Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 19 Nov 2024

How about taking a break for sleep?

💤 How about taking a break for sleep?

"Work is never finished, only abandoned." - Paul Valéry

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Date: 19 Nov 2024

The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history

Pimenta racemosa, Bay Rum Tree

The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history

The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history

🍷 The Pimenta racemosa, or Bay Rum Tree, is a charming small tree closely related to Allspice that we mentioned earlier.
🍷 Known for its aromatic leaves, this tree produces a natural essential oil that has a warm, clove-like fragrance.
🍷 Historically, this oil was distilled with rum and water to create a popular cologne known as "Bay Rum", lending the plant its common name.
🍷 The scent of Bay Rum is captivating and present year-round, with no need to wait for flowers or fruit to enjoy its fragrance!
🍷 The Bay Rum Tree is not just aromatic; its leaves can be used in cooking and tea, adding a unique, spicy note to culinary creations. It’s also valued in folk medicine, making it a multipurpose addition to any herb or indoor plant collection.
🍷 An especially rare and intriguing variety, the rare variety "Citrifolia" - Lemon Bay Rum Tree, also known as Citrus Bay, has all plant parts infused with a refreshing, lemony scent that's both calming and energizing. Cuttings of this variety are challenging to root, making it a unique and sought-after plant for collectors and aromatherapy enthusiasts alike.

🛒 Plant fast growing Bay Rum Tree

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Perfume_Plants

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Date: 19 Nov 2024

How cold hardy are palm trees and how to protect them in winter

Coconut palm, Cocos nucifera

Fan palm - Licuala sp.

Areca palm - Areca (Dypsis) lutescens

Windmill palm - Trachycarpus fortunei

Cabbage palm - Sabal palmetto

Queen Palm - Syagrus romanzoffiana

Majestic palm, Royal Palm - Ravenea rivularis

European fan palm - Chamaerops humilis

Date Palm - Phoenix canariensis

🌴 How cold hardy are palm trees and how to protect them in winter

🌴 Most palms are tropical plants and require a frost-free climate to grow outdoors. However, there are a few exceptions. Adjust care depending on your zone and palm species.
🌴 Some cold-hardy species can handle harsher conditions, with proper protection, making them great options for gardeners in zones that experience occasional freezes.
🌴 Mulch generously: Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base to insulate roots. Keep mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot.
🌴 Water before frost: Water deeply before a freeze to stabilize soil temperature and prevent dehydration.
🌴 Cover young palms: Wrap smaller or sensitive species in burlap, frost cloth, or blankets. Avoid plastic, as it can trap moisture and cause damage.
🌴 Protect the crown: For cold-sensitive palms, bundle fronds upwards and wrap the crown with cloth or burlap to shield the growing point.
🌴 Use heat sources: Place Christmas lights (non-LED) or a heat lamp near the tree, ensuring they’re safe and don't touch the foliage.
🌴 Avoid pruning: Keep fronds intact during winter—they provide natural insulation.
🌴 Species-specific care: Cold-hardy palms need less protection. Delicate types require more attention, including covering and relocating potted ones indoors.

📷 In the photos:

🌞 Cold sensitive palms:
Coconut palm: Cocos nucifera
Fan palm: Licuala sp.
Areca palm: Areca (Dypsis) lutescens

❄️ Cold hardy palms:
Windmill palm: Trachycarpus fortunei
Cabbage palm: Sabal palmetto
Queen Palm: Syagrus romanzoffiana
Majestic palm: Ravenea rivularis
European fan palm: Chamaerops humilis
Date Palm: Phoenix canariensis

🛒 Shop Palm Trees

#Trees #How_to

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Date: 18 Nov 2024

Never give up, and youll win!

Never give up, and you'll win!

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" - Dr. Seuss

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Date: 18 Nov 2024

What Pinwheel flower is fragrant?

Tabernaemontana australis, Australian Pinwheel

💌 What Pinwheel flower is fragrant?

🌸 Tabernaemontana australis, or Australian Pinwheel, is a stunning plant that makes an exceptional addition to any rare fragrant plant collection.
🌸 With beautifully shaped, white pinwheel-like flowers and strikingly dark, glossy leaves that are elongated and pointed, this plant is a feast for the eyes and a treat for the senses.
🌸 Ideal for adding interest to landscape understories, Australian Pinwheel is a slow-growing, low shrub that can be maintained at a manageable 3-4 feet, or allowed to reach up to 5-6 feet, forming a dense, bushy specimen. This versatility makes it an excellent choice as an accent plant, specimen, or container plant.
🌸 Though it shares similarities with other species like Tabernaemontana divaricata (Pinwheel Jasmine) and T. orientalis (Banana Bush), this Australian native has its own unique character. Its blooms resemble those of T. africana but are smaller, at about 1 inch in diameter.
🌸 If you're looking to add an exotic, fragrant, and eye-catching plant to your collection, the Australian Pinwheel brings elegance and distinction, standing out with its lush foliage and starry, white blossoms!

📚 Learn more:
How to establish Tabernaemontana and get more fragrant blooms

🛒 Plant Australian Pinwheel

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

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Date: 17 Nov 2024

Shenanigans are like glitter

💅 Shenanigans are like glitter

"Shenanigans are like glitter: once they start, it’s hard to get rid of them!"

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Date: 17 Nov 2024

Guanabana - Soursop fruiting in apartment!

📸 Guanabana - Soursop fruiting in apartment!

This Guanabana (Annona muricata) was grown from a seed and fruited in apartment up North!

To read this fascinating story, check out article in Tropical Treasures Magazine:
Growing and fruiting Soursop in apartment (PDF download)

🛒 Plant your own Guanabana

#Food_Forest #Remedies

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Date: 17 Nov 2024

Guanabana - Soursop fruiting in apartment!

Guanabana (Annona muricata) was grown from a seed and fruited in apartment up North

Date: 17 Nov 2024

What is the most delicious Annona fruit?

❓ What is the most delicious Annona fruit? Guanabana!

🍐 Annona muricata - commonly known as Soursop, Guanabana, or Graviola, is widely regarded as the best-tasting annona fruit.
🍐 This tropical tree, native to Tropical America, produces large, unusual-looking fruits with a unique blend of sweet and slightly sour flavors. The custard-like pulp is fragrant, smooth and creamy, making Soursop perfect for milkshakes, desserts, or simply enjoyed fresh.
🍐 Soursop is evergreen in warm climates, though it's highly sensitive to cold and requires temperatures above 50°F to thrive. However, it can also be grown indoors in containers, making it possible to enjoy its delicious fruit even in cooler regions. The tree itself is medium-sized, fast-growing, and relatively easy to manage in a pot, offering a wonderful option for indoor fruit growing.
🍐 Soursop is one of the largest of the Annonas, and its quirky, bumpy fruit shapes make it a fun conversation starter. We even have an interesting article on how to grow, hand-pollinate and fruit Soursop in an apartment - ideal for plant lovers looking to bring a taste of the tropics into their homes!
🍐 Soursop leaves are superheroes in the world of natural remedies. Known for their potential to fight cancer, these leaves are packed with compounds that may help keep rogue cells in check. Whether brewed into tea or turned into extracts, they've become a popular go-to in holistic health circles.

📚 Tropical Treasures Magazine:
Growing and fruiting Soursop in apartment (PDF download)
Spoiler in the next post ⬇️⬇️⬇️

More about Anonnas in previous posts:
Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #1. Annona
Why everyone wants the Sugar Apple?
The best tropical fruit tree for container growing, and the fastest to fruit: Annona
Spiny Hedgehog fruit: what does it taste like?

🛒 Plant your own Guanabana

#Food_Forest #Remedies

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Date: 17 Nov 2024

What is the most delicious Annona fruit?

Annona muricata - Soursop, Guanabana, Graviola

❓ What is the most delicious Annona fruit? Guanabana!

🍐 Annona muricata - commonly known as Soursop, Guanabana, or Graviola, is widely regarded as the best-tasting annona fruit.
🍐 This tropical tree, native to Tropical America, produces large, unusual-looking fruits with a unique blend of sweet and slightly sour flavors. The custard-like pulp is fragrant, smooth and creamy, making Soursop perfect for milkshakes, desserts, or simply enjoyed fresh.
🍐 Soursop is evergreen in warm climates, though it's highly sensitive to cold and requires temperatures above 50°F to thrive. However, it can also be grown indoors in containers, making it possible to enjoy its delicious fruit even in cooler regions. The tree itself is medium-sized, fast-growing, and relatively easy to manage in a pot, offering a wonderful option for indoor fruit growing.
🍐 Soursop is one of the largest of the Annonas, and its quirky, bumpy fruit shapes make it a fun conversation starter. We even have an interesting article on how to grow, hand-pollinate and fruit Soursop in an apartment - ideal for plant lovers looking to bring a taste of the tropics into their homes!
🍐 Soursop leaves are superheroes in the world of natural remedies. Known for their potential to fight cancer, these leaves are packed with compounds that may help keep rogue cells in check. Whether brewed into tea or turned into extracts, they've become a popular go-to in holistic health circles.

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