Medusa's Head Flower - from Greek mythology...

• 🐙 Strophanthus preussii - Poison Arrow Vine, Medusa Flower - has an intriguing flower!
• 🐙 The faintly fragrant flowers have long, slender, and curly petals that resemble the snakes on Medusa's head from Greek mythology, giving it the nickname "Medusa Flower." The petals often extend and twist dramatically, creating an eye-catching appearance. The tips of the petals become narrowed and elongated, forming a twisting, sticky string that dangles down from the flower and touches lower leaves.
• 🐙 The flowers are brightly colored, often in shades of white, yellow, and red, which can attract pollinators and add to their striking visual appeal.
• 🐙 As suggested by another common name "Poison Arrow Vine," parts of the plant contain toxic compounds. Historically, the seeds were used by some African tribes to poison the tips of arrows for hunting. This gives the plant a certain mystique...
• 🐙 Interesting pollination mechanism: the elaborate design of the flowers is not just for show; it plays a role in the plant's pollination strategy. The intricate structure can help ensure that pollinators come into contact with the reproductive parts of the flower, thereby facilitating cross-pollination.
• 🐙 Blooms almost year around

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💰 Good luck tree that brings money and prosperity? And yet shade, spectacular flowers and edible nuts? It is Guiana Chestnut!

• Pachira aquatica (Bombax glabra) - Malabar Peanut or Guiana Chestnut is a beautiful, fast growing flowering tree with edible nuts!
• Tropical wetland tree native to Central and South America, known for its large, glossy leaves and its distinctive, braided trunk.
• The tree is believed to bring good luck and prosperity to those who own it, and is sometimes referred to as a "money tree."
• Pachira aquatica is also used in traditional medicine and often used for bonsai.

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⬆️ The number one seller of tropical flowering shrubs: Tropical Rose Hydrangea.

• 🌸 Dombeya seminole - Tropical Rose Hydrangea is one of the showiest landscape plants and a real showstopper
• 🌸 Known as the tropical hydrangea due to similar flowers. Flowers are pink to rose in color.
• 🌸 Blooms from fall to spring. Blooms all winter, providing much-desired color
• 🌸 Grows up to 7 feet tall and about the same in width. Can be pruned to about 5 feet tall. Does well in a container.
• 🌸 Thrives in full sun to partial shade, tolerates poor soil. Fuller shrub and more flowers with more sun.
Fairly drought-tolerant once established.
• 🌸 Serves as a nectar plant for many butterflies

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🍊 The truth about Papaya:
1) it is grass, and
2) it can go transgender!
The secret facts of Papaya's private life.

• 📌 Did you know that Papaya technically is not a tree? It is a large herbaceous plant, usually with a single, straight trunk that can reach 30 feet!
• 📌 Many dwarf varieties available in selection, reaching only 6-8 ft tall, but producing large crops of full size fruit - they are easy to harvest.
• 📌 Papaya trees have very complex gender mechanism, but the bottom line is - the tree can chance its sex based on conditions! Many varieties are self-fertile, but it always recommended to plant a few trees for cross-pollination and better yield.
• 📌 The sweetest Papaya is from so called "Solo" cultivars: the fruit is usually round or oval, on a smaller side, but super sweet.
• 📌 Fruit from Solo cultivars are not susceptible to fruit flies.
• 📌 Being officially a tropical plant, Papaya is pretty cold resistant and can withstand light freeze without significant damage.
• 📌 Surprisingly, Papayas are also hurricane-resistant plants and can take strong winds without damage. They still stand when other trees are down!
• 📌 Papaya is one of the Super-Foods thanks to papain - a natural enzyme containing in this fruit. Papaya fruit offers the best digestive aid! Eat some papaya after each meal to maintain healthy digestion.
• 📌 Try papaya leaf wraps for cooking meats - you won't need a meat tenderizer!
• 📌 Easy to grow trees, Papayas don't take any space in the garden, but bring so much goodness into your life!

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👀 This can't be real! But it is.

🎥 Strongylodon macrobotrys - Jade vine, the flower you need to see to appreciate! Its beautiful seagreen/turquoise color is beyond description and is the rarest in the world of flowers.
Discover more breathtaking flowers, unusual plants and rare fruit - in TopTropicals channel.

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