Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 26 Oct 2024

Why is it called Star Apple?

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito)

⭐️ Why is it called Star Apple?

  • 🍏 Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito) - do not confuse with Start Fruit (Carambola) - is hard to find exotic fruit tree.
  • 🍏 It is a favorite in the Caribbean and Central America as well as Southeast Asia.
  • 🍏 The fruit has a mild grape-like flavor, and is best eaten fresh.
  • 🍏 Inside the fruit looks like a star when cut across!


🛒 Plants Caimito Star Apple

#Food_Forest

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Date: 4 Jan 2026

Caimito creamy scoop: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Caimito creamy scoop

Caimito creamy scoop

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), fruit

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), fruit

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), leaves with rusty underneath

Caimito Star Apple (Chrysophyllum cainito), leaves with rusty underneath

🍴 Caimito creamy scoop: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

  • 🔴Chill star apple halves, then scoop out the jelly-soft pulp.
  • 🔴Stir gently with cold sweet cream for a tropical dessert cup.


⭐️ About the fruit:


Caimito, also known as star apple, is a classic tropical fruit tree native to the West Indies and widely grown throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and other warm regions. It thrives in USDA zones 10-11 and can handle brief dips into the low 30s. The fruit has a mild, grape-like flavor and a soft, jelly texture, and is a good source of vitamin C and minerals. Traditionally eaten fresh, caimito is also used in desserts, drinks, and preserves.

🌱 In the garden:


Beyond its fruit, caimito is highly ornamental. Its large, glossy green leaves have a striking coppery-rust colored underside, giving the tree a dramatic two-tone effect when stirred by wind. It prefers full sun and regular watering and grows well in the ground or large containers. In cooler climates, container-grown trees can be moved indoors for winter protection, making caimito both a productive and visually stunning addition to the garden.

🛒 Plant exotic Caimito Star Apple fruit tree

📚 Learn more:


#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Date: 1 Jul 2025

Starry fruit and rusty leaves: the tropical tree full of surprises

Chrysophyllum cainito - Caimito, Star Apple

🌟 Starry fruit and rusty leaves: the tropical tree full of surprises



Is it Star Apple, Star Fruit, Cainito or Caimito? Are you lost? Don't be - and here is the truth:
  • ⭐️ Don't confuse Chrysophyllum cainito (Caimito) with Pouteria caimito (Abiu), or Averrhoa carambola (Star Fruit) - which are all different fruit entirely!
  • ⭐️ The Star Apple tree - Chrysophyllum cainito, also known as Caimito, is a tropical treasure admired for both its fruit and foliage. It is related to Sapote and Sapodilla and produces round, glossy fruit that comes in stunning purple and green varieties.
  • ⭐️ When sliced open, the juicy flesh reveals a star-shaped pattern - hence the name "Star Apple"!
  • ⭐️ The flavor is mildly sweet, often described as a mix of grape, lychee, and apple with a hint of caramel.
  • ⭐️ The tree also features lush green leaves with a striking rusty-red underside, making it as beautiful as it is bountiful.
  • ⭐️ Caimito thrives in warm climates and is popular in the Caribbean, Central America, and Southeast Asia.


🛒 Plant your own exotic Star Apple tree

📚 Learn more:


#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders

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Date: 15 Nov 2024

Where can I try a rare Abiu fruit and what does it taste like?

Abiu tree (Pouteria caimito), Harvest Moon Sapote

Abiu tree (Pouteria caimito), Harvest Moon Sapote

Abiu tree (Pouteria caimito), Harvest Moon Sapote

Abiu tree (Pouteria caimito), Harvest Moon Sapote

Where can I try a rare Abiu fruit and what does it taste like?

  • 🍋 Abiu tree (Pouteria caimito), or Harvest Moon Sapote - is a must-try rare tropical fruit with a striking appearance and incredible flavor.
  • 🍋 About the size of a medium apple, Abiu ripens to a bright, sunny yellow that hints at the deliciousness inside. Beneath its somewhat thick, sturdy skin, which contains a bit of sticky latex when cut, lies a jelly-like, ultra-juicy flesh that's sweet, smooth, and completely acid-free.
  • 🍋 Its flavor is often compared to the luscious taste of Chrysophyllum cainito (Star Apple that we mentioned earlier), making it a favorite among tropical fruit lovers.
  • 🍋 Each fruit typically has one elongated seed nestled within, and Abiu is often grown from seed.
  • 🍋 Abiu is very hard to find tropical fruit tree, and you won't find this fruit in supermarkets. So the only way to taste it - to grow your own!
  • 🍋 With its vibrant color, unique texture, and tropical sweetness, Abiu is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to add a touch of the exotic to their rare fruit collection!


🛒 Grow your own Abiu

#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders

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Date: 25 Apr 2024

Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

Cat  texting  telegram

Welcome to our new Telegram Channel!
We finally did it, and excited to connect with all of you on this amazing platform. After using Telegram for a few years for both business and personal communications, we realized it is a winner of the modern Social Media!

In Top Tropicals Telegram Channel you will find much more than on our website or Newsletter: Fun Plant Facts, Nature Wonders, Amazing Plant Videos, Gardening How-to Tips, Exotic Recipes, Contests, Sweepstakes, Give-aways and so much more. Plus, of course, your favorite PeopleCats!

Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security, it's super-fast, simple and free. You can use Telegram on all your devices at the same time - your messages sync seamlessly across any number of your phones, tablets or computers. It's perfect for sharing your comments, photos, videos, even making calls.

You can watch news, browse your interest, message to friends and colleagues, save your files, create groups, make phone calls, and the most amazing thing - Telegram works where nothing else works, no WiFi or cell service! It proved to be more reliable than any other apps and (surprise!) even works in airplane without wifi connection - proved!

The platform has its own cloud and offers limitless storage. And the last and not least - it's ad-free! Telegram is free and will stay free - no ads, no subscription fees, forever. It's a clean, clear and easy to use for all ages and applications. Try it yourself and discover how easy and pain-free it is!

Telegram is for everyone who wants fast and reliable messaging and calls.
See you in Telegram!