the Jujube tree and the Greek myth of Sisyphus. Like Sisyphus' boulder that endlessly rolls back down, the Jujube tree regrows tirelessly, symbolizing resilience, perseverance, and renewal.


📚 Learn more:
The tree of Happiness that removes sorrow

🛒 Plant Jujubу - Tree of Happiness

#Food_Forest #Remedies

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Date:

Monkey Orange or Monkey Ear?

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa)

🐵 Monkey Orange or Monkey Ear? 🙉
  • 🍊 Besides bizarre Monkey Ear Tree that we mentioned earlier, there is another interesting Monkey Tree -
  • 🍊 The Monkey Orange (Strychnos spinosa) is a captivating fruit tree from tropical Africa and Madagascar, known for its vibrant yellow fruits and wide range of uses.
  • 🍊This small to medium-sized tree, has glossy leaves and thorny branches that make it visually striking.
  • 🍊What does the Monkey Orange taste like?

    • The fruits, size of an orange, have a hard shell that protects their sweet-tart pulp with interesting pleasant taste somewhat similar to mangosteen. Some people say it tastes like a mix of citrus and pineapple with a hint of fermentation.
  • 🍊Rich in vitamin C and B vitamins, the fruit can be enjoyed fresh or transformed into jams, juices, and even wine.
  • 🍊Its durable wood is prized for carvings, and its leaves and roots are used in traditional medicine and as natural insecticides.
  • 🍊Slow-growing yet resilient, this hardy tree thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, offering beauty, nourishment, and practicality - an excellent choice for tropical or subtropical landscapes.


🐒 Why is it called Monkey Orange?
The "monkey orange" likely gets its name from its appeal to monkeys that eat the fruit and distribute the seeds in their habitat in Africa.

🛒 Plant Monkey Orange

#Food_Forest #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history

Pimenta racemosa, Bay Rum Tree

Pimenta racemosa, Bay Rum Tree

The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history
🤢🥃 The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history
  • 🍷 The Pimenta racemosa, or Bay Rum Tree, is a charming small tree closely related to Allspice that we mentioned earlier.
  • 🍷 Known for its aromatic leaves, this tree produces a natural essential oil that has a warm, clove-like fragrance.
  • 🍷 Historically, this oil was distilled with rum and water to create a popular cologne known as "Bay Rum", lending the plant its common name.
  • 🍷 The scent of Bay Rum is captivating and present year-round, with no need to wait for flowers or fruit to enjoy its fragrance!
  • 🍷 The Bay Rum Tree is not just aromatic; its leaves can be used in cooking and tea, adding a unique, spicy note to culinary creations. It’s also valued in folk medicine, making it a multipurpose addition to any herb or indoor plant collection.
  • 🍷 An especially rare and intriguing variety, the rare variety "Citrifolia" - Lemon Bay Rum Tree, also known as Citrus Bay, has all plant parts infused with a refreshing, lemony scent that's both calming and energizing. Cuttings of this variety are challenging to root, making it a unique and sought-after plant for collectors and aromatherapy enthusiasts alike.


🛒 Plant fast growing Bay Rum Tree

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Perfume_Plants

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Guanabana - Soursop fruiting in apartment!

Guanabana (Annona muricata) was grown from a seed and fruited in apartment up North

Guanabana (Annona muricata) was grown from a seed and fruited in apartment up North

Guanabana (Annona muricata) was grown from a seed and fruited in apartment up North

Guanabana (Annona muricata) was grown from a seed and fruited in apartment up North

📸 Guanabana - Soursop fruiting in apartment!

This Guanabana (Annona muricata) was grown from a seed and fruited in apartment up North!

To read this fascinating story, check out article in Tropical Treasures Magazine:
Growing and fruiting Soursop in apartment (PDF download)

🛒 Plant your own Guanabana

#Food_Forest #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What is the most delicious Annona fruit?

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

❓ What is the most delicious Annona fruit? Guanabana!
  • 🍐 Annona muricata - commonly known as Soursop, Guanabana, or Graviola, is widely regarded as the best-tasting annona fruit.
  • 🍐 This tropical tree, native to Tropical America, produces large, unusual-looking fruits with a unique blend of sweet and slightly sour flavors. The custard-like pulp is fragrant, smooth and creamy, making Soursop perfect for milkshakes, desserts, or simply enjoyed fresh.
  • 🍐 Soursop is evergreen in warm climates, though it's highly sensitive to cold and requires temperatures above 50°F to thrive. However, it can also be grown indoors in containers, making it possible to enjoy its delicious fruit even in cooler regions. The tree itself is medium-sized, fast-growing, and relatively easy to manage in a pot, offering a wonderful option for indoor fruit growing.
  • 🍐 Soursop is one of the largest of the Annonas, and its quirky, bumpy fruit shapes make it a fun conversation starter. We even have an interesting article on how to grow, hand-pollinate and fruit Soursop in an apartment - ideal for plant lovers looking to bring a taste of the tropics into their homes!
  • 🍐 Soursop leaves are superheroes in the world of natural remedies. Known for their potential to fight cancer, these leaves are packed with compounds that may help keep rogue cells in check. Whether brewed into tea or turned into extracts, they've become a popular go-to in holistic health circles.


📚 Tropical Treasures Magazine:
Growing and fruiting Soursop in apartment (PDF download)
Spoiler in the next post ⬇️⬇️⬇️

More about Anonnas in previous posts:
Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #1. Annona
Why everyone wants the Sugar Apple?
The best tropical fruit tree for container growing, and the fastest to fruit: Annona
Spiny Hedgehog fruit: what does it taste like?

🛒 Plant your own Guanabana

#Food_Forest #Remedies

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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