Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 25 Feb 2026

A Miracle in the Garden: Watching a Tiger Swallowtail Rebuild Itself on a Magnolia Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

A Miracle in the Garden: Watching a Tiger Swallowtail Rebuild Itself on a Magnolia Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree 🐯

Tiger Swallowtail Metamorphosis: From Cocoon to Joy
  • 🏼 Nature’s most mind-blowing magic trick happened right here on a branch of our Magnolia champaka - the Joy Perfume Tree. Did you know that when a caterpillar enters its chrysalis (cocoon), it literally dissolves its body and rebuilds it from scratch?
  • 🏼 This Tiger Swallowtail chose the legendary Joy Perfume Tree as its nursery. It’s a match made in heaven—the "flying tiger" of North America born on a tree famous for the world’s most expensive perfume scent. While most people know the Champaka for its intensely fragrant flowers, few realize that even the leaves release a soft, sweet aroma when brushed against.
  • 🏼 In this video, you’ll see the rare moment of eclosion - where the butterfly emerges with soft, wrinkled wings and begins the slow process of pumping life into them before its first flight.
  • 🏼 It is a real gem in your garden - not just for fragrance lovers, but for wildlife that clearly loves it too.
Watch this Tiger Swallowtail butterfly being born on a Champaka - Joy Perfume tree!

🛒 Bring the miracle Joy to your garden - the perfume Champaka tree

📚
Everything You Need to Know About the Joy Perfume Tree:
· How to grow Magnolia champaca and get some Joy
🟡The Fragrance: What does Joy Perfume flower smell like?
· Which Champaka tree is better - White or Golden?
🟡More:

🎥

#Perfume_Plants #Container_Garden #Trees #Discover

Plant Facts

Magnolia champaca, Michelia champaca
Joy Perfume Tree, Huang Yu Lan, Safa
USDA Zone: 9-11
Small tree 10-20 ftFull sunRegular waterYellow, orange flowersPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsFragrant plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 23 Feb 2026

Macadamia nut oven crisp

Golden macadamia-crusted fish fillet

Golden macadamia-crusted fish fillet

Macadamia integrifolia - Macadamia nuts and leaves on a tree

Macadamia integrifolia - Macadamia nuts and leaves on a tree

🍴 Macadamia nut oven crisp: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Macadamia Nut Oven Crisp

Ingredients

  • 1 fish fillet (cod, tilapia, or snapper)
  • 1/3 cup crushed macadamia nuts
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Spread a thin layer of mustard over the fish fillet.
  3. Press crushed macadamia nuts onto the top of the fillet.
  4. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
  5. Bake until golden and crisp, about 12–15 minutes.


🌿About the plant:
Macadamia is an Australian rainforest tree that gives us one of the richest, creamiest nuts on earth. The shell is famously hard - you really earn that buttery crunch.

🏡 In the garden:


Best in warm climates, zones 9-11, cold hardy to light freeze. Needs full sun, good drainage, and patience - seedlings can take several years to start producing (grafted or air-layered trees start flowering right away). Once established, they are long-lived and productive.

🛒 Plant a hardy Macadamia tree to always have your nuts

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Macadamia sp.
Macadamia nut
USDA Zone: 9-11
Large tree taller than 20 ftSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunRegular waterYellow, orange flowersWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersEdible plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short timeFlood tolerant plant

🎥 Growing Macadamia trees

#Food_Forest #Recipes

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 17 Feb 2017

Our sales, news and updates

Radio Top Tropicals Live Webcast upcoming event: Saturday February 18, at 11 am EST.
Topic: WEED OR WONDER PLANT?
We will explore plants considered invasive species, or weeds, here in Florida, and reveal interesting and not-so-well-known facts about them.
1) Schinus terebinthifolius - Brazilian Pepper, or Florida Holly. This species is essential for migratory birds, bears, and other critters. Berries are used in China for medicine. Used as a spice in Italy, as well as here in the US.
2) Phyllanthus amarus - Seed on the leaf. A scourge of nurseries, it may yet lead to the cure of Hepatitis B & C.
3) Melaleuca leucophylla - Punk tree, Paper tree. One of the finest trees for raising of epiphytes. Tiger Balm brand ointment is made from these trees. An excellent timber source as well.
Our Host Robert Riefer - Florida State Certified Crop Adviser, and Weed Specialist - answering all your gardening questions.

Listen to Radio Top Tropicals, every Saturday, at 11 am EST! You may use our website radio player DURING AIR TIME and see the pictures of plants we are talking about. To ask questions using live chat, you need to log in at Mixlr.com or simply call our office 239-887-3323 during air time!
If you missed a live webcast, you may listen to recording by following Showreel item link.

Check out our upcoming radio shows and get your gardening questions ready!

New Article: Aphrodisiacs of the plant world.
Last Saturday, the topic of our Webcast was Plants of Love - Aphrodisiacs (click to listen to recording).
Today, we are introducing an article by Kristi, our Meet the Gardener host - Aphrodisiacs of the plant world.

Date: 25 Mar 2026

Forget the Tropics: These 5 Condo Mango Varieties Thrive in Your Living Room

Mngo tree in a pot

Mngo tree in a pot

Forget the Tropics: These 5 "Condo Mango" Varieties Thrive in Your Living Room 🥭

A tropical orchard in your living room? It’s more possible than you think. While wild mango trees can tower at 60 feet, "condo mango" varieties allow you to harvest juicy, sun-ripened fruit right next to your sofa.
If you have a sunny window and a bit of patience, here is exactly how to grow a potted mango tree indoors.
  • 🌳 Why "Condo Mangoes" are the Secret to Success



    Most people fail because they plant a seed from a grocery store mango. Don't do that. Seeds take up to a decade to fruit and grow far too large.

    Instead, look for grafted, dwarf varieties. These are bred to:

•  Stay compact (6–10 feet).
  • •  Fruit within 1–3 years.
  • •  Thrive in the limited root space of a container.


🌳 The 5 Best Mango Varieties for Indoor Pots



Choosing the right cultivar is 90% of the battle. These five are the gold standard for indoor growers:
  • •  Pickering: The #1 choice for pots; naturally tiny. Rich, fiberless, and coconut-heavy.
  • •  Cogshall: Slow-growing and easy to prune. Classic, ultra-sweet tropical taste.
  • •  Ice Cream: Extremely compact; thrives in small spaces. Creamy texture, like mango sorbet.
  • •  Carrie: High disease resistance; very productive. intense, spicy-sweet aroma.
  • •  Mallika: A semi-dwarf Indian favorite. Exceptional, honey-like sweetness.



🌳 4 Essentials for Indoor Mango Care



1. Light: The "Make or Break" Factor

Mangoes are sun-worshippers. They need at least 8 hours of direct light daily.

The Pro Move: Place your tree in a south-facing window. If you live in a cloudy climate, a high-quality LED grow light isn't optional - it’s a necessity to prevent leaf drop and encourage flowering.

2. Strategic Watering

Mango trees hate "wet feet." Use a fast-draining potting mix and a pot with large drainage holes.

The Rule: Let the top 2 inches of soil dry completely before watering deeply.

3. Temperature & Humidity


Keep your room between 65F and 90F. If you are comfortable, the tree is likely comfortable. Avoid placing it near drafty AC vents or heaters that sap humidity.

4. The "Bee" Factor (Pollination)

Indoors, you lack wind and insects. When your tree flowers, gently shake the branches or use a small paintbrush to move pollen between blooms to ensure fruit sets.
  • 👉 Quick Tips for a Better Harvest


  • •  Pot Size: Start with a 15-inch wide container and "up-pot" every two years.
  • •  Pruning: Don't be afraid to snip! Pruning the tips encourages branching, and more branches mean more fruit.
  • •  Fertilizer: Use a balanced organic fertilizer with micronutrients (like magnesium and iron). We recommend Sunshine Mango Tango specifically formulated for mango trees, and a micro element supplement - Sunshine Superfood - these are safe to use with every watering.


🛒 Dicover Condo Mango

📚 Learn more:
#Food_Forest #How_to #Discover #Mango

Plant Facts

Mangifera indica
Mango
USDA Zone: 9-11
Large tree taller than 20 ftSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunModerate waterYellow, orange flowersPink flowersEdible plantSeaside, salt tolerant plant
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 31 Oct 2025

Black  Bat  Lily  and  White  Bat  Lily  plants  blooming  together  in  the  Top 
 Tropicals  greenhouse,  showing  contrast  between  dark  maroon  and  ivory  bracts 
 with  long  trailing 
 whiskers.

Black and White Bat Lilies (Tacca chantrieri and Tacca nivea) side by side in bloom

How to Care for Bat Lilies

by Top Tropicals Plant Expert Tatiana Anderson

🌞 Light

  • Bright, filtered light. Morning sun or dappled shade is perfect.
  • Avoid direct midday sun outdoors — it can scorch the leaves.
  • Indoors, place near a bright window with sheer curtains or use a grow light.

🌡️ Temperature

  • Warm and stable, ideally 70-85 F during the day.
  • Protect from cold drafts or sudden chills.
  • Ideally, do not let temperature drop below 45 F, although Taccas can tolerate short period of upper 30's.

💧 Watering

  • Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy.
  • Water when the top inch feels barely dry.
  • Use lukewarm water.
  • Avoid letting the pot sit in water.

💨 Humidity

  • High humidity (60-80%) is key.
  • Mist leaves often, use a humidity tray, or keep near a humidifier.
  • In greenhouses or bathrooms with a skylight, it thrives naturally.

🌱 Soil

  • Use rich, loose, well-draining mix
  • Combine bark, peat, and perlite for ideal airflow around the roots.
  • Best mix for growing tropical Tacca in pots - soilless potting mix Abundance . It provides perfect drainage and has a texture similar to a jungle rainforest media.

🍽️ Feeding

  • During growth season (Spring through Fall), feed with Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 6 months. For even better results, you may apply liquid fertilizer Sunshine Boosters Rubusta.
  • Stop feeding dry fertilizer in cooler months when growth slows. Liquid Sunshine Boosters are safe to use with every watering, year around.

🏡 Indoor Growing

  • Great for bright bathrooms, sunrooms, or any warm, humid corner.
  • Rotate pot occasionally for even growth.
  • Keep away from heating vents and AC drafts.

🌴 Outdoor Growing (in warm climates)

  • Partial shade or filtered light under trees.
  • Excellent in large containers that can be brought inside for winter.
  • Shelter from heavy rain and wind.

Sunshine: "So… it’s a diva?"
Smokey: "Exactly. But take care of it - and it rewards you with wings!"
Smokey and Sunshine: "Happy Halloween!"

🎥 Watch Short Videos:

🛒 Grow your own gothic masterpiece:
Shop Bat Head Lily Tacca