Jewel Orchid stuns with deep green leaves crisscrossed by glowing red veins, making it a showstopper even when not in bloom.
When it does flower, expect delicate, bell-shaped white blooms with golden centers, lightly fragrant and lasting up to three weeks!
This compact, low-growing orchid thrives in shade, perfect for containers or as an underplanting beneath trees. Easy to care for, it enjoys warmth, humidity, but no direct sun!
A must-have for a plant lover looking for drama and elegance in one.
Plant Horoscope. Capricorn Zodiac lucky plants: Bamboo and Peach
Capricorn - 12/22 - 1/19.
An EARTH sign ruled by the planet Saturn. Capricorn's plants usually have few flowers, or small flowers, are knobby or woody, and may have an unpleasant smell or taste. Saturn rules plants with long lives and slow growth, so plants with annual rings are also associated with the Goat.
Physiologically, Saturn rules the systems that give the body its structure and form: the skeletal system, and the skin, teeth, joints, and knees, so plants that are high in calcium can be very beneficial. Those can be woody plants and shrubs that show annual rings, as well as some poisonous or narcotic plants. Saturn plants are useful in treating arthritis and rheumatism. Traditional Capricorn appreciates a spice that is powerful but familiar. Black pepper adds flavor and a bit of heat to both food and life, creating movement without too much change.
Q:
I live in California and about a month ago ordered several plants from you, including fruit trees (Carambola, Mango, Avocado) and flowering trees (Xanthostemon, Adeniums, Champaca, Ylang Ylang). They were all doing well until I tried to move them into full sun, when they got leaf burn immediately. Ylang Ylang was doing great in a shade, but I repotted it from 1 gal into 3 gal and it is drooping leaves now. It has been very hot (over 100F) and dry (humidity is less than 25%). Any suggestions?
A: Hot summer can be pretty challenging time for establishing new plants. These are some guidelines to make your summer gardening more successful and rewarding.
1. You can order plants at any time, but keep your eye on your local weather forecast and try to chose cooler periods to schedule your plant shipments. Here at TopTropcals we monitor weather at destinations, and we can also delay shipment per your request until more favorable conditions.
3. Use shade cloth or simply white sheets to protect young plants and new plantings from hot sun.
4. When establishing mail ordered plants during hot weather, keep them in shade for longer period of time than average recommended 1-2 weeks. Give them a chance to establish really well. In areas with low air humidity, try to create a simple mist system
Date: 10 Apr 2016
Growing by the sea
Q: Please recommend me some interesting plants that can grow on my waterfront property and can withstand some salt wind. All my neighbors have Sea Grape trees and bougainvilleas, and I want something different and special. I would love to have some colorful or fragrant flowers, or fruit around my paradise home.
Q: Considering your neighbors successfully grow Sea Grape (Coccoloba), and Bougainvilleas, you have a mild, frost free climate. There is a number of spectacular and useful tropical plants that are salt tolerant. Orchid Trees - Bauhinias, Poincettia - Delonix, and Geiger trees - Cordias, are very showy flowering trees. For large size bushes, try Dwarf Poincianas - Caesalpinias, and Scarlet-Coral Erythrinas. Frangipani - Plumeria, come in different colors and bring you perfume fragrance from Hawaii. And of course, Desert Roses - Adeniums, can be grown and showy specimens anywhere in your yard, both in the ground or as potted bonsai.
Most palms, especially popular Coconut Palm, source of tasty fruit and drink, are highly tolerant to salt breeze. If you are looking for something that nobody has, Lipstick palm, or Sealing wax palm - Cyrtostachys lakka, is definitely the most spectacular palm you can find. It is a stunning feather palm that develops a brilliantly red trunk. Palm is originally from Malaysia, but has been introduced to Costa Rica and other tropical areas of the world. Sealing Wax Palm seeds are very slow to germinate, up to a year, and large specimens are very rare and hard to find even in rare tropical plant nurseries. This palm will require a good overhead light, and constant warmth (above temperature 55F). It is definitely worth an effort to grow this beauty.
You may add more tropical accents to your landscape by the sea with many varieties of showy heliconias.
Photo above: Christmas time in Ukraine (left) and Florida (right)
Q: Are there any tropical plants that will do well if I order them in Winter?
We just bought a house in New Jersey with a large sunroom, and I can't wait to
fill it with tropical beauties! Should I wait until Spring, or do you have something for a Winter start?
A: This is indeed a very good question, as many tropical plant collectors grow their treasures
outside the tropics. The short answer is - yes! You can start filling your tropical sunroom any time of the year, but some plants
are easier to deal with in Winter than others. Below are some guidelines.
6. Winter plant care. During Winter the daylight is shorter and temperatures are
cooler.
- Reduce watering
- Use only liquid amino-acid based fertilizer Sunshine Boosters (safe to use year around)
- Monitor insects.
7. Shipping in Winter. We ship year around. However, if it gets
below freezing in your area, you may use FedEx Hold location, they are temperature controlled so you don't have
to worry about a box being dropped off at your cold porch outside.
8. A note for mild climate residents. Most tropical plants can be
planted in the ground year around. Some ultra-tropical tender species such
Chocolate tree, Ylang Ylang, or small size Mango trees can be grown in pots until Spring and planted out once
chances of cold spell are gone. Until then, they can be moved indoors for cold
nights.
Think outside the box and bring tropical paradise indoors during the
time when we need warmth the most! Tropical plants will brighten your short winter days and help you to have truly HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
