Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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What is a perfect shade tree with flower benefits? Discover the sunny Kassod Tree. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What is a perfect shade tree with flower benefits? Discover the sunny Kassod Tree

Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree (Siamese Senna)

Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree (Siamese Senna)

Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree (Siamese Senna)

Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree (Siamese Senna)

Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree (Siamese Senna)

Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree (Siamese Senna)

🌻 What is a perfect shade tree with flower benefits? Discover the sunny Kassod Tree...
  • 🟡 Cassia siamea - Kassod Tree (Siamese Senna) is a remarkable subtropical tree known for several special features:
  • 🟡 Fast Growing, making it an excellent choice for quick shade and ornamental use.
  • 🟡 Bright yellow flowers that bloom in clusters, adding a vibrant splash of color.
  • 🟡 Evergreen foliage: lush green leaves year-round, providing continuous beauty and shade.
  • 🟡 Hardy: highly resilient and can thrive in a variety of soil types and conditions, including poor soils and dry climates. Tolerates both light frost and summer heat.
  • 🟡 Low maintenance, easy care, not messy, making it an ideal choice for both novice and experienced gardeners.
  • 🟡 Nitrogen fixation: Improves soil fertility by fixing nitrogen, benefiting surrounding plants and enhancing garden productivity.
  • 🟡 Medicinal use: herbal medicine (laxative properties and to treat various ailments).
  • 🟡 Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, supporting local biodiversity and ecosystem health 🐞🐝
  • 🟡 Shade provider: Ideal for creating shaded areas in gardens and landscapes, contributing to a cooler environment during hot weather.


🛒 Add shade and color to your garden with Kassod Tree

#Butterfly_Plants #Trees

🏵 TopTropicals

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Discover the most impressive Florida Vine. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Discover the most impressive Florida Vine

Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine

Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine

🔥 Discover the most impressive Florida Vine!

💻 "I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." - Claude Monet

📸 Pyrostegia venusta - Flame Vine, is a stunning winter bloomer native to Florida. Its vibrant orange flowers resemble a fiery cascade, blanketing the tops of trees where the vine climbs. The tubular blossoms form dense clusters, creating a striking, flame-like appearance that stands out against the winter landscape, making it a spectacular sight during the cooler months.

What is your favorite tropical vine? Share in comments👇

🛒 Order Flame Vine

#Hedges_with_benefits #Quotes

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What is your cat's Zodiac sign? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What is your cats Zodiac sign?

What is your cats Zodiac sign?
♉️ 😸 What is your cat's Zodiac sign?
Cat Horoscope: Taurus Cats 4/21-5/20


❓ How to know the astrological sign of your cat? It can be determined by either their date of birth or adoption, as adoption is often considered a second birth for cats.

  • ✨ You can discover the astrological traits that describe the cat, such as their independence, diva-like tendencies, sense of humor, intelligence, and more.

  • ✨ It's also important to consider the astrological relationship between cats and plants...


♉️ Taurus Cats are:
  • ▪️sybarites
  • ▪️gourmands
  • ▪️pragmatic
  • ▪️excellent ratters
  • ▪️possessive


🌟 Learn more about Taurus Cats and discover their lucky plants

#PeopleCats #Horoscope

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Discover the magic of tropical plants for your home and garden: A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Discover the magic of tropical plants for your home and garden:

Tropical flowers

🌺 Discover the magic of tropical plants for your home and garden:

In today's world, this is your escape into the real life of happy plants.
You can grow them all. We can help!

Subscribe👇

🏵 TopTropicals - We grow happiness

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Researchers discover what a perfume from Ancient Rome was made of: Patchouli! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Researchers discover what a perfume from Ancient Rome was made of: Patchouli!

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli

Researchers discover what a perfume from Ancient Rome was made of: Patchouli!
  • ⚡️ A research team at the University of Cordoba has identified the composition of a Roman perfume more than 2,000 years old thanks to the discovery of a small vessel of ointment in Carmona, Spain.
  • ⚡️ The mausoleum held the remains of six individuals in six urns, one of which was made of glass and contained the remains of a woman who died between 30 and 40 years of age. Her cloth bag held a rock crystal flask sealed with a stone and bitumen and three amber beads...
  • ⚡️The well-preserved material inside the flask was examined with X-ray diffraction, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry. The study determined that the scent was derived from Pogostemon cablin, a plant from India used to produce the scent Patchouli.
  • ⚡️Patchouli only grows in the tropical climates of southern and southeastern Asia. This means it would have been imported into Roman territory and sold in products crafted for wealthy patrons who craved access to exotic ingredients.
  • ⚡️ The high quality of the flask holding the scent suggests that it was a valuable product.


⚠️ Get your own valuable Patchouli Plant and always have the heavenly smell with you!

🛒 Plant your own Patchouli

#Perfume_Plants #Remedies #Fun_Facts

🏵 TopTropicals

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Discover rare Allamandas: Mandarin-flowered beauty. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Discover rare Allamandas: Mandarin-flowered beauty

Allamanda violacea - Golden Indonesian Sunset.

🍊 Discover rare Allamandas: Mandarin-flowered beauty

Allamanda violacea - rare variety Golden Indonesian Sunset. Flowers are multi-colored with bronze/golden highlights, some gardeners call it Mandarin Allamanda. Very showy flower, slightly fragrant.

What colors of Allamanda do you have? Share in comments👇

📚 Check out from previous posts:
🍷 Cabernet Allamanda
⭐️ Stansils Double Gold Allamanda williamsii

🛒 Shop Allamanda varieties

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants

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What is a good plant for a fragrant elegant hedge? Discover the Angel Hair Jasmine. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What is a good plant for a fragrant elegant hedge? Discover the Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum) - Angel Hair Jasmine

💫 What is a good plant for a fragrant elegant hedge? Discover the Angel Hair Jasmine.
  • 💮 Jasminum pubescens (multiflorum), also known as Angel Hair Jasmine, is a beloved choice for landscapes, prized for its multitude of exceptional qualities.
  • 💮 Bushy, dense vining shrub with star-like white flowers emitting a delightful fragrance.
  • 💮 Soft, velvet-like leaves add to its charm.
  • 💮 Rapid growth makes it ideal for creating lush hedges or adding vertical interest to garden spaces.
  • 💮 Perfect for hedges, fences, or trellises, adding a touch of beauty and fragrance to any outdoor setting.


🛒 Make a fragrant hedge with Angel Hair Jasmine

#Hedges_with_benefits #Perfume_Plants

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Yearning for Jungle Vibes? Discover the Giant Birds Nest Anthurium - look at the size of this monster! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Yearning for Jungle Vibes? Discover the Giant Birds Nest Anthurium - look at the size of this monster!

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest fruit

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest fruit

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest fruit

Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest fruit

Yearning for Jungle Vibes? Discover the Giant Bird’s Nest Anthurium - look at the size of this monster!
  • Anthurium x hookeri - Giant Bird's Nest - is one of the most wanted tropical jungle plants. It has impressive foliage: enormous, wrinkly leaves with a unique cardboard-like texture that can grow up to 7 feet long! The bright red berries add to the show.
  • Jungle allure: perfect for creating a lush, tropical atmosphere with its striking and bold presence.
  • Ideal for spacious areas: thrives in places with good natural light and ample space, making it a standout feature.
  • Easy care: low-maintenance epiphyte, requires very little water.
  • Tolerates low light conditions, perfect for a shade garden.
  • Conversation piece: eye-catching texture adds visual interest and depth to your plant collection with its distinctive leaf surface. The size of the leaves is unbelievable!
  • Suitable for indoor and outdoor settings.
  • Air purifying: helps improve air quality, making it a functional and beautiful addition to your home.
  • Tropical statement: brings a piece of the jungle into your environment, transforming it into a green oasis.


🛒 Order Giant Birdnest

#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

🏵 TopTropicals

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Bauhinias: trees with Orchid Flowers
and Butterfly Wings...

Bauhinia variegata - Purple Orchid Tree

Photo above: Bauhinia variegata - Purple Orchid Tree, one of the most spectacular varieties.

Q: We just moved to Florida and I see these beautiful trees with large purple flowers. I was told these are Orchid trees, do you have them?

A: Bauhinias, commonly known as Orchid trees, are renowned for their captivating flowers and unique foliage. These trees typically grow to a moderate height of 15-25 feet with a spread of 10-15 feet, showcasing a rounded to vase-like shape. Thriving in hardiness zones 9-11, they exhibit resilience to heat and can withstand mild frost. There are over 300 species of Bauhinia, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. These species vary in characteristics such as size, foliage, and flower color, contributing to the diversity and appeal of this genus. You can find them as trees, shrubs, and even vines.

Bauhinias are evergreen (in tropics) to semi-deciduous (in cooler climates), offering year-round beauty with intermittent blooming cycles. The peak bloom time varies depending on the species and location, often occurring in late winter to early spring, bedecking the tree with striking orchid-like flowers in hues ranging from white and pink to purple and red. The flowers boast delicate petals with intricate patterns, resembling the elegance of true orchids.

One of the distinguishing features of Bauhinia leaves is their unique bi-lobed or bilobed structure, which gives them a distinct appearance. The leaves are deeply divided, typically into two lobes or halves, hence the common name "Butterfly tree" due to their resemblance to butterfly wings. This characteristic is often used as an identifying trait for Bauhinia species. The bilobed leaves add to the visual appeal of the tree, contributing to its ornamental value in addition to its beautiful flowers.

Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons plume

Photo above: Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume, starts flowering in small size. This one is very beautiful but the most cold sensitive and should be grown in pots in areas with winter freeze. It will happily bloom in container!

Low-maintenance by nature, Bauhinias require minimal upkeep. Annual feeding with a balanced fertilizer enhances growth and flowering. Pruning is generally optional but can be done in late winter or spring, after flowering, to maintain shape or remove dead or damaged branches. These trees thrive in full sun, preferring well-drained soil. With their enchanting blooms and easy care requirements, Bauhinia orchid trees are a delightful addition to any landscape, and a colorful specimen for tropical winter gardens.

In addition, Orchid trees grow fast and provide excellent shade. They can make a shady spot in your garden in no time, giving relief from the hot sun. This is really valuable, especially in places where it gets very hot. So, not only are Orchid trees pretty to look at with their lovely flowers, but they're also great for keeping you cool!

Read more about Bauninias:
Bauihnias: Orchid trees with Butterfly flowers... and leaves

Bauhinia x alba (candida) - White orchid tree

Photo above: Bauhinia x alba (candida) - White orchid tree, the most cold hardy variety that can take light freeze once established.

Bauhinia purpurea - Purple Orchid Tree

Photo above: Bauhinia purpurea - Purple Orchid Tree, one of the most popular and easy trees in Southern landscapes.

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Top ten fast-fruiting trees

Cat fruit in a box

Q: I would like to plant several fruit trees... I am 85 years old and hope to see them fruiting soon. What fruit trees can you recommend that will fruit quickly?

A: Most grafted fruit trees, such as Mango, Avocado, and Peaches, will fruit quickly - often within the same year or the next. There are also many wonderful tropical fruits that will produce for you within a year or two, even without the need for grafting. Below are the top 10 of most popular, most rewarding and easy to grow fast fruiting tropical trees:

1. Annona - Sugar Apple, Custard Apple.

Annona - Sugar Apple, Custard Apple

Annonas are the fastest fruiting trees: 2-3-4 years from seed to fruit, depending on species. They are the best tropical fruit trees suited for container growing, due to their small height and can be maintained within 6-8 ft tall.

2. Guava (Psidium sp.): Cattley and Tropical guava

Guava fruit - Psidium

Guava is a reliable producer, starts fruiting in a pot at small size. Some varieties, especially Cattley guavas - Psidium littorale - are relatively cold hardy and can take some frost without damage. Guavas are fast growing small trees or large bushes.

3. Eugenia - Tropical Cherries

Eugenias - Tropical Cherries

Eugenias are favorites of Southern gardens. They are relatively cold hardy and start producing right away. Black Surinam Cherry Lolita and Grumichama are our favorites!

4. Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra)

Barbados Cherry - Malpighia glabra

Another exceptional tropical cherry is Barbados Cherry. It is super popular as a heavy producer. The plant can start fruiting when it's only a few inches tall! If you are looking for a compact, but fast growing tree with colorful fruit that starts fruiting right away - plant Barbados Cherry. It will also happily fruit in containers.

5. Eriobotrya (Eriobotrya japonica)

Loquat - Eriobotrya japonica

Loquat tree is fast-growing, drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant, compact tropical fruit tree. It is a heavy producer. Fruits are juicy, aromatic, and resemble apricots. Ripen from early Spring to early Summer. Ideal for small gardens, beginner fruit tree growers.

6. Papaya (Carica papaya)

Papaya

Papaya is probably the fastest fruiting tree that can start production the same year from planting a seed. Many dwarf varieties available in selection, reaching only 6-8 ft tall, but producing large crops of full size fruit - they are easy to harvest. Plant 2-3 Papaya trees of different cultivars that fruit at different times of the year and enjoy heavy crops of healthy fruit year around! Another benefit - this tree doesn't take much space in the garden, you can plant as many as you want.

7. Mulberry (Morus hybrids)

Mulberry

Mulberry is very cold hardy and can grow in wide range of climate zones, from USDA 5 to 10. Everyone knows this sweet, tasty, juicy fruit. The tree will produce right away, you will see fruit the next season after planting, and the tree grows fast.

8. Carambola - Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)

Carambola - Starfruit, Averrhoa carambola

Growing Carambola tree is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy this unique star-shaped delicious fruit right at home. It fruits on the 3d year from seed. The tree is easy to grow and reliable producer, providing wind protection.

9. Blackberry Jam Fruit (Randia formosa)

Blackberry Jam Fruit - Randia formosa

Blackberry Jam Fruit, Jasmin de Rosa is a curious small evergreen tree or bush that combines features of a fragrant flower and delicious dessert fruit which tastes like fresh Blackberry jam. Fragrant white flowers are similar to Gardenia.

10. Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea)

Peanut Butter Tree - Bunchosia argentea

Peanut Butter Tree, earns its name from its fleshy fruits that boast a delightful peanut butter flavor. Compact in size, small tree reaching only 10-15 ft or kept as a bush, it's a perfect choice for limited spaces. Can thrive indoors, starting to fruit within just 2-3 years from seed.