Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
Date:
Carefree
Garden:
How easy is it to grow a Papaya tree?
Q: What is the easiest to grow fruit tree? It must tolerate, heat, rains, and hurricanes! I live in Florida.
A: Papaya is the easiest to grow fruit tree. In our garden in Florida, newly planted Papaya trees survived several hurricanes, frosts, drought and heat, and keep producing year around!
We all enjoy eating Papaya fruit every day. It is great for digestion and is a perfect naturally sweet, healthy snack. Even our PeopleCats love Papaya. Check out this short video how our cat Cash is begging for his daily Papaya treat!
Why do we love Papaya? Fun facts about Papaya:
Not a tree: Papaya is technically a giant herb with a single, straight trunk that can grow up to 30 feet tall.
Gender flexible: Papaya plants can change their gender based on environmental conditions. This complex mechanism ensures better adaptability.
Cold and wind resistant: Papayas can withstand light freezes and strong winds, making them surprisingly hardy for a tropical plant.
Solo cultivars: These smaller, round or oval papayas are incredibly sweet and less susceptible to fruit flies.
How to grow a Papaya Tree: Practical Guide
Papaya is one of the fastest fruiting plants to grow. Often starting production the same year from planting a seed, papayas are ideal for gardeners seeking quick rewards. Many dwarf varieties reach only 6-8 feet tall, yet produce large crops of full-sized fruit that are easy to harvest. Papaya trees are space-efficient, making it possible to plant multiple trees in even small gardens. Plant 2-3 different cultivars to enjoy year-round harvests of healthy, delicious fruit.
How Easy Are Papaya Trees to Grow?
Papaya trees are exceptionally easy to grow. Technically a large herbaceous
plant rather than a true tree, they are resilient and adaptable. They can
tolerate light freezes and even hurricane winds without significant damage.
Additionally, many varieties are self-fertile, but planting multiple trees
encourages better pollination and higher yields.
What Light Levels and Soil Types Are Ideal?
Papayas thrive in full sunlight, so choose a sunny spot in your garden or
balcony. They prefer well-draining, fertile soil enriched with organic matter.
Add compost or manure to improve soil quality and ensure healthy growth.
Avoid waterlogged areas as papayas are sensitive to standing water.
How Much Watering Is Required?
Papayas need some watering to thrive, especially during the growing and
fruiting seasons. Water deeply once or twice a week, depending on your climate,
ensuring the soil remains moist but not waterlogged. Mulching around the base
helps retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.
Growing Papayas in Containers
Papayas can be successfully grown in large containers, making them ideal
for gardeners in cooler regions or those with limited space. Choose a container
at least 7 gallons in size with good drainage. Use a rich, well-draining
potting mix, and place the container in a sunny location. Select dwarf varieties
to keep the plant manageable and productive.
Health Benefits of Papaya
Papaya is considered a superfood due to its high nutritional value. Rich in
the enzyme papain, it aids digestion and promotes gut health. Papaya is also
an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as antioxidants that
boost immunity and overall wellness. Additionally, papaya leaves can be used as
wraps for cooking meats, naturally tenderizing them.
Papayas are a low-maintenance, high-reward addition to a Southern garden or greenhouse collection, whether in the ground or in a container. Their fast growth, year-round fruiting potential, and health benefits make them a must-have for gardeners and fruit enthusiasts alike.
Photo above: For small gardens, limited space, or container culture, choose dwarf varieties that remain compact and short (5-8 ft tall) while producing a tremendous amount of fruit! Most productive dwarf varieties: Red Vietnam, Lady Red, TR Hovey, Wan Deng. Semi-dwarf: Waimanalo, Sunrise.
Date:
Top 5 favorite Mango varieties
and Top 10 Condo Mango trees
How to chose the right variety of a Mango tree?
Q: The most Frequently Asked Question about fruit trees: What is your favorite Mango variety? Which mango varieties are the best? Help me to make a choice!
A: As we mentioned on our Introduction to Mango Varieties page, there are thousands of named mango cultivars available. Similar to the classification of avocados (see our Avocado Variety Guide), mango trees can be selected based on your specific needs. These needs can include tree size and growth habit, disease resistance and hardiness, and most importantly, fruit characteristics such as taste, texture, size, color, storage ability, juice and sugar content.
We are currently working on a comprehensive Mango Variety Guide and will be sharing it
with you soon. In the meantime, below are a few tips on selecting the right mango tree.
NOTE: all of the Mango varieties we offer are FIBERLESS!
Top 5 Favorite Mango we just love!
1. Alphonso - the best Indian cultivar in terms of sweetness and
flavor. One of the rarest varieties and sought after - sweet large juice fruit. Coconut-like flavor.
2. Maha Chinook - Many
consider it the best mango had ever tasted. Very rare mango variety from Singapore. This variety is semi-dwarf and great for pot culture. Nam Doc Mai close relative.
3.
Fralan - Super reliable producer and hardy tree. Green fruit, sweet and
juicy. Fralan means "Thunder" - as the fruit cracks when peeled.
4. Fruit Cocktail -
Flavor is an amazing palette of different fruit, with citrus, pineapple, and guava notes.
5. Nam Doc Mai - It's not just us, everyone loves this Mango!
The most popular variety: semi-dwarf and great for pot culture. Eaten green or ripe, a Thailand favorite. It is hands down the most sought after of the Asian mangoes and for good
reason.
Top 10 Dwarf "Condo" Mango
1.
Mallika - condo mango native to India. Among the best of the new generation of Indian dessert mangos. Intensely sweet, rich and highly aromatic flavor with hints of citrus and melon.
2. Ice Cream - far and away the most popular of the "condo mangoes." Flavored like the name. The tree can easily be maintained at a height of just six feet (!) making it ideal for container growing.
3. Julie - the most popular variety in Jamaica and many other Caribbean islands because of
its rich, sweet, coconut/pineapple-like flavor. It is a dwarf cultivar, great for containers, but keep in mind it's very cold sensitive, don't plant it in the ground if you get freeze in winter.
4. Okrung - Thai compact cultivar,
fruit eaten while green. The fruit is traditionally served in Thailand in combination with sticky rice. One of the most popular varieties in Thailand. The fruit is very sweet, with the highest sugar content.
5. Pickering - great for pot culture. It has a bushy, compact growth habit, and can be maintained in a container at just six feet (!). The fruit has a firm
flesh with a fantastic coconut/mango flavor.
6. Nam Doc Mai - The most popular variety for pot culture, we already mentioned in our favorites above.
7. Cogshall - an ultra compact grower. Suitable for container growing on a balcony, or planting in a suburban backyard. It can easily be maintained at just eight feet tall, and it will still produce a good size crop year after year. The fruit is very colorful and has a mild, sweet flavor. It is also fungus resistant.
8. Carrie - the flavor
is by far the most outstanding. It has absolutely no fiber and extremely rich in flavor, sweet, aromatic and a pure pleasure to eat. You will savor every mouthful! Its compact size makes it an excellent dooryard tree.
9. Diamond - It has a great taste very similar to Nam Doc Mai. Very compact, of a dwarf habit, great as condo mango.
10. Keitt - the best all-around late mango. It is very productive, good-flavored, and disease resistant. It also has a very long and late season. The compact tree is semi dwarf that bears 4-5 pound goliath fruit!
Photo above: Pim Seng Mun mango tree is a reliable and heavy producer.
Top 5 recommended vigorous growers and reliable producers
1. Glenn - Excellent eating quality, consistent production, and effortless to grow.
2. Pim Seng Mun - extremely productive mango.
3. Sweet Tart - New patented variety - exclusive offer.
4. Fruit Punch - Multi fruit flavor, delicious!
5. Orange
Sherbet - One of the best new varieties for backyard growing. Flavor is sweet citrus-orange and less lemony than Lemon Meringue mango. The tree is moderately vigorous.
Top 5 exotic varieties for rare fruit collection
Now that you have decided to collect them all but have limited space, these are the top 5 of the most interesting rare cultivars:
1. Kar Lon Long -
rare and unusual, native to India. Fruits that can weigh up to 5 lbs each! The unique flavor that has been described as being a cross between a mango and a pineapple.
2. Mun Kun Si - similar to Nam Doc Mai but much bigger. Rare variety, very popular
among Thai and Vietnamese people. The fruit are extremely sweet, fiberless and somewhat crunchy ("Mun" means crunchy). Very late producer, fruit may still be on a tree as late as January.
3. Pina Colada - very sweet, has rich flavor with a hint of coconut and pineapple.
4. Ugly Betty - awesome mango, great sweet flavor, while the fruit is real ugly! Slightly mis-shaped at the top - hence the name.
5. Giselle - from Zill's breeding program and was a seedling of a mango called Tower. It was described as a juice mango and is named after Gary's wife.
Photo above: preparing mango seeds for planting - growing seedlings for future grafting.
How to have fresh Papaya fruit year around
Papaya fruit: Waimanalo, Sunrise, Maradol
Papaya tree
- 🟠 Many people include Papaya fruit in their daily diet because of its healing properties for digestive system. You can eat Papaya fresh as a tasty dessert, add to salads ripe or green, use fruit and leaf wraps in cooking - possibilities are endless.
- 🟠 Buying papaya fruit from the store every day can become costly. So you can plant your own tree - Papayas are heavy producers. But like with many fruit trees, the question may arise:
❓ What to do with so many fruit at once, and where to get the fruit when it's out of season?
- 🟠 The answer is: plant several varieties. Different Papaya cultivars, similar to Mango and Avocado, have different crop seasons.
- 🟠 If you want to enjoy fresh delicious Papaya fruit year around, plant several Papaya varieties in your garden that have different ripening times.
- 🟠 Papaya tree doesn't take any room in your garden: similar to a palm tree, all its leaves/crown is up high, so you can plant as many trees as you want in a very limited space and still use the room under Papaya tree for other plants.
For example:
Waimanalo - ripens from July to October and sporadically throughout the year.
Sunrise - ripens from January through September and sporadically throughout the year.
Maradol - ripens from August through March and sporadically throughout the year.
🛒 Limited time offer: Papaya collection - 3 trees for half price!
Shop Papaya varieties
📚 Learn more from previous posts:
The secret facts of Papaya's private life
Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties
#Food_Forest
🏵 TopTropicals
The truth about Papaya:
Papaya fruit
Papaya tree with fruit
Papaya fruit
Papaya trees
1) it is grass, and
2) it can go transgender!
The secret facts of Papaya's private life.
- 📌 Did you know that Papaya technically is not a tree? It is a large herbaceous plant, usually with a single, straight trunk that can reach 30 feet!
- 📌 Many dwarf varieties available in selection, reaching only 6-8 ft tall, but producing large crops of full size fruit - they are easy to harvest.
- 📌 Papaya trees have very complex gender mechanism, but the bottom line is - the tree can chance its sex based on conditions! Many varieties are self-fertile, but it always recommended to plant a few trees for cross-pollination and better yield.
- 📌 The sweetest Papaya is from so called "Solo" cultivars: the fruit is usually round or oval, on a smaller side, but super sweet.
- 📌 Fruit from Solo cultivars are not susceptible to fruit flies.
- 📌 Being officially a tropical plant, Papaya is pretty cold resistant and can withstand light freeze without significant damage.
- 📌 Surprisingly, Papayas are also hurricane-resistant plants and can take strong winds without damage. They still stand when other trees are down!
- 📌 Papaya is one of the Super-Foods thanks to papain - a natural enzyme containing in this fruit. Papaya fruit offers the best digestive aid! Eat some papaya after each meal to maintain healthy digestion.
- 📌 Try papaya leaf wraps for cooking meats - you won't need a meat tenderizer!
- 📌 Easy to grow trees, Papayas don't take any space in the garden, but bring so much goodness into your life!
🛒 Shop Papaya Trees
#Food_Forest
🏵 TopTropicals
Truth about which fruit helps you lose weight faster: Mango or Papaya?
❓ Mango vs. Papaya: what's best for you?
✔️ Nutritional comparison
✔️ Health perks
✔️ Calories and sugars
✔️ Weight loss support
✔️ Which to pick when
Mango is rich in vitamins A and C, boosting immune health and skin.
Papaya brings more folate and contains papain, an enzyme that aids digestion.
Mango may help lower inflammation and support blood sugar balance.
Papaya is known to ease digestion, reduce bloating, and support gut health.
Both are low in calories, but mango has slightly more natural sugar.
If you’re sugar-sensitive, papaya might be the better option.
Mango and papaya both contain fiber and natural compounds that slow digestion.
This helps you feel fuller longer, which can reduce snacking and support weight management.
Choose mango for a skin and immune boost.
Go with papaya if you want a gentler fruit that supports digestion and gut comfort.
Don't forget about Avocado when planting your fruit garden!
Avocado deserves a spot at the table too. While not sweet like mango or papaya, it's packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, and B vitamins. Avocado supports brain and heart health, keeps you full longer, and provides a creamy balance to any tropical fruit plate.
All three fruits are also great for weight management. They're high in fiber and water content, which slows digestion, helps you feel fuller longer, and may reduce overall calorie intake naturally.
🛒Explore Mango, Papaya, and Avocado varieties
#Food_Forest #Mango #Papaya #Remedies #Discover
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Papaya mint salad: Quick-n-Fun exotic
🟢Cube ripe papaya into bite-sized pieces.- 🟢Toss gently with fresh mint leaves, a drizzle of lime juice, and a pinch of black pepper.
- 🟢Chill before serving for a refreshing, lightly spiced tropical snack.
- 1 ripe papaya, peeled and cubed
- Fresh mint leaves
- 1 tsp lime juice
- Pinch of black pepper
- Cube ripe papaya into bite-sized pieces.
- Toss gently with fresh mint leaves, a drizzle of lime juice, and a pinch of black pepper.
- Chill before serving for a refreshing, lightly spiced tropical snack.
Papaya Mint Salad
Ingredients
Instructions
🛒Add Papaya trees to your garden
#Food_Forest #Recipes #Papaya
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
What is the biggest papaya fruit on the smallest tree?
Papaya TR Hovey
🍈 We discovered an amazing Papaya variety. It is called TR Hovey. This dwarf tree is only 4-5 ft tall and yet produces giant sweet papayas size of a melon!
📚More about Papaya from earlier posts:
Carefree Garden: How Easy Is It to Grow a Papaya Tree?
Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits: #4 Papaya
Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #6. Papaya
How to have fresh Papaya fruit year around
Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties
The truth about Papaya
Papayas contain a secret enzyme
🛒 Shop Papaya trees
#Food_Forest #Papaya
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
How to grow tons of fruit in limited space - its incredible!
100 Papaya trees in 6"x100" strip
- 🍊 Yesterday we planted 100 Papaya trees in 6"x100" strip of the garden. That’s right - 100! This year, we’ll have BILLIONS and BILLIONS of fruit. Unbelievable! You should do it too. And here's how.
- 🍊 Want to grow more fruit trees? Different varieties? But look at your space - it's never enough! What can you do? Most people have no clue. But we do.
- 🍊 "Fruit cocktail trees" - great idea, right? Different varieties grafted onto one tree. Used to be very popular, especially citrus. But guess what? Doesn’t work well. The strongest variety takes over, dominates - very unfair.
- 🍊 The best solution? It's called "One Hole Planting." Genius! Just plant several varieties in the SAME hole. Each variety gets its own root system - no fighting, no losers. Just winners.
- 🍊 The absolute best candidates? Papaya Trees! (Carica papaya). They grow tall, straight, strong - just like a palm tree!
- 🍊 Here’s the trick: plant several varieties together. Both male and female trees (you thought male papaya was useless? Plant it in, and watch what happens!). It's the best way! Saves space, supercharges pollination, maximizes fruit production. You get different flavors, non-stop harvests.
- 🍊 Watch the video - 14 huge holes, 100 trees! It’s going to be HUGE! And guess what? We'll be back in just a few weeks - showing off the harvest! Stay tuned!
📚 Learn more from previous posts:
- 🟡 How to have fresh Papaya fruit year around
- 🟡 Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties
- 🟡Carefree Garden: practical Guide to Growing Papaya.
- 🟡10 best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes. # 7: Papaya Tree.
- 🟡more posts about #Papaya
🛒 Shop Papaya Trees
#Food_Forest #Papaya #How_to
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Why your gut is begging for papaya
Papaya fruit and trees (Carica papaya)
- 🌴Papaya (Carica papaya) is more than just a tasty tropical fruit - it's a natural remedy for your gut. Thanks to an enzyme called papain, it helps with digestion, bloating, and even supports immune health with high levels of vitamin C and A.
- 🌴But here's what makes papaya a must-have in every garden: it's fast, space-saving, and super productive. Many trees start fruiting within a year!
- 🌴Dwarf varieties only reach 6-8 feet but still give you full-sized fruit that's easy to harvest.
- 🌴Grow it in the ground or in a container - it thrives in sun, handles light freezes, and even stands strong in high winds.
- 🌴Low effort, high reward. Sweet fruit, strong plant. What more do you need?
📚 Learn more from previous posts:
- 🟡more about #Papaya
- 🟡 How to grow tons of fruit in limited space - it's incredible!
- 🟡 How to have fresh Papaya fruit year around
- 🟡 Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties
- 🟡 Carefree Garden: practical Guide to Growing Papaya.
🛒 Your gut will thank you - plant Papaya
#Food_Forest #Papaya
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Top 10 fruit youll ever need for your health benefits:
#4 Papaya 🍊
🟡 Papaya is a popular ingredient in salads, smoothies, and tropical desserts.- 🟡It contains enzymes like papain that aid digestion and reduce bloating.
- 🟡It is high in vitamin C and vitamin A, the antioxidants in papaya may protect against heart disease and reduce cancer risk.
📚 More about Papaya from previous posts:
- 💋 How to have fresh Papaya fruit year around
- 💋Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties
- 💋The secret facts of Papaya's private life
- 💋Papaya-Citrus Marinade
- 💋Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: Papaya (Carica papaya)
🛒 Plant a Papaya Tree
#Food_Forest #Remedies #Papaya
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals