Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 1 May 2025

🌸 Plumeria Power: The Signature Scent of the Tropics

Plumeria collage

Q: What is the most fragrant variety of Plumeria? Are some colors more fragrant than others? How do you keep Plumeria blooming?

A: From Kristi, TopTropicals Flower Expert: At Top Tropicals, we used to think yellow Plumeria was the most fragrant. That was until we discovered multi-colored hybrids and stunning "rainbow" varieties! These rare beauties are prized not just for their sweet, strong fragrance but also for their dazzling mix of tropical colors.

We just received new arrivals of stunning new Plumeria varieties - but quantities are limited, so don't wait! Choose your favorite colors and bring home the irresistible scent of the tropics.

Plumerias are famous for their rich colors and unforgettable fragrance. With just a few simple steps, you can grow your own blooming tree and enjoy flowers just like in the pictures.

5 simple rules how to grow a fragrant Plumeria

1. Use well-drained soil. Choose a potting mix rich in perlite, bark, and coconut fiber. We recommend Sunshine Abundance professional soil mix for best results.

2. Choose the right container. Use a pot just slightly larger than the root ball to prevent water-logging. Plumeria prefers dry conditions - water only when the soil is slightly dry.

3. Give it full sun. Plumeria needs plenty of light to bloom. If grown indoors, place it in the brightest spot and bring it outside for sunbathing whenever possible.

4. Let it rest in winter. Plumeria drops its leaves and goes dormant during the cooler months. When this happens, reduce watering to a minimum and let the plant rest until new growth begins.

5. Feed it to bloom. Plumeria is a heavy feeder and needs fertilizer to flower well. Use a plant food high in phosphorus, like Sunsine Megaflor Bloom Booster liquid fertilizer. It's safe to use with every watering, all year round.

New Video of Exotic Plumeria Hybrids

Check out different varieties of Plumerias in full bloom. Just look at these colors in this short video !

Date: 30 Apr 2025

Doing house chores together

💨 Doing house chores together

"Housework can't kill you, but why take a chance?" - Phyllis Diller

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Quotes

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Date: 30 Apr 2025

How to enhance your garden with hardy tropical: Fast Growing White Orchid Tree

How to enhance your garden with hardy tropical: Fast Growing White Orchid Tree

  • 💮 Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree - is the most cold hardy of all bauhinias. It is a medium-sized, fast-growing tree with short trunk and spreading branches that provide excellent shade.

  • 💮 Abundant, fragrant white flowers adorned with subtle lemon-green markings, blooming from winter through spring and intermittently in summer.

  • 💮 Cold Hardy: Among the most frost-tolerant Bauhinias, thriving in temperatures as low as 26F. ​

  • 💮 Rapid Growth: Grows quickly, reaching heights of 15 to 30 feet, ideal for creating a lush, shaded area. ​

  • 💮 Attracts Pollinators: The large, showy flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, enhancing your garden's ecosystem.​

  • 💮 Low Maintenance: Drought-tolerant once established and thrives in well-drained soil with full sun exposure. ​


📚 Orchid trees from previous posts:

🛒 Enhance your garden with White Orchid Tree

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Butterfly_Plants

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 30 Apr 2025

How to enhance your garden with hardy tropical: Fast Growing White Orchid Tree

Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree

How to enhance your garden with hardy tropical: Fast Growing White Orchid Tree
  • 💮 Bauhinia alba (candida) - White Orchid Tree - is the most cold hardy of all bauhinias. It is a medium-sized, fast-growing tree with short trunk and spreading branches that provide excellent shade.
  • 💮 Abundant, fragrant white flowers adorned with subtle lemon-green markings, blooming from winter through spring and intermittently in summer.
  • 💮 Cold Hardy: Among the most frost-tolerant Bauhinias, thriving in temperatures as low as 26F. ​
  • 💮 Rapid Growth: Grows quickly, reaching heights of 15 to 30 feet, ideal for creating a lush, shaded area. ​
  • 💮 Attracts Pollinators: The large, showy flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, enhancing your garden's ecosystem.​
  • 💮 Low Maintenance: Drought-tolerant once established and thrives in well-drained soil with full sun exposure. ​


📚 Orchid trees from previous posts:

🛒 Enhance your garden with White Orchid Tree

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Butterfly_Plants

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 29 Apr 2025

Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History

Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History
🐾 Six-Toed Cats: The Paws That Made History

  • 🐾 What is your favorite place in Florida?

  • Ours is Florida Keys! And what is our favorite place in Florida Keys? Hemingway Museum with Six-Toed Cats!

  • 🐾 Six-toed cats, also known as polydactyl cats, are a unique genetic trait that makes their paws look like they're wearing mittens - sometimes even with a "thumb." Most commonly, they have extra toes on their front paws, though some may have them on their back feet too.

  • 🐾 Ernest Hemingway’s home is famous for housing about 40-50 polydactyl cats, all descendants of a white six-toed cat named Snow White, a gift from a ship captain. The polydactyl gene is passed down, so even cats with the usual number of toes can have six-toed kittens.

  • 🐾 Polydactyl cats can appear in many breeds - Tabbies, Tortoiseshells, Calicos, and more. They're found in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but they share one fascinating feature: extra toes!

  • 🐾 True to Hemingway’s tradition, all of the museum's cats are named after famous people. These cats aren't just cute - they’re smart and can learn to respond to their names, making them extra special!

  • 🐾 So next time you see a six-toed cat, remember you're looking at a piece of literary history with a bit of extra "paw-some" charm!


📚 Learn more:
Hemingway's six-toed cats

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats #Fun_facts

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