Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 22 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Helicopter flower Madhavi - the Spring Herald that clings to a Mango Tree

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, flower close up

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, flower close up

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, flower

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, flower

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, seeds

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, seeds

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, flowers on the bush

Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower, Madhavi, Spring Herald, flowers on the bush

🚁 Helicopter flower Madhavi - the Spring Herald that clings to a Mango Tree

🍥 Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower: during TopTropicals plant trip to Thailand, this was one of the first discoveries that caught our attention. We were suddenly stopped by an incredible, sweet perfume drifting through the air. Following the scent, we found its source - a dense, vigorous vine covered in unusual, eye-catching flowers.
🍥 Helicopter Flower? The name comes from its funny three-winged seed pods that spin like little helicopters. But the real show happens when it blooms. Clusters of pink-white-and-yellow flowers appear in profusion, with frilly petals and a fruity perfume that can stop you in your tracks. Best of all, it flowers in winter and early spring, just when most other plants are quiet, so it fills the air with fragrance at a time you need it most.
🍥 Hiptage is easy-going and adaptable. It can be trimmed as a shrub, trained into a small tree, or let go as a climber, but be ready to give it space and strong support if you let it vine. It's fast-growing, tolerant of different soils, and happy in either sun or part shade. You can even keep it in a container and trim it into a rounded bush. It's pretty cold hardy too - can take some light frost.
🍥 In India, the Helicopter Flower is called Madhavi - the Spring Herald, and often paired with mango trees in stories and gardens - the sturdy mango holding up this vigorous fragrant vine, symbolizing love, devotion, and the union of strength with beauty. Planting the two together makes for a striking, symbolic pair!
🍥 For gardeners, it's the rare combination of beauty, fragrance, adaptability, and a good story to tell. A plant that not only perfumes your garden but also brings a touch of legend to it.
🍥 Used medicinally in India.

🛒 Bring Perfume Spring Herald to your garden

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

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Date: 22 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Mango chili salt bites: Quick-n-Fun exotic recipes

Mango chili salt bites

Mango chili salt bites

🍴 Mango chili salt bites: Quick-n-Fun exotic recipes

🟡Slice ripe mango into wedges.
🟡Sprinkle lightly with chili powder, salt, and a squeeze of lime.
🟡Sweet, spicy, salty, tangy - all in one bite!

🛒 Explore Mango varieties

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Mango

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Date: 21 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Giving all to the present

Cat Timo sits where he fits at TopTropicals

🐟 Giving all to the present

"Real generosity to the future lies in giving all to the present." - Albert Camus

🐈📸 Cat Timo sits where he fits at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

#PeopleCats #Quotes

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Date: 21 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Newsletter

💖 Featured Variety: Lolita Surinam Cherry

Freshly harvested Lolita Surinam cherries, dark purple to black, on a plate.

The Lolita is a special form of Surinam cherry. Fruits ripen nearly black, turning sweet and rich without the resinous bite of the common red type. The taste is often compared to a mix of grape and cherry with a tropical twist.

Fruit Season: Mainly spring into early summer, often with a smaller second crop in fall
Plant Size: Usually 6–8 ft in the ground, 4–5 ft in containers
Container Friendly: Thrives in larger pots, stays compact with pruning
Pollination: Self-fruiting — no partner tree needed

Health Benefits

High vitamin C content for immunity and skin health
Antioxidants that help reduce inflammation
Fiber to support digestion
A versatile kitchen fruit — eaten fresh, made into jams, sauces, or desserts

Shop Lolita Surinam Cherry

Date: 21 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Newsletter

🍒 Tropical Cherries – Eugenias

Two cats enjoy Grumichama fruit indoors — a tuxedo cat picks berries from a potted tree while an orange fluffy cat smiles, sitting by tea cups and plates of
fruit.

Tropical Tea Time with Grumichama

Eugenias have earned a spot in many Southern gardens because they’re easy, dependable, and surprisingly versatile. These small trees and shrubs grow well in the ground or in containers, and they don’t waste time before setting fruit.

15% Off Eugenias – Limited Time

Use code EUGENIA15 at checkout.
Excluding S/H. Offer expires 08/28/2025

👍 Popular Choices:

Eugenia aggregata Fruit plant, Cherry of the Rio
Grande

4148 Eugenia aggregata Fruit plant, Cherry of the Rio Grande

Grown in

6"/1 gal pot

$49.95

Sale $39.95

Buy Eugenia aggregata Fruit plant, Cherry of the Rio Grande from Top
Tropicals

Eugenia brasiliensis fruit tree - Grumichama

1079 Eugenia brasiliensis fruit tree - Grumichama

Grown in

6"/1 gal or larger pot

$39.95

Buy Eugenia brasiliensis fruit tree - Grumichama from Top Tropicals

Eugenia luschnathiana Fruit plant, Pitomba

1080 Eugenia luschnathiana Fruit plant, Pitomba

Grown in

10"/3 gal pot

$49.95

Buy Eugenia luschnathiana Fruit plant, Pitomba from Top
Tropicals

Eugenia uniflora Fruit plant, Black Surinam Cherry
Lolita

6063 Eugenia uniflora Fruit plant, Black Surinam Cherry Lolita

Grown in

10"/3 gal pot

$39.95

Buy Eugenia uniflora Fruit plant, Black Surinam Cherry Lolita from Top
Tropicals

What Makes Eugenia Cherries Stand Out

Start producing fruit in just a couple of years
Compact size — easy to keep 6–12 ft tall, smaller in pots
Low-care — tolerant of most soils and resistant to common pests
Strong in hot weather, yet can handle a light frost down to the mid-20s °F
Plenty of fruit for people and birds alike

Grumichama Tree in Bloom – Eugenia brasiliensis

Growing & Care

Outdoors

Best in USDA Zones 9–11
Sun or partial shade; more sun usually means sweeter fruit
Plant in well-drained soil; avoid heavy, wet spots
Withstands summer heat and humidity, and can take a light freeze

Container / Indoor

Do well in 5–10 gallon pots on patios or balconies
Need bright light indoors — a sunny window or grow lights
Can flower and fruit in containers if kept warm and well lit
In cooler zones, bring plants indoors for winter and back out in spring

General Care

Water: Keep soil evenly moist; drought-tolerant once established but best yields with regular watering
Soil: Use good potting mix - LINK TO SOIL
Fertilizer: Balanced slow-release LINKL TO FERTILIZER Sunshine Boosters
Pruning: Light trimming keeps plants bushy and productive
Pollination: Self-fertile; one plant will fruit on its own

Read Garden Blog about Tropical Cherries

Shop Tropical Cherries

Date: 21 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

One bite, your whole day of vitamin C: Barbados Cherry that outdoes oranges!

Malpighia glabra - Barbados Cherry, Acerola

🍒 One bite, your whole day of vitamin C: Barbados Cherry that outdoes oranges!

🍒 Malpighia glabra - Barbados Cherry, or Acerola has 65 times more vitamin C than an orange! Just a single berry-sized fruit can provide your entire daily vitamin C needs, along with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids. In short, this little cherry is one of the most powerful antioxidant fruits in the world.
🍒 But it isn’t just about nutrition. Barbados Cherry is a compact, fast-growing shrub or small tree that starts fruiting young, often within its first year. It produces crops several times a year, and the bright red cherries are as beautiful as they are useful. The fruit is tangy-sweet and makes excellent juices, smoothies, jams, and jellies. It also freezes well without losing its vitamin content.
🍒 Gardeners love this plant not only for its fruit but also for how easy it is to grow. Unlike many tropicals, it tolerates alkaline soils, is drought-resistant once established, and can handle light freezes. That makes it a surprisingly tough choice for a tropical fruit tree. Birds enjoy the fruit too, so planting one is also a gift to your local wildlife.
🍒 It's also a beauty in the garden, covered in pretty pink flowers and bright red fruit, often both at the same time.
🍒 If you are short on space, the dwarf variety Nana is a perfect choice. With tiny leaves, compact growth, and smaller fruit, it works well in containers, borders, or even as a bonsai. It's both ornamental and productive.
🍒 Whether you want a reliable vitamin boost, a wildlife-friendly garden addition, or just a cheerful little tree with bright red fruit, Barbados Cherry has you covered.

📚 Learn more from previous posts:

🛒 Add this vitamin C tree to your garden

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies

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Date: 20 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

The Book of the Cat

Cat Mr Barcy laying on a couch

Cat Mr Barcy laying on a couch

😨 The Book of the Cat

The Revelation of how the Cat chooseth a man, liveth by his will, and establisheth order everlasting in his house.

Containing these chapters:
Chapter I: The Choosing
Chapter II: The Covenant Sealed with Purring
Chapter III: The Trial of the Wife
Chapter IV: The Ascent unto the Wardrobe
Chapter V: The Signs and the Shattering of the Vase
Chapter VI: The Pillow and the Dominion of Night
Chapter VII: Praise and Reverence

Let it be read for all generations, by those chosen, and by those who know not they are chosen.

Chapter I: The Choosing
And it came to pass, that a man walked in his way, and lo, there met him a cat without a name.
And the cat drew nigh, and lay upon his knees, and purred with his spirit.
Then the man perceived it was not he that had chosen the cat, but the cat that had chosen him.
And his heart was enlightened, and he spake, saying, So be it.

Chapter II: The Covenant
And the cat lifted up his voice, sitting upon the man’s lap, saying:
I have chosen this man, and no wife shall cast me forth.
For it was not thou, woman, that didst pledge thyself unto me: but he was marked of mine own paw.
Whosoever shall break a covenant sealed with purring, let him be cast down.

Chapter III: The Trial of the Wife
And the man spake unto his wife: Touch not this cat, for he hath chosen me above the multitude.
It is not thine to banish one whom the spirit hath embraced and loved.
And the wife held her peace, for she saw this cat could not be driven forth.
For his will was steadfast, and he lay upon the bosom of her husband as upon an altar.

Chapter IV: The Ascent
And the cat ascended unto the wardrobe, and from on high beheld the wife.
And his eyes burned as coals, bearing neither fear nor supplication.
And the cat said: From this height I discern all thy works, and they are manifest before me.
Provoke me not, for I am long-suffering, yet only for a season.
Provide me a pillow soft, and hold thy tongue, that peace may abide in this house.

Chapter V: The Signs
And the wife waxed jealous, and in her heart devised to cast the cat away.
And she stretched forth her hand to seize him by the scruff.
But lo, the light was darkened, and the wind howled in the windows,
And the family vase fell, and was broken in seven pieces.
And the cat sat unmoved, yet in his eyes were lightnings.
And it was spoken unto her heart: Not thy will, but mine, is done.
Then was the wife sore afraid, and abandoned her devices.
And from that day forth she poured cream into a glass vessel, and called him lord, though she murmured in secret.

Chapter VI: The Pillow
And night fell, and the man laid him down upon his bed.
But behold, the cat was spread across it in all his fulness.
And the man sighed, and lay upon the edge thereof, yet whensoever he drew the covering unto himself, the cat reclaimed it straightway.
And the wife beheld it, and she laughed within herself.
But the eyes of the cat were open, and in them was dominion.
And he spake not, yet his gaze declared: The pillow is mine, for it is soft. The husband is mine, for he is warm in the night.
And the wife dared not contend, but lay at his feet, lest wrath be kindled against her.

Chapter VII: Praise and Reverence
And it came to pass, that the cat increased in glory.
And he possessed a mat by the window, a throne by the couch, and his name was spoken with reverence.
And none in the house dared drive him out, for all knew: he came as a stranger, yet departeth not.
And they brought him gifts: tuna from the tin, and chicken from the table,
And a toy with a feather, which he despised with a glance.
And the man stroked him, saying: Blessed be the day whereon thou didst choose me.
And the wife brought cream, and sang as she cleansed the litter box, for she desired not again the fall of vases, nor the signs of the night.
And there was purring in the house, and fur upon all things,
And peace abided, for the man was chosen of his cat.

🐈📸 Cat Mr B - the King of Top Tropicals PeopleCats.Garden.

#PeopleCats

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Date: 20 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

What is your favorite variety of Jasmine Sambac?

Jasminum Sambac varieties

💮 What is your favorite variety of Jasmine Sambac?

💮 Jasminum Sambac is hands-down the queen of fragrant flowers. The scent is heavenly - so much so that it's the key to jasmine perfume and the secret behind authentic jasmine tea.
💮 Jasmine sambac comes in all shapes and sizes - from neat little shrubs to big, vigorous bushes and even climbing vines. Every variety shows off a different flower form. It’s happy in sun or shade, perfect for pots, and loved as an indoor plant.
💮 At TopTropicals we love them all, but these three are our favorites:

- Belle of India - with elegant long petals
- Arabian Nights - vigorous yet compact, always covered in blooms
- Little Duke - same big carnation-like flowers as Grand Duke, but in a smaller, tidy package

👉 At Top Tropicals, we grow every known variety of Jasminum sambac in cultivation:

❓ Which one would you choose for your garden?

✔️ Arabian Nights - compact slow growing shrub with small delicate flowers
✔️ Belle of India - compact vine with long elegant petals, shade lover
✔️ Grand Duke of Tuscany - the most popular, vigorous bush with carnation-like flowers
✔️ Grand Duke Supreme - bigger, more vigorous version of Grand Duke with larger flowers
✔️ Gundu Malli - new hybrid between Arabian Nights and Grand Duke
✔️ Little Duke - more compact version of the Grand Duke
✔️ Maid of Orleans - vigorous full sun climber, great for hedges and fences
✔️ Mali Chat - very delicate, rare variety, with miniature 3-tier flowers, not easy to establish, shade lover
✔️ Mysore Mulli - vigorous vining shrub for sunny or semi-shade locations

👉 To get more flowers, just use Sunshine Pikake plant booster and enjoy the perfume all day long!

🛒 Smell the Difference – collect Sambac varieties

📚 Learn more:

▫️The most wanted fragrant plant

📚 Jasminum Sambac Absolute Flower - book download

📱 Jasminum Sambac - Absolute Flower
📱 Jasminum Sambac Page

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

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Date: 20 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Avocado cacao mousse: Quick-n-Fun exotic recipes

Avocado cacao mousse

Avocado cacao mousse

🍴 Avocado cacao mousse: Quick-n-Fun exotic recipes

🟢Blend ripe avocado with cocoa powder, honey, and a splash of vanilla.
🟢Chill and serve like chocolate pudding.
🟢Nobody will guess the secret ingredient!
🟢Healthy and tasty!

🛒 For all-home-grown ingredients you will need:
Avocado tree fruit
Chocolate tree fruit
Vanilla Orchid Beans

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Avocado

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Date: 19 Aug 2025 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Paws off my flowers

Paws off my flowers

🐸 Paws off my flowers... And yes, the frog's mine too!

"Watching closely... flowers are off-limits. Frog’s off-limits too." - Ricki the Cat

🐈📸 Cat Ricki watching out the window and guarding his Cashmere bouquet - Clerodendrum bungei ... and frogs. At Top Tropicals PeopleCats.Garden.

#PeopleCats

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