Date: 22 Dec 2024
What are the easiest, low maintenance plants?
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. 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 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 - 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. 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 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 - 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: 24 Jun 2018
Tip of the day: Growing Plumeria from seed
Q: I purchased a Plumeria from your company. It has done quite nicely and now has produced a seed pod. Please forward me information on how to care for it and use the seeds that may be inside to propagate another plant.
A: Wait until seeds are ripe (seed pod turns brownish). Soak seeds overnight. Use only well drained soil, or cactus mix. Insert heavy end of seed 1/4"into soil, leaving feathered end exposed. Place the pot in direct sunlight. Don't allow soil to completely dry out, but don't let it be soggy. Germination occurs usually within 3 weeks. Do not overwater. For more information on growing Plumerias, see our slideshow guide:
Date: 24 Jun 2018
Plant Horoscope. Scorpio Zodiac lucky plants: Peppers, Ceiba, Baobab,Pistachio, Nutmeg
Scorpio Zodiac lucky plants
Scorpio - 10/23-11/21. A WATER sign ruled by both Mars and Pluto. Scorpio's plants are often found in remote places or on poor ground. They will likely have thorns, can be red in color, and grow under adversity. The good news is, most of these plants are nearly indestructible! This makes them desirable for every gardener.
Scorpio Zodiac lucky plants: Peppers, Ceiba, Baobab, Pistachio, Nutmeg, Black-eyed Susan Thunbergia, Combretums, Dragon fruit, Medinilla, Camphor Basil, Cuban Oregano, Vanilla orchid, Hibiscus, Various cacti and succulents, Adenium, Honeysuckle, Cordyline, Spider plant, Jasmine, Gooseberries, Wild indigo, Bougainvillea, Aloe vera, Raspberry, Palmetto, Horseradish tree, Camphor, Allspice and Bay Rum, Jujube, Sweet Mimosa, Agave, Milkweed, Hong Kong Orchid Tree, Pony Tail, Dwarf Poinciana, Bottlebrushes, Clusias, Crocosmia, Zig-Zag Cactus, Dracaena, Fire Bush, Hoyas, Jatropha, Kalanchoe, Sausage tree, Devils Backbone, Pereskia, Red Plumeria, Firecracker, Rattlebox, Rhoeo, Calendula, Geranium, Thistles, Mint, Sage, Catnip, Coriander, Sandalwood, Ginseng, Euphorbias, Acacias.
For more info on Scorpio Lucky plants, links to these plants and other signs information, see full Plant Horoscope
Date: 1 Dec 2025
Learn more:
⭐️ Stapelia gigantea, the Starfish Flower, is one of those plants you notice from across the yard and immediately walk over to investigate. The blooms are huge - often close to a foot across - and look exactly like soft, fuzzy starfish dropped right onto the plant. Pale yellow petals with fine maroon lines give it that wild, otherworldly look.
⭐️ Yes, it has a scent - just enough to fool flies, which is exactly what the plant wants. They’re the pollinators, and this flower knows how to get their attention. For us humans, the real show is the size, shape, and texture. It’s a living prop straight out of a sci-fi movie.
⭐️ Even without flowers, the plant itself looks cool: thick, 4-angled succulent stems that sprawl and stack into a low, sculptural mound. In the ground it can spread a couple feet wide, and in a pot it becomes the ultimate conversation piece. And despite looking like a cactus, it’s actually in the Milkweed family. When it’s happy and sets seed, the pods open to release silky little parachutes floating away on the breeze.
⭐️ Strange, bold, and absolutely unforgettable - this is one plant nobody walks past without asking about it.
🛒 Get your own Zulu plant
📱
YouTube short videos:
📚 Learn more:
Stapelia gigantea in Plant Encyclopedia
#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden
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Date: 20 Feb 2026
What tropical plants survived Floridas historic freeze without protection
Florida historic freeze
In the first week of February 2026, arctic air pushed deep into Florida. For many areas, this was the coldest event in over a century.
We received one question over and over: How did your gardens do?
Top Tropicals Farm in Sebring, Florida is up and running - and this freeze became a real-world hardiness test for tropical and subtropical plants. Below is our initial field report after inspecting established plantings.
📊 Weather data - February 1-6, 2026
Sebring, Florida - 132 years of recorded observations
This was not a light frost. It was prolonged, windy, penetrating hard freeze.
🌡 Minimum temperature: 25F
❄️ Wind chill: 14F
⏳ Duration: 3 nights of 8-10 hour hard freeze
☀️ Daytime temperatures: around 50F for 7 days
🌀 Wind: sustained 20 mph, gusts 40-50 mph
Cold protection
In-ground trees: selected plants covered with frost cloth, especially mango and young avocado trees.
Tender container plants: moved into greenhouses with propane heat above 34F.
Hardy container plants: frost cloth and wind protection only - no plastic
Nutrition support: plants fertilized regularly during the growing season with Green Magic and Sunshine Boosters to maintain vigor and hardiness.
However, the plants listed below had no protection at all.
All were established trees 2-3 years in the ground.
The plants below had NO PROTECTION, established trees 2-3 years old
✅ Survived with no damage:
🍑 Tropical Fruit Trees and Edibles:
Citrus
Loquats
Mulberries
Macadamia Nut
Jaboticabas
Pomegranates
Avocado - cold hardy varieties
Feijoa - Pineapple Guava
Psidium littorale - Cattley Guavas
Eugenias (Grumichama, Rio Grande, Surinam and more)
Olive trees
Bay Leaf (Laurus nobilis)
Fig trees (Ficus carica)
Prunus sp - Peaches, Plums, Nectarines
Persimmons
Rubus (Blackberries) including Tropical Mysore Raspberry
Elderberry (Sambucus)
Yerba Mate - Ilex paraguariensis
Opuntia - Nopal Cactus, Prickly Pear
🌸 Flowering Trees and Shrubs:
Beaucarnea recurvata - Pony Tail
Callistemon - Bottlebrush
Yucca
Tabebuias
Magnolia figo and Little Gem
Calliandra tweedii - Red Powderpuff
Sophora tomentosa
Galphimia gracillis - Thriallis
Acacia trees
Osmanthus fragrans
Abutilon trees
Erythrina - several species
Monkey Ear tree - Enterolobium cyclocarpum
Bauhinia Orchid Trees - several species
Pseudobombax ellipticum - Shaving Brush Tree
Bulnesia arborea- Vera Wood
Caesalpinia mexicana, Mexican Bird of Paradise
Sansevieria - Snake Plant
Foxtail fern - Asparagus densiflorus
Lonicera - several varieties
Jacaranda tree
Eucalyptus
Plumbago Imperial Blue
Philodendron bipinnatum
Gardenias
Gingers (dormant rhizomes)
✳️ Minimal leaf damage only:
(These plants showed light cosmetic damage but no structural injury)
🍑 Tropical Fruit Trees and Edibles:
Glycosmis pentaphylla - Gin Berry
Black sapote tree
Tamarind tree
Syzygiums: Rose Apple and Java Plum
🌸 Flowering Trees and Shrubs:
Pandora vine
Jasminum - several species
Stenocarpus sinuatus - Firewheel Tree
Xanthostemon
Quisqualis indica
Schotia tree
Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage
Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower
🏡 What this means for Florida gardeners
This freeze was a stress test few gardens are prepared for. Yet many species handled 25F, wind, and multi-night freeze conditions without protection.
Choosing proven survivors, planting in smart microclimates, and maintaining strong plant health during the growing season makes a measurable difference.
More updates will follow as full recovery continues - but these early results already help define a stronger plant palette for future winters.
🛒 Explore cold tolerant tropical plants and cold hardy Avocados
📚 Learn more:
- · To trim or not to trim? When and how to trim damaged plants after winter
- · Cold-hardy avocado varieties - what freezing they really survive
- · Cold-hardy avocado survival groups - what the numbers really mean
🎥 These Avocados survived 3 nights of 25F hard freeze, Florida Record Freeze
#Discover #How_to
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