Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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One bite, your whole day of vitamin C: Barbados Cherry that outdoes oranges! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

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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Variegated Chaya - beauty meets nutrition. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Variegated Chaya - beauty meets nutrition

Cnidoscolus aconitifolius variegatus - Variegated Chaya, Maya Spinach Tree

🌱 Variegated Chaya - beauty meets nutrition
  • 🌿 Variegated Chaya - Variegated Maya Spinach Tree or Cnidoscolus aconitifolius variegatus - is a showstopper in the edible garden. Its heavily cut, creamy-white variegated leaves look like they belong in a tropical ornamental bed, but this beauty is also a powerhouse leafy green.
  • 🌿 Native to the Yucatan Peninsula, Chaya has been a traditional food for centuries. Younger leaves (and a little stem) are cooked like spinach, simmered for at least 5-15 minutes to neutralize toxins, then served with butter, oil, or in soups. Once cooked, they’re loaded with protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C - a true garden superfood.
  • 🌿 Fast-growing and low-maintenance, Chaya can reach 6-8 feet and thrives in full sun or partial shade. It's drought-tolerant, attracts butterflies and hummingbirds with its white flowers, and grows easily from cuttings. Perfect for food forests, permaculture gardens, or anyone wanting beauty and function in one plant.


🛒 Plant it, cook it, love it

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#Food_Forest #Remedies

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Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean

Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean
🍒 Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean

  • Don't let the tough, thorny branches fool you - this native plant has a long history of traditional use. While the seeds are poisonous, the young leaves and flowers have been safely cooked and eaten in small amounts by various cultures.

  • Traditionally, Erythrina herbacea - Coral Bean has been used in folk remedies for calming the nerves, easing muscle pain, and even promoting better sleep.

  • Modern science hasn’t fully explored these uses yet, but the plant contains alkaloids that may have sedative and muscle-relaxing properties. It's a reminder that even rugged native plants can carry powerful natural potential.

  • As a bonus, Erythrina herbacea is also beautiful and beneficial in the garden, drawing in hummingbirds and butterflies with its vibrant pink flowers - hummingbirds can't resist this wild bloomer! It grows well in poor soil and dry conditions - low effort, high reward!


🛒 Plant once, enjoy for years

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Butterfly_plants #Discover

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Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean

Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean
🍒 Health benefits of a simple plant: Coral bean

  • Don't let the tough, thorny branches fool you - this native plant has a long history of traditional use. While the seeds are poisonous, the young leaves and flowers have been safely cooked and eaten in small amounts by various cultures.

  • Traditionally, Erythrina herbacea - Coral Bean has been used in folk remedies for calming the nerves, easing muscle pain, and even promoting better sleep.

  • Modern science hasn’t fully explored these uses yet, but the plant contains alkaloids that may have sedative and muscle-relaxing properties. It's a reminder that even rugged native plants can carry powerful natural potential.

  • As a bonus, Erythrina herbacea is also beautiful and beneficial in the garden, drawing in hummingbirds and butterflies with its vibrant pink flowers - hummingbirds can't resist this wild bloomer! It grows well in poor soil and dry conditions - low effort, high reward!


🛒 Plant once, enjoy for years

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Butterfly_plants #Discover

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Bright, bold, and edible: Variegated Chaya. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Bright, bold, and edible: Variegated Chaya

Leaves of Variegated Maya Spinach Tree

Leaves of Variegated Maya Spinach Tree

Variegated Maya Spinach Tree growing in pot

Variegated Maya Spinach Tree growing in pot

🌱 Bright, bold, and edible: Variegated Chaya
  • 🌿 Cnidoscolus aconitifolius variegatus, known as Chaya "Jatropha" or Variegated Maya Spinach Tree, is a rare gem for gardeners who crave both beauty and function. On top of health benefits of regular Chaya we mentioned earlier, this one is also a rare spectacular ornamental!
  • 🌿 With its striking, creamy-splashed fan-shaped leaves and sculptural form, this plant brings dramatic texture to sunny landscapes or large containers. And as a bonus, it sends up charming clusters of white flowers!
  • 🌿 More than just a looker, it's a productive perennial too - its leaves, once cooked, are a nutritious green similar to spinach. Just don't eat them raw.
  • 🌿 This drought-tolerant shrub thrives in sun, asks for little more than space to grow, and rewards you with year-round color and character. Whether you grow it for food, flair, or both, the Variegated Chaya is an unforgettable addition to your garden.


🛒 Add rare beauty and purpose to your garden

📚 Learn more:
Chaya's health benefits: a must-have tropical leafy vegetable for sustainable gardening

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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What are Health Benefits of Alpinia galanga (Galangal) A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What are Health Benefits of Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

What are Health Benefits of Alpinia galanga (Galangal)

🌿 Galangal, also known as Thai ginger, is more than just a fast growing ornamental ginger and flavorful root - it's also a powerful healing plant with centuries of use in both kitchens and traditional medicine. Here are some of its top health benefits:
  • Digestive aid - Galangal stimulates digestion, reduces bloating, and relieves nausea. It's especially helpful after heavy or oily meals.
  • Anti-inflammatory properties - Contains compounds like galangin that help reduce inflammation, making it useful for joint pain and inflammatory conditions.
  • Antioxidant rich - Packed with flavonoids and polyphenols that fight oxidative stress and may help slow aging and support overall wellness.
  • Immune support - Traditionally used to fight colds and infections thanks to its antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
  • Respiratory health - Used in Thai herbal remedies for clearing the lungs, soothing sore throats, and reducing coughs.
  • Brain function - Some studies suggest galangal may help protect brain cells and improve cognitive performance due to its antioxidant profile.
  • Circulatory support - Acts as a natural stimulant and may help improve blood flow and circulation.


🛒 Grow your own Thai ginger – fresh, healing, and flavorful!

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The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of
🍊The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of

  • Looking for a new exotic fruit to love? Meet Vangueria infausta - Spanish Tamarind, also called Wild Medlar. Native to Southern Africa, this little-known gem grows on a small tree and produces round, golden-brown fruit with a sweet-tart flavor. You can eat them fresh, dried, or even turn them into a tropical jam or homemade fruit beer!

  • But it's not just tasty - it's super healthy. The fruit is packed with vitamin C, fiber, and minerals like iron and magnesium. Locals use it as natural medicine: the leaves and bark are brewed into teas for colds, fevers, and stomachaches. The roots are even used for coughs and snakebites.

  • Secret bonus? Its bark and leaves make natural dyes in yellow, green, and purple!

  • The Wild Medlar is easy to grow in warm climates (Zones 9-11) and can handle poor soil and dry weather. In cooler zones, just grow it in a pot and bring it in for winter. Give it full sun, some water, and it'll reward you with 20-40 fruits per season.


🛒 Grow your own wild superfruit - Spanish Tamarind

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of

The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit youve never heard of
🍊The wild fruit with a secret: health benefits of rare Spanish Tamarind - the exotic fruit you've never heard of

  • Looking for a new exotic fruit to love? Meet Vangueria infausta - Spanish Tamarind, also called Wild Medlar. Native to Southern Africa, this little-known gem grows on a small tree and produces round, golden-brown fruit with a sweet-tart flavor. You can eat them fresh, dried, or even turn them into a tropical jam or homemade fruit beer!

  • But it's not just tasty - it's super healthy. The fruit is packed with vitamin C, fiber, and minerals like iron and magnesium. Locals use it as natural medicine: the leaves and bark are brewed into teas for colds, fevers, and stomachaches. The roots are even used for coughs and snakebites.

  • Secret bonus? Its bark and leaves make natural dyes in yellow, green, and purple!

  • The Wild Medlar is easy to grow in warm climates (Zones 9-11) and can handle poor soil and dry weather. In cooler zones, just grow it in a pot and bring it in for winter. Give it full sun, some water, and it'll reward you with 20-40 fruits per season.


🛒 Grow your own wild superfruit - Spanish Tamarind

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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The fiery plant that fights sugar: Nature secret insulin? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

The fiery plant that fights sugar: Nature secret insulin?

Costus igneus - Insulin Plant, Fiery Costus, Spiral Flag

Costus igneus - Insulin Plant, Fiery Costus, Spiral Flag

💚 The fiery plant that fights sugar: Nature secret insulin?
  • Costus igneus - Insulin Plant, also known as Fiery Costus or Spiral Flag, this vibrant tropical plant is famous for its potential health benefits - especially for people managing diabetes. Nicknamed the insulin plant, it's believed to help lower blood glucose levels naturally.
  • Its lush, turmeric-like leaves spiral around upright stems, with a glossy dark green top and a striking light purple underside. The plant grows up to two feet tall and forms elegant clumps from underground rhizomes.
  • In warm months, it produces bright orange, cone-like flowers that stand out beautifully in the garden.
  • Beyond its beauty, the insulin plant is credited with aiding digestion, reducing cholesterol, boosting energy, improving skin health, supporting weight loss, relieving stress, and promoting heart wellness. A real botanical multitasker!


🛒 Grow your own sugar-fighter - order the Insulin Plant

📚 Learn more:
Most interesting edible gingers

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Shade_Garden #Fun_Facts

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Five best tropical fruits to naturally boost your energy. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Five best tropical fruits to naturally boost your energy

Five best tropical fruits to boost your energy

Five best tropical fruits to boost your energy

⚡️ Five best tropical fruits to naturally boost your energy

How to boost your energy without coffee, or taking medications and supplements? Naturally - from your #Food_Forest! These 5 tropical fruits are not only delicious but packed with nutrients that support natural, sustained energy.
  • 🔥 Banana - Packed with vitamin B6, potassium, and natural sugars, bananas provide a quick yet steady energy boost, perfect for pre- or post-workout fuel.
  • 🔥 Mango - Rich in natural sugars and B vitamins, mangoes help convert food into usable energy while also supporting digestion for better nutrient absorption.
  • 🔥 Jackfruit - Loaded with vitamin B1 (thiamine) and complex carbohydrates, jackfruit fuels the body steadily and supports healthy energy metabolism throughout the day.
  • 🔥 Avocado - A powerhouse of monounsaturated fats, B vitamins, and potassium, avocados help sustain energy levels and promote healthy circulation for optimal vitality.
  • 🔥 Macadamia Nut - Loaded with thiamine (B1) and healthy fats that support nervous system function and long-lasting energy without blood sugar crashes.


📚 Learn more:

🛒 Shop Energy-Boosting Plants for Natural Energy

#Food_Forest #Discover #Remedies #Bananas #Avocado #Mango #Jackfruit

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