Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 4 Jun 2025

What plant is bold, bright, and born to stand out indoors?

Philodendron hederaceum Mediopictum Brazil - Heart Leaf Philodendron

What plant is bold, bright, and born to stand out indoors?
  • Bold, bright, and full of contrast! Philodendron Mediopictum hederaceum Brazil (Heart Leaf Philodendron) turns heads with its striking heart-shaped leaves splashed with vivid yellow down the center, set against deep green edges.
  • Add in the pink-orange stems, and you've got a living work of art that's both elegant and electric.
  • A must-have for variegation lovers!


🛒
Add Philodendron Brazil to your collection

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Date: 11 Jun 2025

Why every collector wants the Gothic Black Dragon Anthurium

Black Dragon Anthurium

🐉 Why every collector wants the Gothic Black Dragon Anthurium

  • 🌑 A living shadow
  • Anthurium Black Dragon is one of the most prized centerpieces of the Top Tropicals plant collection. This rare and exotic hybrid is celebrated for its deep, dark foliage that looks as if it were painted with charcoal or ink. It belongs to the coveted "dark foliage" group of anthuriums - a favorite among collectors for its dramatic, gothic elegance.
  • 🌑 It changes color with light
  • This plant changes color like magic! What sets Black Dragon apart is its ability to transform. In bright filtered light, the leaves darken dramatically - almost jet black. But in lower light, they fade to a mysterious greenish-maroon. It's like having two plants in one, depending on how you position it.
  • 🌑 Its spadix and spathe are weapons of style
  • Unlike many anthuriums that flaunt bright reds or whites, Black Dragon keeps it sleek and sinister with a brown spadix and dark-brown spathe - adding a sense of surreal drama when it flowers. But wait to see the real show when is sets fruit - cascades of bright red berries!
  • 🌑 Tropical but tough
  • Though exotic-looking, it's surprisingly resilient. With the right humidity and warmth (typical of most anthuriums), it's a slow but steady grower - ideal for collectors who want something dramatic yet manageable indoors.
  • 🌑 A collector's hybrid, not found in the wild
Black Dragon is likely a man-made hybrid created by crossbreeding dark-leaved species like Anthurium watermaliense or Anthurium forgetii. It doesn’t grow in the wild, which makes it even more of a sought-after trophy in aroids circles.

🛒 Get your own Black Dragon

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The most unique plant in your collection

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Date: 10 Jun 2025

Big color in a small tree: Maroon jacaranda and why Jacaranda trees are so popular

Maroon jacaranda - Jacaranda jasminoides

👏 Big color in a small tree: Maroon jacaranda and why Jacaranda trees are so popular

  • 💜 Jacaranda jasminoides (Maroon Jacaranda) is a charming, compact tree that brings a touch of drama to small gardens and patios. It grows 10-12 feet tall, with a bushy habit that makes it perfect for tight spaces or even containers.
  • 💜 What really steals the show are its deep maroon to dark purple trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in clusters from late spring through summer. In warm climates, it may surprise you with blooms at other times too!
  • 💜 The fine, fern-like leaves add a delicate, lacy texture to the overall look.
  • 💜 This jacaranda loves full sun but will tolerate a bit of shade, and it is happiest in fertile, well-drained soil. Water it regularly when it is young or during dry spells, but once established, it is fairly easygoing. It s best suited for USDA zones 9 to 11, and while mature plants can handle brief cold snaps down to 20F, younger ones appreciate a little extra protection when the temps dip.
  • 💜 Whether in the ground or in a pot, the Maroon Jacaranda is a low-maintenance beauty. A little pruning here and there keeps it tidy, and its elegant blooms make it a standout wherever it s planted. In warm places it may keep its foliage year-round, giving you a long-lasting touch of tropical color. A great pick for anyone who wants big color in a small footprint!


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Date: 8 Jun 2025

Charming Elephant Ears: Alocasia vs Colocasia

Alocasia and Colocasia

🐘 Charming Elephant Ears: Alocasia vs. Colocasia - which one is better?



Alocasias and Colocasias, or Elephant Ears, are both remarkable and popular plants that can bring a tropical exotic touch to your garden, pond, or pool area. Why are they so popular - and which one should you choose?
  • 🍀 Why gardeners love Elephant Ears


  • ✔️ Tropical appeal: Bold, architectural foliage creates a lush, exotic atmosphere.
  • ✔️ Striking leaves: Huge heart- or arrow-shaped leaves in green, purple, black, or variegated tones.
  • ✔️ Versatile placement: Ideal for containers, garden beds, water features, or borders.
  • ✔️ Low maintenance: Thrive in part shade with moist soil and occasional fertilizer.
  • ✔️ Big impact: Some varieties reach over 6 ft tall, adding strong vertical structure.


🍀 Alocasia vs. Colocasia - what's the difference?

  • 🟢Leaf shape: Alocasia = upright, arrow-shaped; Colocasia = drooping, heart-shaped.
  • 🟢Leaf texture: Alocasia = glossy; Colocasia = more matte.
  • 🟢Stem color: Alocasia = green; Colocasia = often purplish.
  • 🟢Light and soil: Alocasia prefers bright, indirect light and good drainage; Colocasia loves shade and wet soil.
  • 🟢Cold tolerance: Colocasia is generally more cold-hardy and water-tolerant.


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🛒 Go big with giant leaves!

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Date: 14 Jun 2025

Botanical oddball - an alien ribbon plant with a sense of humor

Homalocladium platycladum - Centipede Fern, Tapeworm Ribbonbush

🐸 Botanical oddball - an alien ribbon plant with a sense of humor

  • 🐍 Homalocladium platycladum - Centipede Fern, Tapeworm Ribbonbush that we mentioned earlier - this leafless wonder grows long, flat, jointed stems that look like green ribbons or, yes, tapeworms. But here's the twist: it also produces charming little flowers that surprise anyone expecting nothing but weird stems!
  • 🐍 Low-maintenance and high-impact, it thrives indoors or out, in bright shade to partial sun.
  • 🐍 The flowers are real! Tiny, greenish-white to pink blooms appear along the joints - subtle but fascinating.
  • 🐍 Conversation piece? 100%. Whether in a pot or in the ground, people will ask what it is - and you’ll love telling them.
  • 🐍 If you like your plants with a sense of humor and mystery, this one is for you.


🛒 Shop Tapeworm Plant now - get ready for double takes!

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