Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
A flavor bomb of sugar and citrus, syrupy when ripe - Mango Sweet Tart
Mango Sweet Tart - tree with fruit on it
🌈 A flavor bomb of sugar and citrus, syrupy when ripe - Mango Sweet Tart
Sweet Tart is a Florida-grown mango prized for its rich, sweet-tart flavor and silky, fiberless flesh. Created by breeder Gary Zill, it's known for its dense orange pulp, excellent sugar-acid balance, and juicy texture. The fruit is oval, heavy for its size, and sometimes develops harmless speckles on the skin. Great fresh, underripe or ripe. Tangy when underripe, syrupy when ripe and perfect for containers thanks to its upright growth and high productivity. A standout variety that lives up to its name!
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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Sweet Tart is a Florida-grown mango prized for its rich, sweet-tart flavor and silky, fiberless flesh. Created by breeder Gary Zill, it's known for its dense orange pulp, excellent sugar-acid balance, and juicy texture. The fruit is oval, heavy for its size, and sometimes develops harmless speckles on the skin. Great fresh, underripe or ripe. Tangy when underripe, syrupy when ripe and perfect for containers thanks to its upright growth and high productivity. A standout variety that lives up to its name!
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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Wise Mango - a smart choice for flavor lovers: sweet, juicy, and Florida-tough
Mango Wise tree with fruit on it
🌈 Wise Mango - a smart choice for flavor lovers: sweet, juicy, and Florida-tough.
Mango Wise is a forgotten gem from the golden age of mango breeding in South Florida. Originating in Miami during the post-1930s boom of cultivar development, it was once part of a wave of exciting new introductions. Over time, many of these excellent varieties faded from commercial propagation, despite having outstanding eating qualities. Wise stands out with its nearly round fruit, minimal to no fiber, and rich, juicy sweetness. It's a smart, flavorful choice that deserves a comeback in Florida gardens.
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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Mango Wise is a forgotten gem from the golden age of mango breeding in South Florida. Originating in Miami during the post-1930s boom of cultivar development, it was once part of a wave of exciting new introductions. Over time, many of these excellent varieties faded from commercial propagation, despite having outstanding eating qualities. Wise stands out with its nearly round fruit, minimal to no fiber, and rich, juicy sweetness. It's a smart, flavorful choice that deserves a comeback in Florida gardens.
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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Mango Rainbow tasting table: varieties you should try
Kent Mango
🌈 Mango Rainbow tasting table: varieties you should try
❔ What Mango varieties do you have in your garden?
Share in comments 👇
📚 Previous Mango Rainbow Tasting Table: 1 • 2 • 3 •
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#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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- Kent Mango variety is native to Florida. It is originated in Coconut Grove, in 1945 from a Haden seed.
- Kent has an excellent flavor, large size, and very little fiber. Considered by many to be one of the best tasting Florida mangoes and one of the most beautiful, truly rainbow colored fruit!
- Eat before fruit gets too ripe.
- The most rewarding attribute is a bountiful late season crop.
❔ What Mango varieties do you have in your garden?
Share in comments 👇
📚 Previous Mango Rainbow Tasting Table: 1 • 2 • 3 •
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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Mango Rainbow tasting table-2: whats the taste of that Mango variety?
Mango Rainbow tasting table
🌈 Mango Rainbow tasting table-2: what's the taste of that Mango variety?
We've had another mango tasting table and asked participants to describe the taste in a few words. And this is what we got:
❔ What Mango varieties have you tried this year?
Share in comments 👇
📝 Previous post: Mango Rainbow Tasting Table
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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We've had another mango tasting table and asked participants to describe the taste in a few words. And this is what we got:
- 🟠 Haden - mild, melting, classic heavenly mango flavor,dark yellow flesh, almost fiberless.
- 🟠 Ugly Betty - opposite to the name, the taste is excellent , juicy, melting, sweet.
- 🟠 Cotton Candy - true candy, fiberless, sweet, melting.
- 🟠 Madame Fransis - dark orange pulp, slightly fibrous, robust, meaty like a steak, good with cognac. A little pulpy but unique flavor.
- 🟠 Diamond - bright yellow, fiberless, sugary, juicy, no pulp at all, classic mango taste, good with ice cream, "wow" taste!
- 🟠 Pickering - zesty, waterfall: all the flavors come at once, eat with White wine and/or a cake. Oval fruit somewhat flat, very large for a dwarf tree!
- 🟠 Baptiste - hint of citrus, melts in your mouth, dark orange flesh, crisp, eat with Red wine and cheese.
- 🟠 Florigon - creamy, buttery, spicy. Eat with Ice cream!
- 🟠 Tommy Atkins - has a bit zing to it, perfect consistency, perfect taste. Super colorful, crimson red to purple skin!
- 🟠 Nam Doc Mai - gold standard! Perfect every day.
- 🟠 Carry - tastes even better than all others, smooth buttery, lite!
❔ What Mango varieties have you tried this year?
Share in comments 👇
📝 Previous post: Mango Rainbow Tasting Table
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Mango Rainbow tasting table: whats the taste of that Mango variety?
Mango Rainbow tasting table
🌈 Mango Rainbow tasting table: what's the taste of that Mango variety?
We just had a mango tasting table of a few early and mid-season varieties and here is our impression:
❔ What Mango varieties have you tried this year?
Share in comments 👇
📝 See also earlier posts:
🛒 Shop Mango Trees
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
🏵 TopTropicals
We just had a mango tasting table of a few early and mid-season varieties and here is our impression:
- 🟠 Tommy Atkins (purple) - the earliest variety, sweet a juicy, but a bit fibrous. The fruit is super colorful! The tree is an excellent producer, vigorous and problem-free.
- 🟠 Haden (red) - a full sweet flavor, less fibrous than Tommy. Very colorful, large fruit.
- 🟠 Florigon (yellow-green, round) - completely fibreless, sweet and flavor is somewhat mild pineapple-like.
- 🟠 Baptiste (bright yellow) - very sweet, firm flesh, good flavor.
- 🟠 Val Carrie (green elongated) - reminds large Asian mangoes, with firm flesh, very sweet, fibreless and juicy. It is a cross between Valencia Pride (large fruit) and Carrie (excellent flavor). It took the best from its parents. Very aromatic flesh has no fiber at all.
- 🟠 Kent (large green-and-red) - excellent flavor, large size, and very little fiber. Eat before fruit gets too ripe.
❔ What Mango varieties have you tried this year?
Share in comments 👇
📝 See also earlier posts:
- 🔸 5 most Favorite Mango Varieties
- 🔸 Top 10 Dwarf "Condo" Mango
- 🔸 Top 5 vigorous growers and reliable producers
- 🔸 Top 5 exotic Mango varieties for rare fruit collection
- 🔸 How to grow a mango tree
- 🔸 How to protect mango fruit from rodents
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#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
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How can you use Elephant Ears?
🐘 How can you use Elephant Ears?
📸 Colocasia esculenta Jacks Giant: This astonishing elephant ear is well-named, it really does look like something that would grow for the giant! The foliage is absolutely massive, many feet long and wide, with a glossy texture, prominent ribbing, and a rich blue-green cast that lightens to chartreuse around the edges.
📚 Learn more from previous posts:
What to plant by the pond?
Pharaoh Mask with stunning 3D effect
Mojito Elephant Ears
Colocasia vs Alocasia - what is the difference?
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🟢 Alocasias and Colocasias, or Elephant Ears, are both remarkable and popular plants that can bring a touch of tropical elegance to any garden.
🟢 Striking Foliage: large, lush foliage. The leaves can be enormous, resembling the shape of elephant ears, hence the common name. The foliage is usually rich green, but there are also varieties with hues of purple, black, or variegated patterns. These vibrant leaves create a dramatic focal point.
🟢 Tropical Aesthetic: large, architectural leaves add a sense of drama and create a stunning backdrop for other plants.
🟢 Versatility: work well in containers, making them suitable for patio gardens. In larger landscapes, colocasias and alocasias can be planted directly in the ground, either as standalone specimens or as part of mixed border plantings. They can also be utilized around water features or in bog gardens since they enjoy moist conditions.
🟢 Low Maintenance: thrive in full to partial shade. Regular watering and occasional fertilization will help them grow vigorously.
🟢 Impressive Size: Some varieties can grow several feet tall, creating a stunning vertical element in the garden.
📸 Colocasia esculenta Jacks Giant: This astonishing elephant ear is well-named, it really does look like something that would grow for the giant! The foliage is absolutely massive, many feet long and wide, with a glossy texture, prominent ribbing, and a rich blue-green cast that lightens to chartreuse around the edges.
📚 Learn more from previous posts:
What to plant by the pond?
Pharaoh Mask with stunning 3D effect
Mojito Elephant Ears
Colocasia vs Alocasia - what is the difference?
🛒 Shop Colocasias
#Shade_Garden
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
What plants do you recognize in this display
What plants do you recognize in this display ❓
Share in comments 🔽
#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden
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Share in comments 🔽
#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden
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What is the most beautiful ginger? 5 most spectacular Ginger species
Hedychium flavum x coronarium - Yellow Butterfly Ginger
Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - Variegated Spiral Ginger
Zingiber Zerumbet - Pine Cone Ginger, Shampoo Ginger
Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt
Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus
🎋 What is the most beautiful ginger? 5 most spectacular Ginger species.
Ginger is famous for its culinary and medicinal uses, and many species are also strikingly beautiful, making them perfect centerpieces for tropical gardens or potted plant collections, especially in shaded spots. Here are a few of our favorite cultivars.
📚 More gingers in previous posts:
Alpinia formosana x zerumbet Variegata - Variegated Ginger
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
Hedychium coronarium - Butterfly Ginger
Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe
❔ What is your favorite Ginger? Share in comments👇
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Ginger is famous for its culinary and medicinal uses, and many species are also strikingly beautiful, making them perfect centerpieces for tropical gardens or potted plant collections, especially in shaded spots. Here are a few of our favorite cultivars.
- 🍭 Hedychium flavum x coronarium - Yellow Butterfly Ginger, Nardo Ginger Lily - rare hybrid of White Butterfly ginger we mentioned earlier, it is more vigorous and tall than its parent. With attractive long green leaves with a slight fuzziness, this ginger has open long spikes of pastel yellow flowers with a beautiful heady aroma. Exquisitely fragrant!
- 🍭 Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - Variegated Spiral Ginger - is a show stopper! Very popular in Hawaii and Florida. Spiraling stems rise with a strong white variegation and topped with green and white cone like flowers. Vigorous grower, it prefers shade, moist soil and lots of water.
- 🍭 Zingiber Zerumbet - Pine Cone Ginger, Shampoo Ginger - is probably the most popular one. All parts of this ginger are spicy fragrant. The cone shaped flowers are long lasting and useful for cut flower arrangements. It is in fact used as a shampoo in Asia and Hawaii, and as an ingredient in several commercial shampoos! Pinecone ginger is considered a "canoe plant", that is, a plant introduced throughout the Pacific by the ancient Polynesian settlers.
- 🍭 Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt - The name refers to the colorful raspberry colored stem, but that's not the only colorful thing about it: the leaves are dark green, long and glossy with velvety deep purple undersides. The inflorescence is a vivid red with tight bracts and bold yellow flowers. The butterflies love to drink the nectar from the flowers. Large vigorous ginger, growing up to 5-6 ft tall.
- 🍭 Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus - from Gabon in West Africa. It has a dazzling pink trumpet flower with a yellow throat. It is very floriferous with an inflorescence of numerous flower buds on a shortish plant of 3-4 ft that stands very erect. It is an easy grower
📚 More gingers in previous posts:
Alpinia formosana x zerumbet Variegata - Variegated Ginger
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
Hedychium coronarium - Butterfly Ginger
Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe
❔ What is your favorite Ginger? Share in comments👇
🛒 Shop Gingers
#Shade_Garden #Container_Garden #Food_Forest
🏵 TopTropicals
What is the best flowering shrub for a shady spot?
Aphelandra hartwegiana - Yellow Aphelandra
Aphelandra squarrosa - White Zebra Plant
Aphelandra sinclairiana - Panama Queen
Aphelandra x panamensis - Scarlet Candle
💐 What is the best flowering shrub for a shady spot?
📚 Learn more from previous posts:
Panama Queen
How to grow Zebra in container?
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#Butterfly_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits #Shade_Garden
🏵 TopTropicals
- 🚩 Aphelandra is hands down one of the best solutions for a shade garden where you want to see more colors. It is a great addition to a collectible tropical butterfly garden, can grow into 4-5" tall bushy specimen. Tolerates both sun and shade.
- 🚩Aphelandras have beautiful lush foliage and showy, long terminal inflorescences throughout the warm season.
- 🚩These flowers are loved by hummingbirds.
- 🚩Aphelandra hartwegiana - Yellow Aphelandra. Yellow flowers emerge out of long orange stalks in the fall time. Pretty and unusual!
- 🚩Aphelandra squarrosa Dania (Snow White) - White Zebra Plant. It is also one of the best house plants, not only pretty because of its white-veined "Zebra" foliage, but also for the apical inflorescence with its beautiful yellow bracts.
- 🚩Aphelandra sinclairiana - Panama Queen, has extremely tropical look and fragrant flowers of unusual color combination: orange and pink.
- 🚩Aphelandra x panamensis - Scarlet Candle - a rare hybrid with bright red flowers
📚 Learn more from previous posts:
Panama Queen
How to grow Zebra in container?
🛒 Shop Aphelandras
#Butterfly_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits #Shade_Garden
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What rare showy plant can I wish for that will thrive indoors?
Philodendron x Paraiso Verde
What rare showy plant can I wish for that will thrive indoors?
🛒 Get your own Philodendron x Paraiso Verde
#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden
🏵 TopTropicals
- 💚 Philodendron x Paraiso Verde is a unique and visually striking, large-leaf plant that perfect for growing indoors, virtually care-free!
- 💚 Stunning leaves: long, variegated leaves with a mix of green, cream, and sometimes pinkish hues.
- 💚 Rare and exotic: it is highly sought after by plant enthusiasts and collectors due to its rarity and exotic appearance, and may be pretty expensive in trade.
- 💚 Fast climber: capable of climbing up to 10 feet in a single season, with stems growing over an inch thick. Just provide a support and you will have a lush tropical paradise in no time.
- 💚 Low maintenance: easy to care for, thriving in indirect light and requiring minimal watering. In captivity, indoors on a totem, Paraiso Verde is easy to grow and may only need to be trimmed once a year or so.
- 💚 Air-purifying: helps purify the air by removing toxins, making it great for indoor environments - home or office.
- 💚 Unique patterns: each leaf has a unique pattern, just like fingerprints! 💅
- 💚 Tropical aesthetic: brings a lush, tropical feel to any space, perfect for creating an indoor jungle vibe. Truly beautiful!
It is making every plant distinct and adding a touch of individuality to your plant collection.
🛒 Get your own Philodendron x Paraiso Verde
#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden
🏵 TopTropicals