Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

☸️ The truth about Passion flower and Passion fruit.

• Passion vines, passion flowers, and passion fruits - these are all Passiflora - fascinating plants with a rich history. These vines come from tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.
• Medicinal: Various parts of the passion vine have been used in traditional medicine to treat ailments such as anxiety, insomnia, and hypertension.
• Host for Butterflies: Passion vines serve as host plants for several butterfly species.
• Passion of Christ: the passion flower's complex structure with five sepals, five petals often used to symbolize the Passion of Christ in Christian tradition. Spanish Christian missionaries in South America saw the flower's structure as a representation of Christ's crucifixion, which led to the name Passion Flower.
• Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis) - Maracuya - is highly nutritious, rich in vitamins A and C, fiber, and antioxidants.
• Delicious pulp: the fruit is popular in many cuisines around the world, used in beverages, desserts.
• Two main types of passion fruit: the purple sweeter variety (Passiflora edulis) and the yellow variety larger and more acidic (Passiflora x flavicarpa).
• Fast growing vine in no time: known for their rapid growth, Passifloras need strong support as they can quickly cover large areas.

📚 Learn more: The Passion Fruit – Juicy Maracuya

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💋 What is lipstick made of? Lipstick plant!

• 💄Bixa orellana - Lipstick Tree, Annatto or Achiote - is a bushy shrub or a small tree South America with large, impressive leaves, charming pink flowers and amazing... seeds! It is used in various industries, including cosmetics and culinary arts.
• 💄Natural Pigment: The seeds of the Bixa plant contain a natural pigment called annatto, which ranges in color from yellow to deep orange-red.
• 💄Cosmetic Use: Annatto is commonly used in cosmetics, including lipstick, due to its vibrant coloration. It adds shades of red and orange to cosmetic products. Extract derived from the Bixa seeds is mixed with other ingredients to achieve desired shades. It provides a natural alternative to synthetic dyes.
• 💄Famous spice Annatto is widely used as a spice in cooking, particularly in Latin American, Caribbean, and Filipino cuisines.
• 💄Flavor and color: It imparts a mild, slightly peppery flavor and is prized for its ability to add a rich, yellow-orange color to dishes such as rice, stews, and sauces.
• 💄Health benefits: Beyond its culinary use, annatto seeds have medicinal properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
• 💄Flower arrangements: The dried seed pods add a unique touch to flower arrangements, enhancing their visual appeal.
• 💄Hedge or screen: Ideal for use as a hedge or screen, Bixa requires frequent pruning to encourage bushy growth at the base.

🛒 Grow your own Annatto

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☕️ What is Nescafe Coffee made from? Purple Jade.

💜 Earlier we mentioned Green Jade Vine and Yellow Jade Vine. This one is purple!

• Mucuna pruriens - Nescafe, Purple Jade Vine has unusual royal purple flowers. The dark violet blooms appear closely pushed together in grape like clusters, up to 1 ft long and 6" in diameter.
• The seeds known as mucuna beans or Nescafe and used as a coffee substitute.
• It has been used for generations in India as a medicinal plant.
• Very vigorous woody tree creeper - during warmer weather this vine can grow 2 feet a day!
• Related to red Jade vine (Mucuna bennettii).

🛒 Order Nescafe Vine

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‍♀️ Why the shamans call Ayahuasca "vine of the soul"

Banisteriopsis caapi, known as Ayahuasca, is the key ingredient in the traditional Amazonian brew revered as the "vine of the soul." Used in sacred rituals for its hallucinogenic and healing properties, it cleanses the body and spirit while serving as a profound teacher in indigenous ceremonies.

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🛒 Grow your own Ayahuasca vine

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🍆 How big is Giant Granadilla fruit and does it come from a Passion Vine?

Passiflora quadrangularis - Giant Granadilla Fruit is one of the species of a Passion Vine. Known for its impressive fruits and exotic flowers, it offers numerous benefits to gardeners.

• ☸️ Edible Fruit is impressive in size: 6-12 inches in length; it can weigh between 2 to 4 pounds! Though some may grow even larger under optimal conditions.👀

Granadilla fruits that are not only delicious but also rich in vitamins and nutrients.
• ☸️ Showy Flowers: Produces large, fragrant flowers with intricate designs
• ☸️ Attracts Pollinators: The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, promoting a healthy garden ecosystem.
• ☸️ Vigorous Grower: This vine grows rapidly and can cover trellises, fences, and pergolas, providing lush greenery and shade within just one season.
• ☸️ The fruits can be eaten fresh, juiced, or used in desserts and culinary dishes
• ☸️ Medicinal Properties: Traditionally used in some cultures for its potential health benefits, including digestive aid and anti-inflammatory properties.
• ☸️ Heat Tolerant: Thrives in warm climates and is relatively drought-tolerant once established.

📚 Learn more about Passion fruit and vine from previous posts:

• · The truth about Passion flower and Passion fruit
• · The Passion Fruit – Juicy Maracuya

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🙃 Why so many gardeners this year planted Native American Persimmon

🍯 The American Persimmon tree (Diospyros virginiana) is a hardy, low-maintenance tree known for its delicious, sweet fruit that ripens in the fall. This small to medium-sized tree is perfect for gardens, attracting wildlife while providing a nutritious harvest.

• 🍊Native to North America, known for its sweet, flavorful fruit.
• 🍊Small to medium-sized tree, easy to grow in various soil types.
• 🍊Fruits are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, ripening in fall.
• 🍊Great for wildlife, as birds and animals love the fruit.
• 🍊Cold-hardy and drought-tolerant, making it a resilient choice for gardens.

📚 Learn more from previous post:
Persimmon: cold hardy, dramatic fruit tree with a sweet fruit

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What is Barbados Gooseberry?

Perescia aculeata - Barbados Gooseberry, is a very interesting, unusual addition for any self-sustaining landscape due to its fast-growing nature and unique combination of cactus and leafy vine, with beautiful flowers and showy edible fruit.

Low-maintenance plant, it is perfect for covering walls or fences, adds greenery and a productive food source, making it both practical and visually appealing.

• ⏺A unique cactus with real leaves, unlike most cacti. Needs very little water.
• ⏺Fast-growing vine that can cover fences or walls quickly.
• ⏺When in bloom, the vine is covered with beautiful white flowers, followed by bright orange, edible, tangy fruits.
• ⏺Great for adding greenery and a food source to your garden.

🛒 Plant Barbados Gooseberry

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Tired of mowing a boring lawn? Get some colors in your yard and grow edible landscape!

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🐲 What does Dragon Fruit Flower look like?

• Dragon fruit flowers are large, bright, and truly eye-catching. They have long, pale petals that spread out like a star, with a creamy white or yellowish center.
• The flowers open at night, giving them a magical, moonlit vibe, and their size makes them look almost otherworldly.
• When they bloom, they can be up to a foot wide, and they give off a sweet, subtle fragrance. It's like seeing a flower from a fairy tale!

📚 More about Dragon Fruit from previous posts:

• 💋Do red, white and yellow Dragon fruit taste differently?
• 💋What does a dragon taste like?
• 💋How to make Dragon Fruit Smoothie

🛒 Plant a Dragon fruit

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