Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 10 Aug 2025

🍈 We Cut Open a 37 lb Jackfruit - You Won't Believe What's Inside!

🍈 Cutting into a 37-pound Jackedak Jackfruit with Chiane and Ashley!

🍈 Join us at Top Tropicals as we explore one of the largest fruits on Earth - the mighty Jackfruit. From golden, juicy bulbs bursting with tropical sweetness to edible seeds and the soft “rag” with hints of bubblegum, pineapple, and custard, this giant fruit has more surprises than expected.

  • ✔️Learn how to cut and clean a jackfruit
  • ✔️See which parts are edible (you might be surprised!)
  • ✔️Why it's a favorite for exotic fruit lovers
  • ✔️Hear our taste-test reactions: bubblegum, custard, pineapple?

🍈 Whether you're into exotic fruits, cooking, or growing your own tropical trees, this is one tasty experience you don't want to miss.

🍈 Want to grow your own Jackfruit? We've got you covered!

Watch the video

Read Garden Blog about Jackfruit

Buy Jackfruit Trees - Delivered to Your Door

Date: 19 Aug 2025

You wont believe what was hiding inside this Siamese twin Valencia Pride mango!

Valencia Pride mango

🥭 You won't believe what was hiding inside this Siamese twin Valencia Pride mango!
Mango Rainbow🌈


🥭 From our Valencia Pride tree that you saw in earlier video came this giant double mango - two fruits fused into one! On the outside it looked bizarre, but the real surprise came when we cut it open. Want to see what a twin mango looks like inside? Watch the video and find out!

🛒 Shop Mango varieties

📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try

#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 15 Apr 2026

7 best exotic dwarf trees for maximum impact in small tropical landscapes

Dwarf Pink Princess Silk Floss Tree (Ceiba hybrid)

Dwarf Pink Princess Silk Floss Tree (Ceiba hybrid)

Dwarf Golden Tabebuia (Tabebuia chrysotricha)

Dwarf Golden Tabebuia (Tabebuia chrysotricha)

Little Gem Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

Little Gem Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

Compact Butterfly Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima Compacta)

Compact Butterfly Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima Compacta)

Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum sanctum)

Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum sanctum)

Winter Starburst (Clerodendrum quadriloculare)

Winter Starburst (Clerodendrum quadriloculare)

Enchanted Incense (Cerbera x manghas)

Enchanted Incense (Cerbera x manghas)

7 best exotic dwarf trees for maximum impact in small tropical landscapes 🏡

For a yard that feels like a tropical escape but doesn't have the space for a massive jungle, these seven selections from TopTropicals are game-changers, chosen for their compact size, high "curb appeal," and unique tropical flair.

1. Dwarf Pink Princess Silk Floss Tree (Ceiba hybrid)
  • 🌳 A spectacular grafted hybrid of the famous Silk Floss tree, but in a much smaller package: a unique, often "fat" or bottle-shaped trunk and large, showy pink flowers with white centers.

🏡 Unlike the standard Ceiba which can become a giant, the 'Pink Princess' is grafted to stay compact (usually under 10 - 12 feet), allowing you to enjoy those exotic, orchid-like blooms even in a tiny garden.
  • 👉 more

  • 2. Dwarf Golden Tabebuia (Tabebuia chrysotricha)

  • 🌳 Known as the "Golden Trumpet Tree," this dwarf selection puts on one of the most brilliant displays in the plant kingdom. Before the leaves emerge in spring, the entire tree is covered in bright, trumpet-shaped yellow flowers.

🏡 This specific dwarf form stays much smaller and more manageable than the standard Tabebuias seen on city streets. Its silver-green foliage and rounded canopy make it an ideal "specimen" tree that acts as a focal point for your front yard.
  • 👉 more

  • 3. Little Gem Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

  • 🌳 All the elegance of a classic Southern Magnolia but in a miniaturized version. It has the iconic waxy white, lemon-scented flowers and glossy leaves with fuzzy bronze undersides.

🏡 'Little Gem' is narrow and columnar, typically reaching only 15-20 feet (half the size of the standard species). It starts blooming at a very young age, so you don't have to wait years for those famous fragrant flowers.
  • 👉 more

  • 4. Compact Butterfly Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima Compacta)

  • 🌳 This "ever-blooming" small tree is a butterfly magnet. It features clusters of bright, cherry-red star flowers against glossy, fiddle-shaped leaves.

🏡 The Compacta variety is specifically bred to stay bushy and small. It blooms almost 365 days a year in warm climates, providing a constant splash of red that draws in hummingbirds and pollinators.
  • 👉 more

  • 5. Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum sanctum)

  • 🌳 Known as the "Wood of Life," this is one of the slowest-growing trees in the world. It has fine-textured, dark green foliage and produce stunning, small blue flowers that fade to white, followed by bright orange seed pods.

🏡 Because it grows so slowly, it will never outgrow its space. It is extremely hardy, salt-tolerant, and hurricane-resistant, making it a "plant it and forget it" heirloom tree for coastal or small urban lots.
  • 👉 more

  • 6. Winter Starburst (Clerodendrum quadriloculare)

  • 🌳 A visual firework display. The leaves are deep green on top and rich purple underneath. In late winter, it produces massive, 8-inch wide clusters of tubular pink-and-white flowers that look like an exploding star.

🏡 It is easily pruned to a single-trunk tree form. The purple foliage provides "curb appeal" year-round, while the winter blooms provide a much-needed pop of color when other plants are dormant.
  • 👉 more

  • 7. Enchanted Incense (Cerbera x manghas)


🌳 This is a rare, small evergreen tree with glossy, dark green leaves and clusters of highly fragrant, star-shaped white flowers with a red "eye."
🏡 It has an naturally architectural, upright habit. The fragrance is incredible - sweet and heavy - making it a perfect "sensory" tree to plant near a patio where you can enjoy the scent on summer evenings.

🛒 Choose small trees for a small yard

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Ceiba speciosa, Chorisia speciosa
Silk Floss Tree, Bombax
USDA Zone: 9-11
Small tree 10-20 ftSemi-shadeFull sunModerate waterRegular waterPink flowersThorny or spinyPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time

#How_to #Discover #Trees

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 24 Feb 2026

5 Heart-Shaped Plants Every Gardener Needs This Spring

Aristolochia " The "alien" flower that hosts rare butterflies.

Aristolochia " The "alien" flower that hosts rare butterflies.

Dombeyaflowers on the bush

Dombeyaflowers on the bush

Hoya kerrii Sweetheart Hoya

Hoya kerrii Sweetheart Hoya

Philodendron leaves

Philodendron leaves

Piper - edible leaves

Piper - edible leaves

5 Heart-Shaped Plants Every Gardener Needs This Spring 💕

❣️ Why heart-shaped?



Heart-shaped leaves instantly soften a garden. They feel welcoming, romantic, and just a little bit playful. But if you choose wisely, you will get much more than a cute leaf shape.

Before adding a plant to your collection, look beyond the foliage. Does it flower? Does it attract pollinators? Does it offer edible or fragrant benefits? The right heart-shaped plant can bring beauty, fragrance, butterflies - even flavor - to your landscape all year long.

Here are five plants that truly give your home a little love.
  • 💚 1. Aristolochias - bold leaves and wild flowers


    If you want a conversation starter, Aristolochia is the answer. These vines don't just offer bold, oversized heart foliage and produce "alien-looking" blooms that defy garden norms.

· Garden Hack: Use it to create "living shade" on hot west-facing walls to naturally cool your home.
  • · Extra benefits: Many species are host plants for Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies, making them essential for pollinator gardens. They grow fast, create dense shade, and can cool down hot garden walls during summer. 👉Explore Aristolochias


💚 2. Dombeyas - winter flowers when little else blooms



Dombeyas bring heart-shaped foliage together with spectacular winter blooms. Their large clusters of pink flowers resemble hydrangeas and appear when many other plants are resting.

Extra benefits: They bloom in the cooler months, feeding bees when nectar sources are limited. These fast-growing shrubs create privacy quickly and fill the air with a light, sweet fragrance during flowering season. 👉Explore Dombeya
  • 💚 3. Hoya kerrii - the living Valentine



    Often sold as a single heart-shaped leaf in a pot, Hoya kerrii is known as the Sweetheart plant. But when mature, it becomes a climbing or trailing vine with thick, succulent foliage.

    Extra benefits: It is extremely low maintenance, tolerates dry indoor air, and can live for many years. When happy, it produces clusters of star-shaped, lightly fragrant flowers. It is compact enough for desks and shelves, yet long-lived enough to become a true keepsake plant. 👉Explore Heart Hoya
  • 💚 4. Philodendron - classic hearts, endless varieties



    If you picture a heart-shaped leaf, you are probably imagining a Philodendron. From deep green to bright chartreuse like Golden Goddess, there is a variety for every style.

    Extra benefits: Philodendrons adapt easily to indoor or outdoor growing in warm climates. They help improve indoor air quality, tolerate lower light, and require minimal care. In the garden, they thrive in shade and add a lush tropical feel without demanding constant attention. 👉Explore Philodendrons
  • 💚 5. Piper - beautiful and edible



    Many Piper species have attractive heart-shaped leaves, but they offer more than good looks. Some are edible and culturally significant.

    Extra benefits: Piper betle and Piper sarmentosum leaves are used fresh in Southeast Asian cuisine, while Piper nigrum gives you real black pepper from your own vine. These plants grow well in warm, humid climates, thrive in partial shade, and combine ornamental appeal with practical harvest. 👉Explore Pipers
  • 💚 Ready to add some 'love' to your landscape?



    Heart-shaped foliage is charming, but the real value comes from what these plants give back - flowers in winter, butterflies in spring, edible leaves in summer, or easy indoor greenery all year.

    Choose plants that not only look lovely but also work hard in your garden. That way, your landscape is not just pretty - it is alive, useful, and full of personality.


🛒 Discover tropical plants with benefits

📚 Learn more:


#Container_Garden #Hedges_with_benefits #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 4 Nov 2019

Hardy Plumeria Pudica

Q: I have ordered plumeria pudica from you in March and it is thriving really well here in Rancho Cordova, California. The current temperatures are ranging from 68 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. My USDA zone is 9b. Does this plumeria pudica survive outside with temperatures dropping in coming winter in CA?

A: From our experience, Plumeria pudica is pretty cold hardy and takes some cold spells in spite of being a tropical species.
Our trees (well-established) took a few hours of freeze with no significant damage.
Potted plants are less hardy than in-ground plants. However, their advantage is, they are easy to move indoors or inside warmer place like garage, etc. If the temperature stays borderline around 32F for a few hours, the plant should be safe as long as warm day temperatures follow a cold night. For longer periods of cold, move the plant inside.
Make sure do not overwater and keep Plumeria on a dry side during winter, since cold and wet is a bad combination and may cause root problems.
Above is the picture of Plumeria pudica tree growing in Cape Coral, FL where low temperatures in winter sometimes go down to upper 20's for a few hours.

To improve cold hardiness of Plumerias and other tropical plants, use SUNSHINE-Epi-T for plant thermal protection and immune system boost.
Make sure to fertilize plants on regular basis to keep them strong and vigorous. The stronger and bigger the plant, the hardier it is!

RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:
Plumeria Top Dress - Smart-Release Booster
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster