Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
Fun Fact: what Bougainvillea is thornless and grows as a tree
Bougainvillea arborea
Bougainvillea arborea
💜 Bougainvillea arborea is a rare gem with fragrant lavender-pink blooms and no thorns! Its slow, compact growth naturally forms a charming tree shape, and best of all, it doesn’t need pruning—perfect for low-maintenance gardens.
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What is the sweetest Passionfruit?
Passiflora nitida, Bell Apple, Water Lemon fruit
Passiflora nitida, Bell Apple, Water Lemon flowers
- 🍋 Passiflora nitida, also called Bell Apple or Water Lemon, is a rare gem among passion fruits, native to the lush Amazon jungle. Its orange-yellow fruits are much sweeter than typical passion fruits, with succulent, non-acidic pulp that’s irresistibly flavorful.
- 🍋 This tropical vine thrives in lowland regions from Costa Rica to Brazil, growing rapidly in warm climates.
- 🍋 Fruits: Small (up to 2 inches), orange-yellow, and incredibly sweet, best enjoyed fresh.
- 🍋 Flowers: Striking blue and red blooms, resembling those of P. laurifolia and P. quadrangularis.
- 🍋 Growth: A vigorous, fast-growing vine suited for tropical conditions; frost protection is essential.
- 🍋 Uses: Often eaten fresh but also a key ingredient in the refreshing drink "Purple Passion."
- 🍋 #Fun_Facts: Despite its sweet, crowd-pleasing taste, this fruit remains a relatively unknown delight, making it a treasure for tropical fruit enthusiasts.
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Index of TopTropicals Telegram Channel
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#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.
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🌸 #Perfume_Plants - Fragrant plants and perfume trees.
✍️ #Quotes - Interesting quotes.
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Date:
Benefits of growing your own tropical fruit
"The fruit of the mango tree is no longer forbidden.
Indeed, it has been recommended to me by the physicians as an antidote to the
plague."
- Louis IX, King of France -
Q: Why do you want to grow your own tropical fruit tree?
A: Growing your own tropical fruit tree can have many benefits. Here are a few reasons why someone might choose to grow their own tropical fruit tree:
1. Fresh, flavorful fruit: When you grow your own tropical fruit tree, you have access to fresh, flavorful fruit that you may not be able to find at your local grocery store. Tropical fruit, like avocado, mangoes, papayas, and passionfruit, jackfruit, Dragon Fruit, Annona have a short shelf life, and the fruit you find at the store may have been harvested weeks ago. When you grow your own fruit tree, you can pick the fruit when it's fully ripe and enjoy it at its peak flavor. Besides, some rare fruit like Akee or Sapodilla simply never offered from the store.
2. Environmental benefits: Growing your own fruit trees can have environmental benefits. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, which can help reduce your carbon footprint. Additionally, growing your own fruit trees reduces the need to transport fruit long distances, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Cost savings: Depending on where you live and the availability of tropical fruit, growing your own fruit tree can be a cost-effective way to enjoy your favorite tropical fruits.
4. Gardening and outdoor hobby: Growing a fruit tree can be a fulfilling and rewarding outdoor hobby. It can also be a great way to teach children about where their food comes from and the importance of taking care of the environment.
Overall, growing your own tropical fruit tree can be a great way to enjoy fresh, flavorful fruit, reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and enjoy a fulfilling outdoor hobby.
In the photo: Mango tree in Top Tropicals garden.
How to French Kiss the Red Button Ginger
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
💋 Costus spicatus x woodsonii (Red Button Ginger, French Kiss): this ginger's inflorescence resembles a cluster of bright red buttons, making it a standout in tropical gardens.
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Fruit of Money and Love
Theobroma cacao - Chocolate Tree, Cacao Tree
Theobroma cacao - Chocolate Tree, Cacao Tree
Theobroma cacao - Chocolate Tree, Cacao Tree
Theobroma cacao, commonly known as the Chocolate Tree or Cacao Tree, is very exciting plant and a superfood as we mentioned earlier.
- 💥 Theobroma means "food of the gods" in Greek. "Theo" means god, and "broma" means food.
- 💥 The Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs were among the first to cultivate cacao, using it to make a bitter beverage called xocoatl. It was often spiced with chili peppers and used in various rituals and ceremonies.
- 💥 Currency: in ancient Mesoamerican cultures, cacao beans were so valuable that they were used as a form of currency. For example, 100 beans could buy a slave or a turkey.
- 💥 The Aztecs believed that cacao had stimulating properties and used it as an aphrodisiac. Emperor Montezuma was said to consume a large amount of cacao before visiting his harem. We can't deny that chocolate's mood-enhancing properties, combined with cultural and psychological factors, contribute to its romantic allure! ❤️
- 💥 A cacao pod contains 20 to 50 beans, each surrounded by a sweet, mucilaginous pulp. The pods grow directly on the trunk and larger branches of the tree, a feature known as cauliflory.
- 💥 After harvesting, cacao beans are fermented for several days, a critical step that develops the flavor precursors needed for chocolate production.
- 💥 The Cacao tree thrives in the humid, tropical regions around the equator. It can be grown as an exciting house plant.
- 💥 Health benefits: cacao beans are rich in antioxidants, magnesium, iron, and other minerals. They also contain flavonoids, associated with heart health benefits.
- 💥 There are three main varieties of cacao beans: Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario. Criollo is considered the highest quality but is less common due to its susceptibility to disease. Forastero is the most widely grown, known for its hardiness. Trinitario is a hybrid of the two.
- 💥 It takes about 400 cacao beans to make one pound of chocolate. The beans undergo roasting, grinding, and mixing with sugar and other ingredients to produce the final chocolate product.
📚Learn more: Plants of Love - Aphrodisiacs of the plant world
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Researchers discover what a perfume from Ancient Rome was made of: Patchouli!
Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli
Pogostemon cablin - Patchouli
⚠️ Get your own valuable Patchouli Plant and always have the heavenly smell with you!
🛒 Plant your own Patchouli
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Why cannon balls grow on a tree with mollusk open mouth
Couroupita guianensis - Cannonball Tree with fruit
Couroupita guianensis - Cannonball Tree flower
Couroupita guianensis - Cannonball Tree fruit
Couroupita guianensis - Cannonball Tree flower
- 🐙 Couroupita guianensis - Cannonball Tree - is a rare tree from South America with a bizarre fruit and flowers, that can be seen only in tropical botanic gardens.
- 🐙 It is a very tall tree with large, elliptical leaves
- 🐙 The pinkish-red flowers, strongly scented at night, grow directly from the trunk near the base of the crown, and not on the branches. They look like exotic mollusks! They have a complex structure with numerous stamens that resemble sea anemones or other marine life. The flower is often described as looking like an open mouth or a sea creature.
- 🐙 The tree blooms year round. Flowers are followed by large, globular fruit, up to 8 inches in diameter, resembling cannonballs, hence the name "Cannonball Tree." They remain on the tree for many months. On older trees there may be dozens of fruits and flower clusters at the same time!
- 🐙 When the ripe fruits fall from the tree, they can make a loud, cannonball-like noise upon hitting the ground due to their size and weight.
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Fun Fact: Bulls-Horn Acacia
Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia
Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia
Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia
🐜 Acacia collinsii (sphaerocephala) - Bulls-Horn Acacia, named for its bull-horn-shaped thorns, has a unique partnership with ants! The plant provides shelter in its hollow thorns, and in return, the ants fiercely protect it from herbivores. Nature’s ultimate bodyguards!
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Spooktacular Halloween Sale!
Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant
- 😀 Halloween is creeping in, and it's time to treat your garden to some tropical magic! No tricks - just bold, exotic beauties ready to boo-st your outdoor space. Our plants have flourished all summer, growing large and vibrant, and are now ready to keep your garden bursting with life year-round.
- 😀 Don't let these deals disappear into the night - offer ends November 1! To save 10% on your order, use code:
- 💸 Halloween24 💸
Min order $100, excluding S/H. Exp. 11-1-24
📸 Clinacanthus nutans - Snake plant 🐍
Celebrate Halloween with this exotic Thai plant that marries beauty and folklore!
Its striking blooms resemble the open mouths of snakes, adding a mysterious allure to your garden. Traditionally used in Thailand for snake bite relief, this captivating specimen not only enhances your space but also sparks conversation among guests. Don't miss the chance to impress with this enchanting plant during the spooky season!
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