Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 8 Dec 2024

NEW VIDEO:
How to plant Ice Cream Bean Tree: Eating the fruit and planting the tree

Today with Fermin Garcia at Top Tropicals we gonna try the delicious pulp of Ice Cream Bean fruit that tastes just like Ice Cream! And of course we will plant every seed and watch them grow. Fermin promised the new trees to grow in just 7 days! Let's see what happens.

Ice  Cream  Bean 
 tree

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Date: 22 Dec 2024

What are the easiest, low maintenance plants?

Bauhinia  blakeana  -  Hong  Kong  Orchid  Tree

Photo above: Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree. The most beautiful of all orchid trees. This winter bloomer starts flowering in very small size, when only 2-3 ft tall, and grows fast. (Bonus plant: makes it 7 easy plants!)

Six easiest to grow, effortless plants

Q: I'm seeking low-maintenance, tropical plants for my yard since I have limited time for gardening. Could you recommend some easy-to-care-for options that will still give my outdoor space a tropical feel?

A: Tropical plants don't necessarily require extensive care. Many options are low maintenance, effortless, and easy to grow, including a variety of plants, trees, shrubs, and vines that demand minimal upkeep. They are fast growing, not fussy about soil, cold- and heat- resistant, and can rely on regular sprinkler irrigation. Below are six our favorites - the easiest and most effortless tropical plants for your Southern landscape. You can find the full list here.

1. Fruit tree: Lolita Cherry

Eugenia  uniflora  -  Black  Surinam  Cherry  Lolita

Eugenia uniflora - Black Surinam Cherry Lolita. The plant is vigorous and ready to fruit the same year. The fruit has exceptional flavor, very sweet, without aftertaste, large 1-1.2 inch, very juicy. Reliable producer. These cherries are cold hardy and can take short periods of frost.

2. Flowering tree: Shaving Brush Tree

Pseudobombax  ellipticum  -  Shaving  Brush  Tree

Pseudobombax ellipticum - Shaving Brush Tree is one of the coolest looking flowering trees, this fast-growing tree bears spectacular showy staminate flowers in the spring. It usually has no leaves at that time, which serves to show off the large and striking blooms. Very low water needs, grows fast!

3. Flowering shrub: Firespike

Odontonema  cuspidatum  -  Firespike,  Red

Odontonema cuspidatum - Firespike - ultimate butterfly magnet with showy bright red flowers. Will take sun or shade. Very easy and happy plant!

4. Flowering vine: Bleeding Heart

Clerodendrum  thomsoniae  -  Bleeding  Heart

Clerodendrum thomsoniae - Bleeding Heart. One of the most spectacular blooming vines. Spectacular, dramatic flowers are slightly flat, they have white sepals on either side of bright crimson petals. The appearance may be liken to a line of dangling hearts, each emerging from the other. Very easy to grow and undemanding plant. Blooms in both sun or shade!

5. Small perennial: Ground Orchids - many colors!

Ground  orchids

Ground orchids are the easiest and most rewarding flowers for a tropical garden. They thrive in regular garden soil or potting mix, tolerate both sun and shade, and bloom nearly year-round. They take both sun or shade, are cold-resistant and carefree. And look at these colors! From vibrant purples to soft pinks and yellows, ground orchids bring a splash of tropical beauty with minimal effort. Their consistent blooming makes them a must-have for gardeners seeking color all year.

6. Fragrant exotic: Queen of the Night

Epiphyllum  oxypetalum  -  Queen  of  the  Night

Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night - powerfully fragrant at night! This special cactus grows in tropical rainforests and has large wide meaty leaves. The flower is huge, white, and nocturnal. Blooms at night hours, hence the name. One of the most exotic indoor plants, great shade garden specimen. Easy to care, very low maintenance. Very low water needs.

Date: 5 Apr 2025

Go Bananas - up to 20% OFF Banana Trees!

Now through 4/15 - Limited Time Only!

Banana  varieties  collage

Banana Health Benefits

Bananas are a powerhouse of nutrition - rich in potassium for heart health, and packed with vitamins B6 and C to boost energy and immunity. They come from fast-growing, easy-care trees that thrive in warm climates or containers. Whether eaten fresh, blended, or baked, bananas are a naturally sweet and tasty treat you can grow yourself!

Ready to turn your garden into a tropical paradise and grow your own delicious bananas? Now's your chance - use our offer below!

A Banana for Every Space and Taste

At Top Tropicals, we've got over a dozen top banana varieties - from exotic ornamental beauties like Blood Leaf and Siam Ruby to edible showstoppers. Edible varieties range from popular, heavy-producing types like Double Mahoi to rare collector favorites like Ice Cream (Blue Java) - the kind you'll never find at the grocery store. We also carry dwarf varieties that grow just 4 feet tall but still produce full-sized fruit - perfect for containers, patios, and small spaces. Collect them all - edible, ornamental, dwarf, rare - and enjoy the fun, flavor, and beauty of growing your own banana grove.

From Collectors to Beginners - We've Got Your Banana

"Growing bananas is like growing sunshine. They bring energy, beauty, and fruit to your doorstep." - said Dr. Richard Campbell, tropical fruit expert and co-creator of the condo mango concept.

Growing bananas is easy, low-maintenance, and budget-friendly. With Sunshine Boosters plant food, these tropical favorites grow fast and can start producing as soon as next season! Whether you live in the South or up North, in a house or an apartment - you can grow your own bananas in the garden, on a balcony, patio, or lanai and enjoy the taste of the tropics at home.

Special Offer

Get instant 10% off all bananas for 1 week only, plus extra 10% OFF sitewide with code below for qualified orders.

Additional 10% off your entire purchase (including any other plants), saving total of 20% on your Banana trees:

GOBANANAS

Min order $150, excluding S/H. Exp. 4-15-25

Hurry, offer ends April 15th!

Banana  Truly  Tiny

Learn More About Banana Varieties:

- Top Ornamental Banana Varieties - Which One Belongs in Your Garden?
- Best Edible Bananas to Grow - Sweet, Unique, and Delicious!
- How Many Banana Varieties Can You Grow? (More Than You Think!)

Sunshine  Boosters  fertilizers  for  Banana  trees

In the photo above: Sunshine Boosters are the best fertilizers for ornamental (Sunshine Robusta) and edible bananas (Sunshine C-Cibus).

Date: 12 Jun 2025

Father's Day Sale!

Happy  Father's  Day  Cat

This Father's Day, celebrate with a food forest - don't just mow, grow! Plant something meaningful that will not only bring joy today but also provide delicious fruit, edibles, and fragrant blooms for years to come. Whether you're a father or celebrating one, this is the perfect day to plant and nurture a garden that will thrive, just like the love you share with your family. Plant today to enjoy the fruits of your labor tomorrow!

Use the code below to save 15% on your entire order:

FATHERS25

Min order $150. Excluding S/H. Exp. 6-15-25

Reminder: use our FREE and DISCOUNTED SHIPPING for qualified orders

Mango  trees  in  pots


Join our local event:
June 14, 2025 - Father's Day Plant Market, 9 am - 4 pm

Join us on Saturday June 14 for Father's Day Plant Market
- Kids, bring your dads and surprise them with the gift of a tree! Let them pick any tree they like and plant it together.
- Fathers, bring your kids and teach them how to connect with nature - show them how to plant a tree and grow something lasting!
Stroll through our lush gardens, meet the friendly PeopleCats, and enjoy a fun day for the whole family. Our team will help you choose the perfect plants for your space and guide you every step of the way.

Event Highlights:

30% OFF online prices
FREE plant with any purchase (including Guava)
Gift bags for first 25 customers with $50+ order
$5-10 specials
$10-20 Large Banana Trees - many varieties!
Exciting raffle prizes
Green Magic fertilizer FREE samples
Live music by the Famous Hand Pan Lady!

Event discounts valid at both locations:

Ft Myers Garden Center: 13890 Orange River, Ft Myers, FL
Sebring B-Farm: 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL

Top  Tropicals  Plant  Market

Date: 27 Jul 2025

💖 What if your next houseplant could make medicine?

Meet Noni, Morinda citrifolia, a tropical tree with deep roots in Polynesian healing. For over 2000 years, it's been used to support health from the inside out: pain relief, immune strength, digestion, skin, joints, energy, and more. And now, you can grow it yourself.

This isn't some fussy rainforest diva. Noni is one of the easiest fruit trees to grow, especially in a pot. It flowers and fruits year-round, even in a 3-gallon container. Indoors, it thrives in bright light and tolerates dry air and skipped waterings. Outdoors in Zone 10+, it's practically unstoppable - fast, forgiving, and constantly flowering and fruiting.

It's also a conversation piece. The glossy leaves can grow over a foot long. The fruit looks like something from another planet! And every part of the plant - fruit, leaves, seeds, even roots - has been used in traditional medicine.

Grow it for health. Grow it for curiosity. Grow it because your ficus never made you juice.

Watch the video