TOP TROPICALS ONLINE STORE: Rare plants from all over the World

Absolutely gorgeous! A true Holiday plant, Jamaican Poinsettia one of our favorites. Rather slow growing, with a compact habit; flowers are spectacular (those are actually bright red bracts). Most profuse flowering is during Holiday season, then Spring, then sporadic blooms throughout the year. This pretty, evergreen, succulent small tree has high drought tolerance and can be treated like plumeria, however it is evergreen and much smaller size. Perfect specimen plant, great for a small sunny space in your garden, or container. We believe that everybody should have one!

Huassai, Chonta. Variegation forms on the trunk only. Haussai grows quickly in both upland and seasonally flooded fields. The light, very small canopy. Grows in wild in Central America to Bolivia, up to 6000 ft elevation. In Ecuador it occurs on both sides of the Andes, on terra firme, or east of the Andes also on poorly drained soil.
Euterpe precatoria is harvested for edible palm heart (the apex)ю A liquid from the roots is used to treat malaria. The fruit is used for the production of Acai wine.

NEW INTRODUCTION: Fernandoa. Rare African tree, endangered species. Spectacular bloomer! Small, often multi-stemmed tree, great for small yards or as a collectable specimen. Flowers in clusters, spectacular, bright orange-red with a yellow center; corolla bell-shaped, up to 4" in diameter, shallowly lobed with 4 large stamens protruding. One of the most wanted flowering trees.

Full scientific name: Ficus natalensis subspecies leprieuri, also known as Ficus triangularis variegata.
One of the coolest plants on the market! The Ficus Triangularis Variegata plant is one of the harder plants to find, even its non-variegated version is not common. This easy-care beauty shows off quantities of green and cream, triangle-heart-shape leaves that are held aloft on stiff compact stems. It's a super tough plant that can take a bit more abuse than other members of the ficus family. It is a slow grower eventually reaching 4 feet in height. The brighter the light, the better the variegation will be on new foliage.
This spectacular ficus can make an excellent houseplant. Decorate a table top with a single specimen or flank a doorway or entry with a pair of these easy-care ficus. They would also look terrific in a bright bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen.
This plant NEEDS light, if you do not give it enough light it may drop leaves or stop producing variegation. If grown indoors, use additional grow light for 10 hours a day. Water your plant whenever the soil feels dry to the touch. This handsome plant does not like wet feet so use your finger to make sure the soil is completely dry before offering moisture. Water thoroughly and then let the plant dry out again before it gets another drink.

Rheedia edulis, Lemon Drop Mangosteen, Cherry Mangosteen. Small yellow fruit about an inch or two around. The pulp is translucent to white in color, with a madruno-like flavor. Eaten fresh. Close related species - Garcinia livingstonei (Imbe).

Very rare Thai endemic plant. It has yellow/golden fragrant flowers similar to Gardenia tubifera kula except that it has erect flower (never pendulus), less number of petals and leaves are slightly velvetish. This gardenia is better suited for alkaline soils (S. Florida) than G. tubifera kula and more cold hardy - during record freeze in 2010 all G. tubifera were damaged or killed at 32F. Gardenia gjellerupii survived without any damages.
See picture of the plants for sale.

This unique hybrid is very rare and hard to find. The plant has huge double flowers up to 5-6" wide, normally semi-double, but sometimes they come in weird shapes. One of the few cultivated plants native to Polynesia. The intoxicating sweet fragrant blossoms are creamy white works of art. The biggest size gardenia flowers. Foliage is beautiful as well with its dark green shiny leaves, also large as big as 7-8" long and 4-5" wide. It is not easy to grow and very sensitive to overwatering. However, grafted plants do much better in the ground than in pots and are relatively cold hardy (can take light frost). See size of flower in inches.

Golden Gardenia Kula - very rare tropical gardenia. Medium size slow growing shrub with leathery leaves and fragrant flowers that change color from ivory through yellow to orange.
It is a rare, collectible item!

This variety was hybridized at Top Tropicals from a Variegated Honey Moon Guava. This cultivar we call Golden has green leaves without variegation but keeps all other great features of the Honey Moon Guava.
The sweetest fruit we ever tasted. Fruit is medium size, pear-shaped, golden color when ripe. The flesh is pink, very aromatic, sweet and delicious, and contains only a few seeds that separate from pulp easily. This variety is resistant to insects and worms. The fruit is excellent and highly aromatic. Bushy shape, very full tree. The plant flowers and fruits in small size, perfect for containers. If planted in the ground, the tree grows small to medium size (10-15 ft) with has nice, symmetrical bushy shape. Everbearing, very reliable producer, the plant constantly has fruit, buds or flowers.

Kilo White Guava. The fruit is very large (up to a kilogramm, hence the variety name), round, contains few seeds, and has soft white flesh when ripe. Guava is a good tropical fruit tree not fussy on the soil quality, and produces fruit year after year. It is relatively cold hardy. Requires regular watering. Great container plant, will fruit in a pot in small size.

Thai White Guava. It is a large, crunchy guava containing few seeds. Guava is a good tropical fruit tree not fussy on the soil quality, and produces fruit year after year. It is relatively cold hardy. Requires regular watering. Great container plant, will fruit in a pot in small size.

Helicopter Flower. A woody climbing shrub with clusters of pink to white and yellow fragrant flowers and 3-winged, helicopter-like fruits. Flowers have very interesting shape and look like a decorative accessory, with fluffy-toothed edges. The fragrance is very strong and pleasant, resembles fruity perfume. Used medicinally in India. Blooms profusely from January through March!

Holmskioldia citrina - Rare variety - bright yellow flowers. Sometimes this species is called Holmskioldia sanguinea Mandarin. Unique flowers are the main interest of this scrambling shrub: each is a narrow, tube backed by a broad, circular calyx.
See picture of actual plants for sale - in full bloom! (Dec 2012)

The Inga spectabilis is very rare in cultivation. It is also called the Machete Ice Cream Bean because of its shape. Like the more common Inga edulis, this Ice Cream Bean has seeds that are surrounded by delicious white and soft flesh. Because the seed pot has a thicker shell, it is more resistant to external influences. In tropical conditions a seedling can give fruit after 3 years. The tree is very vigorous and fast growing, in favorable conditions it can reach a height of more than 30 ft. The Machete Ice Cream Bean is also can be used as an ornamental shade tree.

Clusters of pure white fragrant flowers, as its name suggests. Very unusual species and hard to find! Grows into medium size bush, can take both sun or shade. Vigorous and easy plant. It is much cold hardy than Ixora odorata. Needs microelement supplement on regular basis to avoid leaf chlorosis.

Crimson Star Ixora, very rare, from Thailand. Triple bright red flowers. The plant is very slow growing. Perfect container plant.

VERY RARE! Fragrant ixora - amazing rare plant with highly fragrant pinkish-white flowers.
Almost all ixoras do best in acid soil, free from nematodes, a moist organic mix that is also well drained. Ixora can endure some salt spray on the wind. A common problem is our alkaline soils, especially near concrete and pools, causing poor health, poor foliage and poor blooming.

The Thai Snow Ixora is a rare and lesser known Ixora Hybrid from Thailand. It has small rounded leaves glossy medium to deep green leaves that vary from splashed and speckled with white variegation to almost solid creamy white new growth.
The growth habit is semi-dwarf, maturing at around 2 feet with and a dense, tight, growth habit. It blooms in clusters of fragrant, white, star shaped florets beginning in early summer. The flowers are nectar rich and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Its best and most interesting feature however is the variegated foliage and slower growth habit. This is one makes especially nice potted plants and works well as in light shade to brighten and add texture. Strikingly pretty variegated leaves vary from being lightly mottled and sprinkled cream on the older to leaves to near solid creamy white barely dusted with emerald green.

Jasminum sambac Arabian Knights (Arabian Nights). Rare variety of Jasmine Sambac with small double flowers and vining habit. Slow, compact grower.
See Jasminum Sambac Page.
See size of plants for sale.

Jasmine sambac Grand Duke Supreme - the new variety has elongated leaves and larger flowers, up to 2", that often come in bunches. This variety is more vigorous and hardy than regular Grand Duke.

Jasminum sambac Mali Chat (Malichat) - The rarest variety of Jasmine - with triple, garland-like flowers. Collectible item.
See picture of the flower.

Beauverd's Widow's Thrill, False Hoya. This is a very unusual kalanchoe that is sure to attract attention. It's one of the few climbing species along with Kalanchoe schizophylla. This succulent climber has gray wiry stems and green narrow leaves turning purple-black in high light with adventitious plantlets often forming on the leaf tips. Its hanging flowers are bell-shaped and rather large compared to the slender stems. Blooming in clusters, they are an unusual grayish green color with fine purple speckles. Flowering is in the winter and spring months. The wiry stems and hooked leaves help it vigorously scramble and twine upwards. It can swallow surrounding plants if not pruned to keep it under control. So it is best to grow it on a trellis to 8 feet or in a hanging basket where it can be allowed to cascade. Grow in full sun or bright shade and allow it to get dry between waterings. It generally likes warmth with dry cool frost-free winters. It's native to south and southwestern Madagascar.

Schizophylla = "crazy leaves". This is a very curious kalanchoe, as it is one of the few climbing species along with Kalanchoe beauverdii. Its smooth leaves are deeply cut with a fern-like appearance turning orangish in bright light. It climbs by means of its hook-like finely divided mature leaves. The stems are thin curling up to 12 feet or more in length! The seldom seen inflorescence consists of pendulous, bell-shaped lavender-grey flowers in spring to summer. It seems to be given to vegetative growth so that flowering is rare, especially if frequent pruning has been necessary. The variable leaves are very decorative and the plants are easy to grow. In its native Madagascar it is a hemiepiphyte (seedlings growing in the canopy as an epiphyte, later with roots growing down into the ground). It is found in rocky and shady brush in central Madagascar from 3 to 5 thousand feet in elevation. Grow it as an epiphyte, in a hanging basket, or as an interesting climber on a trellis.

Sausage tree - curious specimen tree with large 1-2 ft long fruit hanging on long ropes, and red tulip-like flowers opening at night. Fast grower, hard-to-kill plant!