Mash thoroughly with a spoon, adding milk gradually until smooth and custard-like.
Serve immediately, topped with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
🌿 About the plant:
Canistel (Pouteria campechiana), often called Eggfruit, has dense yellow flesh with a flavor reminiscent of sweet potato, pumpkin, and custard. It is naturally rich and filling, which is why it is often used mashed, blended, or cooked.
Canistel Plant Facts
Botanical name: Pouteria campechiana Also known as: Canistel, Eggfruit, Chesa
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths
🌱 In the garden:
Canistel is a tough, drought-tolerant tropical fruit tree that performs well in warm climates. It prefers full sun, well-drained soil, and minimal fuss once established. Compact growth and heavy production make it well suited for edible landscapes and container growing.
Avocado Fantastic: the hidden world beyond green and black
Avocado Fantastic fruit
Avocado Fantastic tree
Avocado Fantastic: the hidden world beyond green and black
Most people think avocados come in two colors - green and black. Maybe they've heard of Hass. But the hidden world of avocados is far more diverse, filled with giant fruits, unusual shapes, red-skinned varieties, and even trees that can handle surprising cold.
One of the most remarkable is Fantastic.
💚 The avocado that wasn't supposed to survive
Avocados are often considered tropical and tender. Fantastic challenges that idea. This unusual variety gained a following in Texas, where it reportedly survived temperatures near 10F around San Antonio. Mature trees can tolerate temperatures around 15F for short periods, making it one of the most cold-hardy avocados available.
For gardeners in cooler regions, Fantastic has become something of a legend - proof that growing avocados is not limited to the tropics.
💚 A survivor of Florida's historic freeze
During Florida's historic February 2026 freeze, temperatures at our Sebring nursery dropped to 25F with several nights of prolonged freezing. While many tropical plants suffered damage, Fantastic came through without noticeable injury - remarkable performance for a tropical fruit tree.
💚 More than just a tough tree
Fantastic would not be worth growing if cold hardiness were its only claim to fame. Fortunately, it also produces excellent fruit.
The avocados are relatively small, typically weighing 6 to 8 ounces, with very thin green skin that darkens as the fruit matures. Inside is smooth, creamy flesh with a rich, buttery texture and pleasant nutty flavor.
The skin is so thin that many people simply cut the fruit in half and scoop it out with a spoon, or even it it with the skin. This is the kind of avocado often enjoyed fresh rather than turned into guacamole.
💚 A handsome, manageable tree
Fantastic is a Mexican-type avocado, and it shows many of the characteristics that make this race so appealing.
The tree has an attractive upright growth habit and tends to remain more compact than many large Florida avocado varieties. Rather than becoming an enormous shade tree, it often develops into a narrower, more manageable specimen that fits comfortably into a home landscape.
The foliage is elegant and refined, giving the tree a lighter appearance than many broad-leaved avocados. Like other Mexican-type varieties, the leaves release a pleasant anise-like fragrance when crushed - a surprising feature that many gardeners discover by accident.
💚 Why Fantastic deserves more attention
Many avocado collectors spend years searching for unusual varieties. Some are chasing flavor. Others want larger fruit or longer harvest seasons.
Fantastic offers something different: confidence.
It gives gardeners in cooler climates a chance to grow a fruit that many people assume is impossible outside the tropics. Even in warmer regions, its remarkable cold tolerance provides peace of mind when winter weather turns unpredictable.
In a world where most shoppers only see green avocados and black avocados at the grocery store, Fantastic is a reminder that the hidden world of avocados is far richer, more diverse, and far more interesting than most people realize.
And for many growers, that discovery is simply Fantastic. 👉 More
Why orchids are way easier to grow than you think: 7 tips for the beginner
orchids are way easier to grow than you think
🌸 Why orchids are way easier to grow than you think: 7 tips for the beginner
Many beginners avoid orchids. Because they look exotic, it’s easy to assume they belong in a high-tech greenhouse. But the truth is surprisingly simple: most orchids die from too much love, not too little. The popular Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid) is actually lower-maintenance than many common houseplants - once you understand how its roots work.
🌸 1. The #1 Mistake Beginners Make
Orchids are not regular potted plants. In nature, most are epiphytes, meaning they grow attached to tree bark where roots get constant airflow and dry quickly after rain. When well-meaning beginners plant them in dense soil or keep them constantly wet, the roots suffocate and rot. Ironically, orchids thrive on a little bit of neglect.
⚠️The Grocery Store Trap: Many orchids bought at supermarkets are packed tightly into decorative pots filled with dense moss. While they look beautiful, the roots are often already suffocating. This is why a seemingly healthy orchid can suddenly decline a few weeks after you bring it home.
👉 Pro tip: Aerial roots growing wildly outside the pot are a sign of a happy, healthy orchid - don't cut them off!
🌸 2. Decode Your Orchid’s Roots (The Ultimate Watering Trick)
Forget strict watering schedules. Instead, let the orchid tell you when it’s thirsty by looking at the color of its roots:
🟢❌ Bright Green Roots: The plant is still perfectly moist. Do not water. ⚪️✅ Silvery-Gray Roots: The plant is dry and ready for a drink.
When it's time to water, drench the mix thoroughly, let it drain completely out of the bottom, and don't water again until the roots turn silver.
And please, skip the ice cube trick. Orchids are tropical plants; freezing ice shocks their roots and causes long-term damage.
🌸 3. No Greenhouse? No Problem.
You don't need a tropical conservatory. Most orchids thrive in standard indoor conditions with bright, indirect light.
An east-facing windowsill is usually the sweet spot. Too much direct afternoon sun will scorch the leaves, while deep shade will prevent the plant from ever reblooming.
🌸 4. Don't Panic When the Flowers Fall
After a spectacular bloom cycle, an orchid’s flowers will drop, leaving behind a bare green spike. This does not mean your plant is dying.
Orchids naturally enter a resting period that can last for several weeks or months. They are simply conserving energy to build new leaves and roots before their next big show.
🌸 5. Master the Art of Gentle Feeding
Another common misstep is over-fertilizing. Orchids prefer a "weakly, weekly" approach rather than heavy doses of nutrients all at once.
Using a gentle, specialized formula like SUNSHINE Orchidasm works incredibly well for orchids and other delicate epiphytes. Because it focuses on steady, healthy growth rather than forcing rapid development, it provides the exact kind of mild, consistent nourishment orchids need to produce longer-lasting blooms. It is safe to use with every watering.
🌸 6. Think Beyond the Tree Bark
When we picture orchids, we usually think of the kinds that grow in airy bark. However, the orchid family is massive and includes terrestrial (ground) orchids.
Ground orchids grow directly in soil and can even be planted outdoors in warmer climates. If you are still nervous about managing the unique root systems of traditional orchids, ground orchids are a fantastic, beginner-friendly gateway into the hobby.
🌸 7. The Orchid Addiction is Real
The funniest thing about orchids is the shift in mindset. The moment a beginner successfully triggers a rebloom on their first plant, the fear completely vanishes.
And before you know it, that one single windowsill orchid quietly turns into five. 🛒 Explore Ground Orchids, Vanilla orchids, and enjoy Sunshine Orchidasm
📚 Learn more:
Ground Orchid Plant Facts
Botanical name: Spathoglottis kimballiana Also known as: Ground Orchid, Garden Orchid
🍑 From the Garden: Why I Always Recommend
Growing
Your Own Peaches
by Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Garden
Expert
Peach trees are beautiful long before harvest day - glossy green
leaves,
colorful fruit, and that classic fuzzy peach look straight from the branch.
I'll be honest with you. The first time I bit into a peach straight off
the tree, still warm from the afternoon sun, I understood why people get
obsessed with this fruit. There is no comparison to what you find in a
grocery
store. Store peaches are picked hard, shipped cold, and by the time they
reach
you, something important is already gone. A tree-ripened peach is soft,
fragrant, juicy, and sweet in a way store peaches rarely are. Eat it fresh,
slice
it into a cobbler, throw it on the grill - it holds up beautifully either
way.
Peach Plant Facts
Botanical name: Prunus persica, Amygdalus persica Also known as: Peach
USDA Zone: 5 - 10
Highligths
So let's talk about how to actually get there.
Planting
Peaches are not difficult. Give them sun, drainage, and room for air
movement, and they will usually tell you very quickly that they are
happy.
Full sun is essential - 8 hours minimum, and more is
better.
Drainage matters - peach roots do not like sitting
wet.
If your soil stays wet, plant on a mound - simple fix,
big difference.
Water deeply, then pause - let the soil partially dry
before watering again.
Prune every year - it keeps the tree open, improves
airflow, and helps the tree put energy into fruit instead of tangled
growth.
Peach trees put on one of spring's prettiest shows - clouds of pink
blossoms before the fruit season even begins.
What If You Do Not Have Room?
You can still grow peaches in a large container. This is a great option
for patios, small yards, renters, or gardeners who want better control over
soil and drainage.
Place the container in the sunniest spot you have.
Water more often than in-ground trees, but never let the pot stay
soggy.
Prune to keep the tree compact and easy to manage.
Fertilizing
Peach trees are generous plants, but producing vigorous growth and a
heavy crop of sweet fruit takes energy. Regular feeding makes a noticeable
difference in tree health, flowering, and fruit quality.
I prefer a simple two-part approach that provides both steady background
nutrition and quick, readily available nutrients when the tree is actively
growing.
Green Magic controlled-release fertilizer provides a steady
supply of nutrients for months and serves as the foundation of the feeding
program.
Sunshine Boosters liquid fertilizers deliver amino
acid-based nutrients that are quickly absorbed and especially useful during
periods of active growth, flowering, and fruit development. Sunshine C-Cibus formula is the best for fruit trees.
During the growing season, this combination helps build stronger
branches, healthier leaves, better flowering, and sweeter, higher-quality
fruit.
If your tree shows yellowing leaves or weak growth, consistent feeding
often makes a dramatic difference within a few weeks.
Tree-ripened Tropic Beauty peaches warming in the sun - fuzzy,
colorful,
and almost ready to pick straight from the branch. Tropic
Beauty variety is one of the most colorful and sweet.
Sunshine absolutely loves peach cobbler, especially when someone else
does all the peeling, slicing, mixing, and baking. But when he is left to
prepare dessert on his own, his standards become much more practical. Why
turn on
the oven when perfectly ripe peaches already taste amazing? His
philosophy
is simple: if a recipe takes less than five minutes and ends with peaches
and vanilla ice cream in the same bowl, it is a masterpiece.
Sunshine's Lazy Peach Sundae - fresh peaches, cold ice cream, and zero
effort on a perfect sunny day.
Sunshine's Lazy Peach Sundae
This is not cooking. This is assembly.
Ingredients
2 ripe homegrown peaches
2 big scoops of vanilla ice cream
A drizzle of honey (optional)
A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
Slice the peaches.
Put them in a bowl.
Add vanilla ice cream.
Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon if you feel
ambitious.
Eat immediately while smiling.
Sunshine's Review
"I peeled exactly nothing and still got dessert. This is my kind of
gardening."
Want this?
Start with a low-chill peach tree. That is usually how it begins.
Sunshine: John said it smelled like a thousand
jasmines. Smokey: And somehow that's all the information he brought
back from Thailand. Sunshine: He brought a photo, too. Smokey: Excellent. We can begin our international manhunt.
Well, Smokey and Sunshine have closed the case and found the mystery
plant. The cork board is coming down, the magnifying glass is back in the
drawer, and the "Enchanted
Incense" mug is finally empty.
Now let's talk about the plant itself.
🌸 Some plants arrive with a label. Some arrive with a
story.
Cerbera x manghas - Enchanted Incense - produces some of the most
unusual
fragrant flowers in the tropical garden. Its velvety reddish blooms,
outlined in white and carried on vivid pink tubes, create an exotic display
that looks hand-painted.
When our good friend John Mood returned from a plant conference in
Thailand, he did not bring us a plant. He brought us a mystery.
John had spent decades growing and collecting rare tropical plants. When he
said he had found something special, we paid attention.
On a visit to Chatuchak
Market, one of the most famous plant markets in Asia,
something stopped him. Not the flowers. The fragrance.
"I found a plant that smells stronger than a thousand jasmines," John
told us.
That one sentence stayed with us for years.
He had photographs. He had his memory of that scent. What he did not have
was a name. No tag. No seller information. Just the photos and the certainty
that he had smelled something genuinely unusual.
So we started looking.
We showed the photographs around. We asked collectors. We compared flowers.
Every lead turned into another question. But eventually, after years of
searching on and off, we found it.
The mystery plant turned out to be an unusual Cerbera
unlike anything we had grown before.
Today we call it Enchanted Incense. Fragrance lovers recognized
immediately what John had recognized in that Bangkok market. This was not
just another pretty tropical flower.
🌸 The Plant
Even when
not in full bloom, Cerbera
x manghas Enchanted Incense is a standout plant. Its glossy, deep
burgundy foliage and bronze new growth create a bold tropical presence,
while the unusual flowers add an extra layer of intrigue.
Visitors at our nursery still walk past it and stop. Not because they
noticed the plant. Because they noticed something in the air and could not
figure
out where it was coming from.
The flowers start soft pink and white, then deepen to rich red and auve as
they mature. They come in clusters, four to five inches across, and the
fragrance they produce does not stay close to the flower. It moves. It fills
the space around the plant. On a warm morning it can perfume an entire
patio.
The foliage is worth mentioning too. Deep green leaves with burgundy and
mauve tones that make it attractive even when it is not blooming. The growth
habit is slow and slightly weeping, similar to plumeria,
which is no coincidence since they are close
relatives. Unlike plumeria, Enchanted Incense stays evergreen in warm
climates.
It is a compact, slow-growing small tree that is happy in a container. That
makes it practical for gardeners in colder climates who need to bring it in
for winter, and for anyone who wants a fragrant plant near a seating area
rather than somewhere across the yard.
🌸 Why We Grow It
The
flowers of Cerbera
x manghas - Enchanted Incense - look otherworldly. Deep reddish petals,
bright pink
tubes, and contrasting white edges combine to create one of the most
distinctive fragrant blooms.
We grow thousands of plants, and most can be described in a sentence or
two.
This one cannot.
A large Enchanted Incense grows right outside our office. Every year it
reminds us why we
spent so much time searching for it.
Visitors stop beside it and ask the same question: "What is that
smell?"
They usually notice the fragrance before they notice the plant.
Some follow the scent across the nursery. Others stop in the middle of a
conversation and start looking around. Nearly
everyone ends up standing next to the tree trying to figure out where that
incredible fragrance is coming from.
In a world full of beautiful tropical plants, Enchanted Incense remains
one of the few that announces itself before you even see it.
Cerbera
x manghas -
Enchanted Incense can display remarkable variation in flower color. This
form
combines soft rose-pink blooms with white-edged petals and rich burgundy
foliage, creating a striking contrast throughout the plant.
Light: Full sun is best (at least
six hours
daily). It will tolerate partial shade but blooms much more generously in
good
light.
Watering: Water regularly during
warm weather. In cool weather and winter, keep the soil on the drier side.
Overwatering when
temperatures are low is the most common mistake.
Soil: Use a well-draining mix. This
plant absolutely does not want wet feet.
Fertilizer: Feed with a
Green Magic
controlled-release fertilizer for flowering plants in spring, supplemented
with occasional liquid fertilizer through the summer. For non-stop blooms
without the risk of
salt build-up in containers, we highly recommend
Sunshine
Boosters™.
Read
our Guide to Sunshine Boosters™ and Green Magic fertilizer
Winter Care: Bring it indoors
when temperatures approach the mid-30s°F. The rootstock is fairly
tough,
but the foliage is not. Cold and wet conditions combined are the real risk.
One Last Thing
A closer
look reveals the remarkable details of Cerbera
x manghas - Enchanted Incense.
The velvety petals, crisp white edging, and fuzzy pink center give the
flower an appearance
unlike anything else in the garden. And then comes the scent...
John came back from Bangkok with a few photographs and a fragrance he
could not forget. It took us years to track down the plant behind that
memory. We have never regretted a single minute of the search.
Sunshine: So after all those years, what's the answer? Smokey: Stand next to the plant. Sunshine: That's it? Smokey: The fragrance explains the rest.
A closer
look reveals the remarkable details of Cerbera
x manghas - Enchanted Incense develops into an attractive small tree
with lush evergreen foliage and colorful new growth. In the
landscape, it combines year-round structure with clusters of bright
redding-pink fragrant flowers that stand out beautifully against the glossy
leaves.
Planting
