TOP TROPICALS ONLINE STORE

Auntie Lilli's South Sea Salad Tree, known by the Latin name of Abelmoschus manihot, isn't a tree at all. It is in the botanical family Malvaceae, same as okra and the woody-stemmed hibiscus. It may have the growth of a shrubby tree due to its tropical nature, as it is native to tropical portions of Asia and also northern Queensland and can grow up to 9 feet tall when given the right conditions.
The South Sea Salad Tree has been a traditional green vegetable in Fiji for some time. It is grown as an tender ornamental perennial in Hardiness Zones 8-10. It does have a beautiful flower, but lesser known is the fact that both its flowers and leaves are delicious as well as nutritious! The laves are high in Vitamins A and C and Iron, and have 12% protein by dry weight. Leaves and flowers can be eaten raw in salads, and the leaves can also be lightly cooked similarly to spinach. Delicious, nutritious and a beautiful flower - talk about a perfect edible plant for tropical/subtropical landscapes and temperate annual gardens and patios.

Professional quality (nursery-grade) potting mix with perfect drainage characteristics, specially created for Top Tropicals by soil professionals using our custom formula. Ideal mix for any tropical plants.
Organically derived soil-less mix free of any additives. Ingredients: peat moss, coconut coir, perlite, pine bark (soil conditioner), wetting agent.
See Info sheet about growing media (2 pages) and more information on soil mixes.

Professional quality (nursery-grade) potting mix with perfect drainage characteristics, specially created for Top Tropicals by soil professionals using our custom formula. Ideal mix for any tropical plants.
Organically derived soil-less mix free of any additives. Ingredients: peat moss, coconut coir, perlite, pine bark (soil conditioner), wetting agent.
See Info sheet about growing media (2 pages) and more information on soil mixes.

Professional quality (nursery-grade) potting mix with perfect drainage characteristics, specially created for Top Tropicals by soil professionals using our custom formula. Ideal mix for any tropical plants.
Organically derived soil-less mix free of any additives. Ingredients: peat moss, coconut coir, perlite, pine bark (soil conditioner), wetting agent.
See Info sheet about growing media (2 pages) and more information on soil mixes.

Also known as A. x hybridum Fireball, and Abutilon Biltmore Ballgown, this is one of the many lovely hybrids between A. darwinii and A. striatum, with maple-like leaves and bell-flowers whose petals are recurved, turning in slightly at the bottom. Flowers are fiery red, as one would imagine, with prominent red veins accenting the surface. Happy plants can reach 8-10 ft tall, though pruning easily adjusts the size. Best with plentiful summer water and fertilizer. Less hardy than many, preferring temperatures that only occasionally drop into the 20s F, USDA zone 9. Placement out of wind with overhead protection and plentiful mulch help in less than balmy climates.

Fast growing but rather compact shrub with velvety leaves and stems. Bright yellow flowers. Ethnomedical plant. Easy to grow and not picky about conditions. Full sun and regular water is all it needs.

Sweet Mimosa. One of the most useful tropical plants that is very cold tolerant, blooms all winter through spring with honey-fragrant flowers - canary yellow powder puffs, attracting bees and butterflies. This is a large size, multi-stem thorny shrub 15x15 ft that requires some space. It is very fast growing, can be used as a good screen plant. It will bring you joy with pretty flowers and sweet fragrance even during freeze snaps when other trees lose leaves and suffer. This one will continue blooming and stays evergreen - a real survivor! Tolerates poor soils and drought too. Provide regular water to establish quicker.

A very colorful tropical shrub grown for its attractive reddish leaves. Beautiful foliage of mixed shades of red, yellow and green. Leaves, much smaller than ordinary copperleafs, are orange/red in the full sun and mostly variegated/green in the shade. The more sun the more color the leaves will get. Fast growing. A native of the East Indies and the Pacific, this is one of the most striking foliage shrubs and is widely used by tropical gardeners.

Extremely rare cultivar of Cat Tail with white flowers. A real beauty!

New hybrid of Copper Leaf with amazing rainbow of colors - bright red-orange-yellow-peach-green. This shrub provides year-round color in your landscaping in full sun location. The more sun, the brighter the color. In shade leaves may turn pale and green.

Dwarf Cat Tails, Kitten's Tail, Trailing Acalypha. A spectacular plant for a hanging basket, container or ground cover. Foxtail-shaped bright red flowers year around!

Acanthus montanus, also known as African mountain acanthus, False Thistle, Bear's breech, Mountain Thistle, and Alligator Plant, is a thinly branched unusual perennial with interesting foliage, basal clusters of oblong to lance-shaped glossy, dark green leaves reaching up to 12 inches long. The leaves have silver marks and wavy margins. It produces showy pink flowers in the summer to fall. It is said it is cold hardy to zone 9. The plant looks better in filtered light.
See picture of alligator skin.

Toothache Plant is a medicinal herb that has been used for generations to manage the pain of toothaches. Both the leaves and the attractive golden flowers can be used as a natural anesthetic. Simply chew the leaves or flowers for a few seconds then you will experience a tingling and numbing sensation in your mouth. Cooked leaves lose their strong flavor and may be used as leafy greens. Both fresh and cooked leaves are used in dishes such as stews in northern Brazil. Flavor is described as having an odor of citrus, herbal, tropical or musty odor, and its taste can be pungent, cooling, tingling, numbing, or effervescent. Acmella Oleracea extract is considered a natural alternative to Botox. Applied topically, Acmella Oleracea reportedly reduces muscle tension, reducing facial wrinkles caused by tense or contracted facial muscles.
The plant is a small, erect, it grows quickly and bears gold and red inflorescences. It is frost-sensitive but perennial in warmer climates. Can be grown in a container and as a houseplant.

Vigorous twining vine producing an abundance of small, delicious smooth-skinned fruit. Although, this cultivar can produce abundant crops in the absence of a male pollinator, often in the first year after planting, we recommend other varieties as a pollinator in order to yield more and larger fruit:
Hardy Kiwi Kens Red
Hardy Mini Kiwi Prolific
Native to the mountains and hills of southwestern China, hardy in zones 5-7, these plants have been tested in New Hampshire and New York State where they survived 25 degrees F below zero temperatures! Kiwi plants are attractive growers that require a sunny location, preferably with wind protection. They can be grown in different types of soils; however, the soil must be well drained. The vines take very little maintenance-just pruning and support to hold about 100 lbs. of fruit for a mature plant. The fruit is very high in Vitamin C and its use in recipes is endless. The hardy Kiwis ripen in mid to late September.

Vigorous twining vine producing an abundance of small, delicious smooth-skinned fruit. This climber offers glossy foliage and fragrant white blooms, making it a showy landscape specimen. Attractive on arbor or trellis.
The hardy kiwi vine grows smooth-skinned juicy green fruits up to 11.5 inch across. Unlike the larger 'New Zealand' kiwis, which must be peeled before eating-the skin of the hardy kiwi is as tender and edible as a juicy grape, and the fruits picked fresh off the vine are even sweeter than regular kiwis. Chill Hours 300-400

The vines are easy to grow, are not troubled by insect of disease, flowers in spring, followed by clusters of delicious ripe fruit by the end of summer. Deciduous.
We recommend to plant with other varieties as a pollinator in order to yield more and larger fruit:
Hardy Kiwi Chang Bai Giant
Hardy Mini Kiwi Prolific

Prolific Hardy Kiwi is valued for its self fertility. Prolific fruit is dark green all the way through. Hardy Kiwi likes half day to full sun and well-drained soil. The plants need a strong trellis and can spread 10-12 ft when mature. Prolific Kiwi, a self-pollinating variety, is early ripening and produces abundant crops of medium to large, sweet and tasty fruit. The cultivar is sometimes used as a pollinator for other female cultivars. Fruits are flavorful with reddish/violet on the skin and flesh when ripe. Minimum chilling requirements 300 hours. These Kiwi have smooth-skinned fruits so there is no need to peel the skin of the fruits unlike the fuzzy fruit species Actinidia deliciosa. Fruits vary in size and are similar to several varieties of grapes. Plant stems and fruit buds are more cold tolerant than the A. deliciosa species and are mainly grown in colder areas where the cold temperatures can range from 10-18F. Fruit flavors are of course different with every cultivar, similar to all fruits.
The Hardy Mini Kiwi Prolific can bear fruit the first year after planting. It produces smooth-skinned fruit the size of large grapes in late summer to early fall, great for fresh eating, salads, dessert or jelly. Kiwi plants are attractive growers that require a sunny location, preferably with wind protection. They can be grown in different types of soils; however, the soil must be well drained. Kiwi plants are very pretty when used to cover a wall or fence or used in landscape design. Less aggressive than other kiwi varieties, Prolific is easily trained and ideal for trellises or fences.

Aeschynanthus speciosus is perhaps the most spectacular species within its genus. Flowers may be 4 inch long, are orange with the inside of the mouth orange-yellow and with a dark red bar across the lower lobes which also have scarlet borders. The plant is displayed to best advantage in a hanging basket, where the broad surface area allows the trailing stems to root down at intervals and send out abundant side-shoots, perfect as hanging or trailing plant.
These plants require high humidity and warmth throughout the growing season, as well as strong, but not direct, light. These plants are perfect for a greenhouse, sunroom or conservatory.
Perfect for hanging baskets/pots to best display their lovely cascading stems and attractive flowers or in containers placed on a pedestal or windowsill. The plant can be kept in a bathroom window sill or kitchen for increased humidity.

Grains of Paradise, African Cardamom. Seeds of this rare Ginger are similar in flavor to cardamom and used as a pungent spice. This Ginger has many bioactives, great for digestive and intestinal health. The plant has many other medicinal values: anti-diabetic and anti-obese mechanisms, aphrodisiac and testosterone boosting properties. Aframomum melegueta may be promising for a spice to add to a diet in hopes of body recomposition. Studies show this spice increases sexual behavior.

Chinese Perfume Plant, Chinese Rice Flower, Mock Lemon - the fragrance is outstanding! The plant is slow growing, big size of the plant is hard to find.
See Article about this plant.

Akee - rare fruit tree, hard to find National fruit of Jamaica. Delicious when fried! This showy fruit is a close relative of Lychee, Longan, and Rambutan. The tree is easy in cultivation, fast growing and can be maintained compact. I it is not bugsy or picky about soil/water conditions, and is relatively cold tolerant for being a tropical tree. You can find delicious akee meals only in Jamaican restaurants. But no need to search for it - grow your own tree, it can't be easier. It will start fruiting for you the next season, you don't have to wait long. Sometimes it fruits twice a year! However remember, the fruit is used as a vegetable, and is not eaten raw. It must be picked AT THE RIGHT TIME after the fruit has opened naturally so the flesh is fully exposed to light, otherwise it is poisonous. When the fruit has "yawned", discard the seeds (or better plant them to grow more trees - to share with your friends!). The arils, while still fresh and firm, are best parboiled in salted water or milk and then lightly fried in butter. Then they are really delicious. Just add Bacon to complete your meal! Somewhat cold-hardy once established.
See Article about this plant.

Very attractive ever-blooming shrub with bright yellow trumpet-like flowers. Nice blooming hedge plant. Relatively hardy and easy to grow.

Showy cherry color slightly fragrant flowers. Large plant, blooming size.

Allspice, Jamaica Pepper, pimento tree. Leaves and bark also contain the allspice scent. Excellent container plant for indoor or greenhouse culture. This spice scent will be with you right away and will stay all the time, don't have to wait till bloom or fruit...
This plant has antimicrobial properties.

Boa is an exciting new upright Alocasia that features enormous leaves and remarkable serrated leaves with marbled stems.
It has snakeskin-like stems and serrated leaves. This variety makes an excellent container plant as well as a beautiful landscape plant for the tropical garden. Boa produces many suckers which makes for an attractive container. This is an excellent mid-size Alocasia for the centerpiece of mixed combination pots. There is something so intriguing and beautiful about the Alocasia boa. With its massive, green leaves which have highly-serrated edges and robust stems, it is a favorite for many homeowners.

Frydek makes an outstanding potted plant for the home or garden. The mature, broad, velvety black leaves have striking white veins making this easy-care plant a real beauty. The juvenile leaves appear as bright lime-green and the pale leaf stems have a purplish jagged banding which adds even more intrigue to this eye-catching species. Strong grower resisting many of the winter decline issues that other Alocasias have.