Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 5 Dec 2025

What Timo hides in the bathroom

What Timo hides in the bathroom

🐈📸 Cat Timo is a big fan of tropical plants. He guards them in the bathroom with a big skylight - lots of light and Green Magic - that's the key to his green thumb secret!
TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

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Date: 5 Dec 2025

What Avocado is better - Mexican or Guatemalan?

What Avocado is better - Mexican or Guatemalan? What Avocado is better - Mexican or Guatemalan? What Avocado is better - Mexican or Guatemalan?
🌎 What Avocado is better - Mexican or Guatemalan?

Avocados come from three main regions, and each group has its own special look, taste, and growing habits. The three types are Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian. Many of today’s popular varieties are hybrids, mixing traits from these types.

  • Mexican type:

  • These avocados are small, with thin skin and rich flavor. The skin often turns dark green or black when ripe. The flesh is very buttery, with high oil content (up to 30%), and the leaves smell like anise. Mexican types are also the most cold-hardy, so they do well in cooler areas.
    Popular Mexican avocado varieties: Anise, Bacon, Brazos Belle (Wilma), Brogdon (Brogden), Fantastic, Florida Hass (Haas), Lila (Opal), Mexicola, Mexicola Grande, Ulala (Oh La La, Super Hass).
    Hybrids Mexican x Guatemalan: Winter Mexican, Buck, Wurtz (True Dwarf), Maria Black, Fuerte, Hall, Ettinger, Thomson Red.

  • Guatemalan type:

  • These are medium to large avocados with thicker, sometimes bumpy skin. They have a creamy texture and rich flavor with plenty of healthy fats. The fruit is usually pear-shaped and ripens in winter or spring. Guatemalan types are commonly grown in both Florida and California.
    Popular Guatemalan avocado varieties: Black Prince, Booth 8, Joey, Nishikawa, Reed, Tonnage, Yamagata
    Hybrids Mexican x Guatemalan: Winter Mexican, Buck, Wurtz (True Dwarf), Maria Black, Fuerte, Hall, Ettinger, Thomson Red
    Hybrids of West Iundian and Guatemalan: Beta, Catalina, Choquette, Day, Hardee Red, Kampong (Sushi), Loretta, Lula, Marcus Pumpkin, Miguel, Monroe, Oro Negro.

  • West Indian type:

These avocados are the biggest, with smooth, shiny green skin and a lighter, more watery taste. They have less oil but lots of pulp, perfect for salads and guacamole. The fruit can weigh up to 2 pounds! They grow best in tropical climates like Florida, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas, but not in California.
West Indian avocado varieties: Bernecker, Donnie (Doni), Hialeah Red, Pollock, Poncho (Pancho), Red Russell, Russell, Simmonds, Waldin.
Florida originated varieties: Catalina, Hardee Red.
Hybrids of West Iundian and Guatemalan: Beta, Catalina, Choquette, Day, Hardee Red, Kampong (Sushi), Loretta, Lula, Marcus Pumpkin, Miguel, Monroe, Oro Negro.

✍️ In short:
  • ✦ Mexican - small, rich, cold-hardy
  • ✦ Guatemalan - medium, creamy, thick skin
  • ✦ West Indian - large, smooth, tropical


✔️ Check out
Avocado Variety Guide interactive chart. Sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!

🛒 Explore Avocado varieties

📖 Our Book: Avocado Variety Guide, Snack or Guacamole?

📚Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Avocado #How_to

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Date: 4 Dec 2025

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals
🐈 Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals

🐈📸 Cat Charlie - she climbs fence poles, supervises the garden center, and wins hearts from above at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

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Date: 4 Dec 2025

SOS!

Magnolia champaca, the Joy Perfume Tree

🆘 SOS! Why is my Champaka Tree dropping leaves?
  • ✔️ Magnolia champaca, the Joy Perfume Tree, can look a little rough in Winter through early Spring. The leaves may yellow, drop, and make the whole tree look tired. Many gardeners think something went wrong, but this is completely normal. Champaka is semi-deciduous, which means it sheds leaves for a short period during cooler months, even in warm climates.
  • ✔️ This is also the time when the tree sets its seeds for spring. As long as you keep your regular watering routine and don’t overreact with extra fertilizer or pruning, the tree rebounds in Spring. Within a few weeks it pushes fresh new foliage and starts blooming again, filling the air with that unmistakable sweet fragrance.
  • ✔️ Champaka isn’t declining - it’s just taking a winter nap!


🛒 We always have them for you: Joy Perfume Champaka trees

📚
Learn more:

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#Perfume_Plants #Container_Garden #Trees

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Date: 4 Dec 2025

Soursop freezer whip: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Soursop freezer whip

Soursop freezer whip

Guanabana, Soursop (Annona muricata)

Guanabana, Soursop (Annona muricata)

🍴 Soursop freezer whip: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
  • 🔵Blend frozen soursop (Annona muricata) pulp with a splash of coconut milk.
  • 🔵Freeze 15 minutes, then stir for a soft, slushy whip.
  • 🔵Perfect for a hot day, this whip is instantly refreshing and cooling, like a little tropical breeze in a bowl.
  • 🔵And on a cold winter day? It still tastes amazing - like a quick escape to the tropics!


🛒 Grow your own delicious Guanabana Soursop

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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