Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date:

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.

Date:

How to protect Mango Trees from Cold Weather. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How to protect Mango Trees from Cold Weather

How to protect Mango Trees from Cold Weather

🌞 Mango trees love warm weather. They grow best in temperatures between 70F to 100F.

📍 Cold weather can be harmful to mango trees: when the temperature drops below freezing, trees can get damaged. Frost can hurt young leaves and flowers, reducing the amount of fruit.

💬 Ways to protect mango trees from cold

  • 🔹 Right location: Plant in sunny areas with protection from cold winds.

  • 🔹 Cover them up: Use blankets or frost cloth to protect young trees.

  • 🔹 Add mulch: Helps keep the roots warm during cold weather.

  • 🔹 Move potted trees: Bring them inside when it gets too cold.

  • 🔹 Use Sunshine Boosters to improve tree hardiness

Fertilized mango trees are stronger and more resilient.
  • They grow faster and have better root systems, making them more hardy against cold weather.
  • Sunshine Boosters provide the essential nutrients needed for strength and vigor, helping plants recover faster from cold damage.


Sunshine Boosters "Mango Tango" makes mango trees stronger and more resistant to cold. A well-fed tree can survive cold better and produce more fruit. With Sunshine Boosters, you ensure your mango trees stay healthy, even in chilly weather!

📚 Learn more from the articles:
Mango trees and how to deal with cold weather
How to fertilize your Mango trees

📸 See photo in the next post👇

🛒 Shop Sunshine Boosters

#Fertilizers #Mango

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Date:

How big is the Little Gem? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How big is the Little Gem?

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia, flower

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia, flower

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia, tree

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia, tree

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia, flower

Little Gem Magnolia - Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia, flower

💎 How big is the Little Gem?
  • 🕊 Looking for a cold-hardy tree with majestic flowers and a scent that could make angels swoon? Meet the Little Gem Magnolia! This delightful dwarf variety of the Magnolia grandiflora - Southern Magnolia - packs all the charm without the towering height.
  • 🕊 With large, perfect white flowers that emit a divine fragrance, this beautiful columnar tree is like nature's perfume dispenser.
  • 🕊 The leaves? They’re fluffy and brown underneath, like a teddy bear wearing a velvet jacket!
  • 🕊 Though it’s called a "dwarf," don’t be fooled - Little Gem can still reach up to 8-10 feet wide if planted in the ground, offering plenty of blooms even when young.
  • 🕊 While it's slow-growing, this compact beauty is perfect for small gardens where space is precious. Ideal perfume tree for container garden.
  • 🕊 Whether it's in a container or part of your landscape, this magnolia is a total showstopper. If you're ready for a tree that blends elegance, fragrance, and manageable size, Little Gem is your new best friend!


📚 Learn more:

🛒 Order Little Gem Magnolia

#Perfume_Plants #Trees

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Date:

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.

Date:

When Bigger means Better

Large Avocado trees in containers

Everybody loves shopping online nowadays, and plants are no exception. Buying plants by mail order is not uncommon anymore; it only takes one click, and luckily, there are many sources - from big shopping malls like Amazon to small backyard nurseries that sell their seedlings on eBay or Facebook - all delivered to your door. But plants are alive... So when doing your online plant shopping, you must ensure that you fully enjoy your experience and are happy with a healthy plant that a) doesn't die; b) recovers quickly; and c) starts growing fast, so you can see flowers and fruit as soon as possible.

The rule of thumb for shipping plants: bigger plants undergo shipping better, experience less stress, less leaf drop, and recover quicker than plants with smaller root systems. So when it comes to buying plants online, the bigger, the better. Unfortunately, many mail-order plant sources may sell you a tiny twig that has very few chances of surviving. Shipping is very expensive today, so shipping a bigger size plant may cost more than the plant itself.

Below is a piece of advice on how to make the best plant selection for your garden...

Loquat trees in containers

Photo above: Loquat trees in 3 gal containers.

5 important rules on how to buy trees online

1. Find a source with bigger plants. Check reviews, ask friends for recommendations, inquire from the company about the size of their plants and how they pack their plants for shipping.
TopTropicals offers well-established, strong plants with developed root system, in container sizes 1, 3, 7, 15 gallon, directly from a tropical Florida growing farm. Our unique plant-packing techniques are state of the art!

2. Price not always reflects the size and quality of the plant
TopTropicals offers many deals, discounts and sales, while still providing the biggest and strongest plants grown in real tropical conditions.

3. Most fruit trees must be grafted to produce good fruit. Make sure you are not purchasing a seedling when it comes to Mango, Avocado, Peaches and some other trees with named varieties that don't come true to seed.
TopTropicals offers only grafted - Mango, Avocado and a large number of other tropical cultivars.

4. Pick up when possible from the nursery your ordered from, or get a delivery, instead of shipping the plants. A drive to the nursery will save you more time and money in the future, plus you can hand-pick the biggest and healthiest specimens.
TopTropicals is open 7 days a week for your convenience. Visit our Ft Myers Garden Center or Sebring Farm to select the biggest plants.

5. Take advantage of X-Large size plant material if you live outside the tropical zone and are trying to zone-push your tropical garden. Bigger plants will establish faster and have more chances to survive cold winters. Again, it will save you money in a long run (although bigger plants may be more expensive, but their survival rate is much higher when it comes to cold nights).
TopTropicals offers X-Large flowering and fruiting trees (7-15-25 gallons), and most of the varieties you see in our online store can be custom-ordered in big sizes. Delivery and installation available.

Avocado trees in containers

Photo above: Avocado trees in 7 gal containers.

Large Champaka tree in container

Photo above: Magnolia champaca - Joy Perfume Tree in 25 gal container.

Date:

Shade Tree Discount Program
How to reduce an electric bill and energy costs?

Cassia fistula

Photo above: Cassia fistula - Golden Shower Tree - one of the most popular trees. This all time favorite is fast growing and elegant.

Q: How to reduce an electric bill and energy costs?

A: This summer is expected to be hot. And the next summer... and next... Want to reduce your electric bill and energy costs? There is an excellent solution: plant a shade tree! Once fully grown, these trees will help keep your house cooler and lower your energy expenses.

Today we are offering a special discount you can use for purchasing trees that will keep your homes cooler in Summer and gardens warmer in Winter!
Check out Fast Growing Shade Trees, as well as other flowering trees and fruit trees and use discount below:

GETSHADE

Your savings with this code:
5% off orders $100+
15% off orders $150+
20% off orders $200+

Excluding S/H. Excluding 15 gal material. Exp. 6-12-24

Tabebuia tree

Photo above: Tabebuia - spectacular winter bloomer.

Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree

Photo above: Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree. The most beautiful of all orchid trees.

Mango trees with fruit

Photo above: Mango trees now. Many varieties are vigorous, large trees.

Cattley guava tree

Photo above: Cattley Guava Tree is an elegant solution for small spaces. Red Button French Kiss Ginger goes well with it!

Date:

Why Champaka tree is such a popular perfume tree. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why Champaka tree is such a popular perfume tree

Joy Perfume tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca

🏆 Why Champaka tree is such a popular perfume tree
  • 🏵 The flowers from Champaka, or Joy Perfume tree (Magnolia (Michelia) champaca) - are used to make the world's most expensive perfume 'Joy' and smell like fruity bubble gum... you can't stop sticking your nose in this flower!
  • 🏵 Sacred tree of India and SE Asia. The flowers exude a divine fragrance that is exceedingly pleasing to the Gods... and women.
  • 🏵 The tree is very compact for both landscapes and containers. It has bushy, yet columnar shape. Can be grown in container with minimal pruning.
  • 🏵 Blooms on and off several times a year. Relatively cold hardy, but requires regular watering.


🎥 Yellow Champaka in bloom. This tree is 3 years old.

📚
Learn more from previous posts:
Flower of the most expensive perfume
White Champaka
Article about Champaka

🛒 Shop Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree

#Perfume_Plants #Fun_Facts #Container_Garden #Trees

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Date:

Index of TopTropicals Telegram Channel. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Index of TopTropicals Telegram Channel

Index of TopTropicals Telegram Channel
🗂 Index of TopTropicals Telegram Channel

Follow these tags to find your interests:

#Butterfly_Plants - Butterfly attracting plants.

#Container_Garden - Plants suitable for container garden and indoor culture.

#Fertilizers - All the truth about fertilizers, plant food supplements, and our recommendations for different types of plants.

#Food_Forest - Fruit trees, Spice plants, and Edibles.
Including: #Avocado, #Mango, #Papaya, #Guava, #Jackfruit, #Loquat

📖 #Fun_Facts - interesting plant facts and legends.

🌳 #Hedges_with_benefits - Practical approach to your landscape and how to properly select showy and useful plants for your yard.

♍️ #Horoscope - Plant Horoscopes and Cat Horoscopes. Did you know that cats also have their Zodiac signs?

🛠 #How_to - Q&A about growing plants, tropical garden lifehacks.

👀 #Nature_Wonders - Unusual, amusing, outrageous, bizarre plants...

🐈
#PeopleCats - our Favorite PeopleCats (and some PeopleDogs, too).

🌸 #Perfume_Plants - Fragrant plants and perfume trees.

✍️ #Quotes - Interesting quotes.

#Recipes - Exotic recipes for tropical fruit and edibles.

💊
#Remedies - Medicinal plants.

☁️ #Shade_Garden - Plants suitable for low light conditions.

🌼 #Tree
s - Spectacular flowering tropical trees.

🏆 #Win - Contests, Sweepstakes, and other specials.

Join and share with friends👇🏵
TopTropicals

Date:

Is Magnolia edible? Vanilla Magnolia: it's for cooking! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Is Magnolia edible? Vanilla Magnolia: its for cooking!

Florida Sweet Bay - Vanilla Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Florida Sweet Bay - Vanilla Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Florida Sweet Bay - Vanilla Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Florida Sweet Bay - Vanilla Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Florida Sweet Bay - Vanilla Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Is Magnolia edible? Vanilla Magnolia: it's for cooking!

💮 Florida Sweet Bay, or Vanilla Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) has beautiful flowers with strong vanilla fragrance, while the leaves offer unique culinary uses.
  • 🔹 Strong vanilla scent: fragrance can be noticed hundreds of yards away.
  • 🔹 White, delicate blooms.
  • 🔹 Unique leaf flavor: fresh leaves have a distinct taste, fun for cooking. Sweet Bay offers unique cooking flavors.
  • 🔹 Prefers moist, acidic soil conditions, tolerates flooding, ideal for wet spots in your yard.
  • 🔹 Pest-free: no bugs or other pests.


🛒 Shop Magnolia trees

#Trees #Perfume_Plants

🏵 TopTropicals

Date:

What is the flower of the most expensive perfume? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What is the flower of the most expensive perfume?

Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca

Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca - white flower Alba

Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca - white flower Alba

Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca

Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca

Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca

Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca

🏵 What is the flower of the most expensive perfume? Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree. It is the fragrance the most expensive perfume Joy is made of, and our signature flower!

The flowers from this tree - Magnolia (Michelia) champaca - are used to make the world's most expensive perfume 'Joy' and smell like fruity bubble gum 🎀... you can't stop sticking your nose in this flower!

👼 Sacred tree of India and SE Asia
flowers exude a divine fragrance that is exceedingly pleasing to the Gods... and women

🌳 Perfect small landscape tree of a columnar shape. Ideal for containers.

🌡 Relatively cold hardy

💎 Rare collectible, a gem of any plant collection!

📚 Learn more about Champaka

🛒 Shop Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree

#Perfume_Plants #Fun_Facts #Container_Garden #Trees

🏵 TopTropicals