Meet the cats around us - they're our friends, protectors, and magical
mascots. They keep us healthy and can even save us in emergencies...
Winter brings a special time called the Solstice. It's when the earth
pauses its yearly cycle and starts a new one. This magical moment marks the
beginning of something enchanting...
Let's begin with the Norwegian Forest Cat. It's a mysterious and northern
feline friend, also called Skogkatt. It's like the wildcats in Scandinavian
fairy tales...
What's Skogkatt's favorite flower in their homeland? Viking Poms,
small yellow daisies. But in more southern regions, Daisy Trees - Montanoa - serve as substitutes, reminding them of their distant
Northern homeland.
Montanoa atriplicifolia - Tree Chrysanthemum, Tree Daisy - one of the
most impressive winter bloomers.
Tired of mowing a boring lawn? Use your yard instead of being used by
your yard - grow edible landscape! Below are several plants that made our life
happier and meals healthier. Besides, these are fun to grow! Try them out:
1. Hibiscus
sabdariffa - Flor de Jamaica, Karkade Sorrel - Flowers are used to make
a tea "Agua de Flor de Jamaica". Medical studies show that it lowers blood
pressure and has diuretic effects. The pleasant flavor is on the tart side
similar to a cranberry juice. We make this cold tea every day - perfect for hot
summer. Full sun.
2.
Gynura procubens - Longevity Spinach, Cholesterol spinach - one of the
Superfoods, and there are many claims that it lowers cholesterol. We use it in
our cooking all the time and so far we are all alive! Full sun. See recipe >>
3.
Sauropus androgynus - Katuk, Tropical Asparagus. Delicious young shoots,
one of the most popular leaf vegetables in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, people
cook it in stews and soups. It is among only a few flora containing vitamin K.
Full sun or semi-shade. Learn more >>
4. Cymbopogon
citratus- Lemon grass: Versatile performer in the kitchen where it
can be used in teas, beverages, herbal medicines, Eastern inspired soups and
other dishes. Full sun or semi-shade.
5. Lippia
dulcis - Aztec Sweet Herb, Sweetleaf: Mexican herb with incredibly sweet
leaves that can be eaten from the plant like candy or tossed into fruit
salads for an unusual addition. It has been used since the time of the Aztecs for
coughs and colds. Tastes great, can be used by diabetic patients. We add this herb to Karkade or Mint tea as a sweetener. Shade or
semi-shade.
Four must-have herbal edibles for your instant Food
Forest
Q: What attractive and useful edibles or herbs
can I grow in my yard landscape without needing dedicated garden beds?
A: When we think of an "herb garden," parsley and
chives often come to mind -plants that aren't particularly showy and
typically require a dedicated vegetable garden, space, and regular maintenance.
However, creating a food forest in your yard doesn't have to be a complex
project. Useful edibles and medicinal herbs can also be exotic and beautiful,
enhancing the charm of your landscape. Here are some examples of unusual tropical edibles that are not only stunning ornamentals but also bring
delicious goodness to your kitchen.
1. For drinks: Jamaica Tea flower - Karkade
Hibiscus
Hibiscus
sabdariffa - Flor de Jamaica, Karkade Sorrel, Roselle, or Jamaica Tea flower
(Karkade Tea) - yes, many hibiscus species are edible!
- Flowers of Roselle hibiscus are used to make a tea "Agua de Flor de
Jamaica". To be exact, those are flower bracts around flowers and seed pods.
- Medical studies show that it lowers blood pressure and has diuretic
effects.
- The pleasant flavor is similar to a cranberry juice and it's so good, you
may not even want to add any sugar. We make this cold tea every day -
perfect for hot summer.
- Karkade Hibiscus grows into a large bush within just one season from
seed! Lots of flowers to harvest will last you the whole winter. It can be
treated as annual in cooler areas due to its fast growth and same-year harvest.
Thrives in full sun.
- Short video:
Lippia dulcis
- Aztec Sweet Herb, Sweetleaf is a wonderful fragrant groundcover.
- Fragrant Mexican herb with incredibly sweet and aromatic leaves.
- The fresh leaves can be eaten from the plant like candy or tossed into
fruit salads for an unusual addition, or used for making a healing tea.
- It has been used since the time of the Aztecs for coughs and colds.
- The sweetness tastes great, and can be used by diabetic patients. We add
this herb to Karkade or Mint tea as a sweetener, instead of sugar or
honey.
- Grows like a ground cover, in shade or semi-shade, great perennial
container plant.
3. For salads and stews: Longevity Spinach, or
Cholesterol spinach
Gynura
procubens - Longevity Spinach, or Cholesterol spinach is a perennial spinach, and
once you plant it, you have it for many years, and can grow many more easily
from cuttings!
- Longevity Spinach is one of the Superfoods, and there are many claims
that it lowers cholesterol.
- We use Longevity Spinach in our cooking all the time and so far we are
all alive, so it works! :)
- Longevity spinach can be eaten raw in salads or cooked wherever you would
use a regular spinach.
- Grows as a large spreading herbal bush, in full sun.
- See some recipes with more pictures
4. For meat wraps: Vietnamese Pepper or Wild Betel
Leaf
Piper
sarmentosum - Vietnamese Pepper, Lalot, Wild Betel Leaf, Chaa-plu adds wonderful
peppery flavor to meats and is great for wrapping meats and cooking in the oven,
on a stove or grill. We use it all the time, wrapping ground beef of turkey
and putting wraps on a grill or on a frying pan, very easy!
- Vietnamese Pepper leaves are eaten raw in salads or cooked with other
greens or dishes.
- The leaves are used as food wraps in Vietnam. It is used medicinally in
India and SE Asia.
- It is also chewed with Betel Nut as a tonic and medicine, very similar to
Betel Leaf (Piper Betel) which is very popular tonic in Indian culture.
- Vietnamese Pepper grows as a vining herbaceous shrub or ground cover, in
both sun or shade, and spreads with runners so you can have plenty if you
want to have more. Can be grown in container and indoors, too.
- Check out recipes of meat wraps for grilling
Cat of
the Month:
Winter Adventure of Lisa the Cat
After publishing the story about Skogkatts - Norwegian Forest Cats, we received inquiries about Lisa, if
she is available for adoption? Luckily, Lisa now has her wonderful sweet
home in Sweden, so unfortunately for those who fell in love with her, she is not
adoptable. But Lisa's life story wasn't all that sweet and simple! Rather
thrilling and adventurous. So we decided to share her story with you...
By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
"...Lisa, who illustrated our story about Skogkatt Cat Breed, lives with my daughter Vanda, along
with her family: husband Vitaly and two children - Max and Maria. They live in
Sweden. Lisa is 13 years old now. About 10 years ago, Lisa had a heartbreaking
adventure almost ended with a tragedy... But luckily, she made it through.
However, since then, she can't jump high and sometimes walks funny, sways and
limps... And here's what happened..."
Pick the right plants with TopTropicals free expert help.
At TopTropicals, we have 25 years experience growing rare tropical fruit trees and flowering plants.
Plants are the best therapists.
You can Grow Happiness - we can help.
💥 Still not a subscriber? Join TopTropicals community and you will know everything about tropical plants!
Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Sonya, the Co-Author
In our previous newsletter, you met our editor/photographer tandem - Tilda & Marina. Today we introduce our columnist assistant - Sonya. For
the past decade, this True Norwegian Forest Cat has been a great helper and
inspirational co-author for Alexandra, TopTropicals website writer and social media blogger.
Alex has been with TopTropicals since Day One (2003). In 2011, she got
Sonya, a 3-month old kitten that someone kicked out: at that young age she
already had quite a temper of a real Wild Cat. No one wanted to adopt her and
Sonya was doomed to suffer a street life... So Alex invited her in the house...
and it took her many months to teach Sonya some good manners! And Sonya
turned into a beautiful and affectionate Purrrson as well as became the Boss in
the house (what a surprise, duh) and Alexandra's dearest life companion. Sonya also discovered her talent in writing plant stories for TopTropicals, sitting on Alex's shoulder and whispering into her ear while she is typing Sonya's horticultural tips. And when Alex stares at monitors for more than 5 hours, Sonya lays on her keyboard saying: "Now get up and get some stretch lady! Let's go re-pot some plants for a change!"
We will be following up on Sonya's creative work, and you will hear from her again soon...
PeopleCats Botanical Garden Grand Opening
Guided tour with Mark Hooten
Top Tropicals Garden Center is pleased to invite you to visit our new PeopleCats Botanical Garden on the grounds of Top Tropicals in Ft
Myers. It is named in honor of the relationship with our beloved Cats, who we treat like People. You'll see our Garden PeopleCats roaming the property. As a matter of fact, they rule
the garden!
The Garden has many mature trees and plants so you can see what they look like before your purchase them in our Garden Center. And of course, our
PeopleCats will be guiding you in the Gardens!
Q: We purchased some tropical edible and
medicinal plants from you in August this year. I have a question pertaining to our Moringa tree. When
we purchased it, it was about two foot tall. It has put on tremendous growth
and is now a little under ten foot tall. My question is, should a Moringa be
losing lower leaves at this point? The bare limbs are still green and the top
looks to have healthy green leaves.
A: Thank you for choosing our Moringa tree, and
sharing the picture. It's great to see that your tree appears healthy and
happy - it's a resilient plant. Given the relatively dry Fall we've experienced
this year, a little extra water can make a significant difference.
Here are some suggestions to ensure your Moringa thrives:
Watering: While Moringa is generally drought-tolerant, during dry
periods, in addition to relying on your lawn sprinkler system, add some
extra water with a hose. Adequate moisture is crucial for maintaining healthy
foliage.
Pest Control: Moringa is not only a nutritious plant for humans
but also attracts pests that appreciate its medicinal properties :) If you
notice insect damage on the leaves, consider spraying with Neem oil or using an
over-the-counter systemic insecticide containing imidacloprid or a similar
ingredient.
Seasonal Behavior: Moringa trees are semi-deciduous to deciduous,
and their leaf-shedding behavior can vary depending on the climate. In
Florida, for instance, it's common for Moringa trees to shed leaves in the Fall.
However, this is a natural process, and you can expect new growth in the
Spring.
Fertilizing for Vigorous Growth: To promote the most vigorous
growth of your Moringa tree and other plants in your garden, consider
implementing a fertilizing program. If using dry, slow-release fertilizers, apply them
only during the active growth season: from March through November. If you're
looking for a year-round solution, liquid amino acid-based formulas like
Sunshine Boosters can be a great option. You can easily add them to your watering
routine or use injectors like The Robuster for convenient and consistent feeding. If you're planning
to expand your garden with other medicinal plants or an edible forest, The
Robuster smart fertilizing system is an excellent choice, offering the most
efficient, care-free way to nourish your plants with natural nutrients
throughout the year.
Does Red Passion flower produce edible fruit? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.
Does Red Passion flower produce edible fruit?
Passiflora coccinea - Red Passion Flower
💃 Does Red Passion flower produce edible fruit?
♥️ Passiflora coccinea, or Red Passion Flower, is a spectacular, passion-red variety!
♥️ It is tropical, evergreen vine from South America known for its stunning scarlet-red flowers and edible passion fruit. Yes, the fruit are edible, but they are very rarely seen.
♥️ It thrives in full sun or part shade with fertile, well-drained soils and can grow up to 10-12 feet long.
♥️ This easy-to-grow plant is perfect for trellises, walls, and containers. Minimal pruning is needed, and it blooms primarily in summer and fall.
♥️ Attracting butterflies and hummingbirds 🐝
💻 Do you grow Passion vines? Share yours in comments👇
