Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 27 Jan 2024

Valentine Sweetheart Hoya:
a must gift for your Valentine

Hoya  kerrii  -  Sweetheart,  Valentine  Hoya

Q: What plant can you recommend for a Valentines Day present?

A: There is a perfect plant specifically for Valentine's Day! When it comes to finding the ideal plant for an occasion, it doesn't get better than this one. The Sweetheart Hoya, also known as Valentine Hoya or Hoya kerrii, is not only easy to grow but also easy-ship, making it the most user-friendly of all houseplants. Its popularity has soared in recent years, thanks to its unique and quirky "heart" shaped leaves that appeal to everyone and bring smiles to faces. In addition to these charming leaves, the Sweetheart Hoya produces fragrant, beautiful flowers resembling tiny red stars. These flowers are not only stunning but also waxy, durable, and long-lasting.

Caring for the Sweetheart Hoya is a breeze, requiring only minimal attention. It can likely thrive with just one good watering a month - that's how hardy it is. While this plant prefers a reasonably well-lit room for optimal growth, it can still fare well in shadier spots, making it a versatile addition to any home or office. Don't wait till the last moment, get your Valentine's present now - the best one ever!

We have large developed plants, ready to bloom!
Buy one (for her/him) - get one free, for yourself!

Hoya  kerrii  -  Sweetheart,  Valentine  Hoya

Don't forget some plant food for it!

SUNSHINE Bombino - Young Plant Vigor Booster

SUNSHINE  Bombino  -  Young  Plant  Vigor  Booster

Date: 20 Nov 2023

Growing Dreams and Happiness:
A Decade at Top Tropicals

By Kristi VanBenschoten,
Top Tropicals Manager

Cat  in  the  garden

"The purpose of agriculture is not the production of food,
but the perfection of human beings"

- Masanoby Fukuoka -

Working with Top Tropicals for the past decade, I frequently hear heartwarming comments from customers like, "Oh, wow, this place is breathtaking," "You must adore working here," "Isn't it marvelous to be in harmony with nature every day?"

The truth is, yes, all these sentiments hold true, and I genuinely cherish every single one of these comments; however... If you were to inquire about my most cherished aspect of working here, I would have to say that my absolute favorite part is when a husband calls and says:

"My wife and I embarked on a honeymoon five years ago, and we stumbled upon this exotic wonder called Helicona Lobster Claw. My wife was captivated by it. I would love to surprise her with one for our upcoming anniversary. Do you happen to have them?.."

Heliconia  rostrata  -  Lobster  Claw,  Parrots  beak

...Or when a bereaved wife sends an email, expressing:

"My beloved husband recently departed, and he held a deep affection for Gardenias. I wish to plant one in our front yard as a living tribute to his memory. Could you kindly recommend one?..."

Gardenia  vietnamensis

Or, it could be the heartwarming scene of a new father visiting with his young son, exclaiming:

"I have a dream of creating a bountiful food forest for my children with fruit and other edibles. I want them to experience the enchantment of watching food grow and to impart the wisdom of cultivating it. Can you guide me in this endeavor?"

Or the passionate plant collector who has spent years on a quest to acquire that one elusive specimen, the final piece of their adored collection. We spare no effort in locating it, and when we succeed, it fills me with an indescribable joy!

You see, here at Top Tropicals, we don't merely sell plants; we trade in precious memories, lofty aspirations, and vivid visions for a brighter future. We deal in dreams. These dreams are nurtured in pots with a touch of fertile soil and an abundance of love. This is the essence of what makes Top Tropicals so special to me:

We Grow Happiness…

Happy  people  at  TopTropicals  Garden  and  nursery

Date: 17 Nov 2023

Privacy Hedges with Benefits

Flowering  hedge

What's the numero uno question we get bombarded with at Top Tropicals Nursery? Well, it's a real head-scratcher:

Q: "...Can you recommend me a flowering privacy hedge to spice up my yard's life? My current hedge is just a green wall and I'm tired of the monthly trim routine. I need something lively, fast-growing, and unusual if possible. No plain old ixora, please!.."

A: After over two decades of being the go-to advice-givers, we thought, "Why not spill the floral beans and share our tropical wisdom?" But where to begin? The jungle of flowering ornamentals is vast, and picking the perfect shrub is like finding the missing piece of a gardening puzzle. So, in our new column "Hedges with Benefits" we're dishing on those not-so-average shrubs that'll not only prettify your patch but also bring some serious practicality. Today's lineup is -

Top Ten Winners:
Fast growing flowering shrubs

Below is the top selection of spectacular flowering shrubs that can create a nice hedge or a natural screen within just a couple of seasons.

Flowering  hedge  Tithonia  diversifolia  -  Sunflower  tree

Tithonia diversifolia - Sunflower tree.
Grows super fast to a very tall dense hedge, and starts flowering right away. Full sun, very easy, not fussy about soil or water. Winter bloomer.

Flowering  hedge  Calliandra  surinamensis  -  Powderpuff

Calliandra surinamensis - Powderpuff.
Pretty pink powderpuffs almost year around! Easy to prune.

Flowering  hedge  Dombeya  x  wallichii  -  Tropical  Hydrangea

Dombeya x wallichii - Tropical Hydrangea.
You can see this beautiful bush right at Top Tropicals gate. Winter bloomer, large lush leaves and huge, pink hydrangea-like blooms. Very large and fast growing, likes water, tolerates shade.

Flowering  hedge  Acalypha  hispida  -  Cat  tail,  Chenille  plant

Acalypha hispida - Cat tail, Chenille plant.
All time favorite, everblooming with red cat tails! Full sun. Easy to control.

Flowering  hedge  Hibiscus  variegated  Snow  Queen

Hibiscus variegated Snow Queen.
Popular landscape bush with unusual look, red flowers over snow white variegation, very showy! Responds well to pruning. Full sun.

Flowering  hedge  Leonotis  leonurus  -  Lions  Ears

Leonotis leonurus - Lions Ears.
Winter bloomer, great for low hedges. Covered with bright orange curious flowers, medium sized, easy to control at 3-4 ft. Full sun.

Flowering  hedge  Plumbago  auriculata  Imperial  Blue

Plumbago auriculata Imperial Blue
One of the most popular Southern hedge plants, everblooming with bright blue flowers, tolerant to drought, heat, and poor soils. Can be maintained short or tall (2-6 ft).

Flowering  hedge  Eranthemum  pulchellum  -  Blue  Sage,  Lead  Flower

Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage, Lead Flower.
Great for shady spots, winter bloomer with dark green leaves and unusual sky-blue flowers. Can be trimmed if needed. Nice and dense.

Flowering  hedge  Clerodendrum  paniculatum  -  Pagoda  Flower

Clerodendrum paniculatum - Pagoda Flower. Happy in the sun or shade, easy plant. Loves water.

Flowering  hedge  Tibouchina  lepidota  -  Ecuador  Princess,  Jules 
 Dwarf

Tibouchina lepidota - Ecuador Princess, Jules Dwarf.
Sun or shade, blooms on and off throughout the year. Beautiful Purple Princess!

Date: 9 Nov 2023

Veterans Day: November 11
Special Deals

Veterans  Day  Cat

Our special Veterans Day sale on tropical plants is a salute to those who served! Enjoy this discount code - a small token of gratitude for our heroes:

VETERANS23

Your savings with this code:
5% off orders $100+
10% off orders $150+
15% off orders $200+

Excluding S/H. Exp. 11-12-23

Mango & Avocado Super Sale!

Cat  with  mango  and  avocado

Instant 20% off Mango and Avocado trees

Celebrate Veterans Day with the taste of the tropics! Indulge in our exclusive offer on Mango and Avocado trees, available now at unbeatable prices. With the discount code above, your qualified purchase of these trees can be as low as:

$64 for Mango trees
$61 for Avocado trees

Hurry up! Limited time quantities - while supply lasts!

Avocado  fruit  on  a  branch

Cat  with 
 mango

Date: 26 Oct 2023

NEW VIDEO:
Happy Parrots Beak

Introducing Parrots Beak: a whimsical and vibrant shrub, with funny flowers that mimic the playful antics of a parrot, with its pendant branches and joyful handstand-like leaves... This low-maintenance, sun-loving plant adds a touch of the tropics and endless whimsy to your garden, making it a butterfly magnet!

Looking to add some funny Parrot's Beak to your life? Order large plants - Gmelina philippensis - Parrots Beak - right now while we have them!

Gmelina  philippensis  -  Parrots  Beak

Subscribe to our Channel:

Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by subscribing to our channel at YouTube.com/TopTropicals and get our latest video news of what is fruiting and blooming!