Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 28 Jun 2023

Six reasons to grow
Elephant Ears in your garden

Pomegranate  fruit

Alocasias and Colocasias, commonly known as Elephant Ears, are both remarkable and popular plants that can bring a touch of tropical elegance to any garden. Here's why they are often considered great additions:

1. Striking Foliage: One of the most captivating features of colocasias and alocasias is their large, lush foliage. The leaves can be enormous, resembling the shape of elephant ears, hence the common name. The foliage is usually rich green, but there are also varieties with hues of purple, black, or variegated patterns. These vibrant leaves create a dramatic focal point in any garden setting.

2. Tropical Aesthetic: Colocasias and alocasias have a distinct tropical vibe that can transform your garden into a lush oasis. Their exotic appearance lends itself well to creating a tropical-themed garden or adding a bold accent to other styles of landscaping. Their large, architectural leaves add a sense of drama and create a stunning backdrop for other plants.

3. Versatility: These plants can be grown in various garden settings. They work well in containers, making them suitable for patio gardens or balcony displays. In larger landscapes, colocasias and alocasias can be planted directly in the ground, either as standalone specimens or as part of mixed border plantings. They can also be utilized around water features or in bog gardens since they enjoy moist conditions.

4. Low Maintenance: Once established, colocasias and alocasias are generally low maintenance plants. They thrive in full to partial shade, preferring a consistently moist soil. Regular watering and occasional fertilization will help them grow vigorously. While they are generally hardy, some varieties may require protection during colder months or overwintering in frost-prone regions.

5. Impressive Size: With proper care and favorable growing conditions, colocasias and alocasias can reach impressive sizes. Some varieties can grow several feet tall, creating a stunning vertical element in the garden. Their size and presence make them ideal for adding structure and height to planting arrangements.

6. Unique Varieties: Colocasias and alocasias offer a wide range of cultivars and species, each with its own distinct characteristics. From the classic Colocasia esculenta to the more exotic Alocasia macrorrhizos, there are numerous options to choose from. You can select plants with different leaf shapes, colors, and patterns to suit your taste and garden design.

Alocasia  Elephant  Ears

Alocasia  in  a  pot

Date: 28 Sep 2025

Guava Tree Plant Care

Tips from Top Tropicals Plant Expert - Tatiana Anderson

Guava  trees  for  sale  in  3-gallon  nursery  pots,  healthy  young  plants 
 


with  green 
 


foliage.

Where to Plant Outdoors

Guavas love full sun — aim for 6–8 hours of direct light. They’re adaptable to many soils but do best in well-drained, organic-enriched mixes. Plant them in a spot where you can water easily; guavas are thirsty trees during fruiting.

Container & Indoor Growing

Don’t have space or live in a cooler climate? Guavas thrive in large pots. Use well-drained potting mix. LINK TO OUR SOIL Keep them on a sunny patio during warm months and bring them indoors when nights dip below freezing. Compact varieties like Dwarf Hawaiian Rainbow or Tikal are especially good for pots.

Winter Care

Mature guavas can handle a light frost (down into the high 20s F), but young plants need protection. If planted outdoors, cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Container guavas can be wheeled into a garage, greenhouse, or bright indoor window until the weather warms.

Watering and Fertilizing

Water deeply once or twice a week, more often in hot weather or when fruit is developing. They don’t like soggy soil, but they won’t complain about short floods either. Fertilize 3–4 times a year during the growing season with a balanced fruit tree fertilizer. Guavas especially love potassium and phosphorus for strong flowering and heavy crops. We recommend liquid crop booster Sunshine C-Cibus and balanced controlled release fertilizer Green Magic.

Pruning

Prune after fruiting to keep them compact and open up airflow. Remove crossing or dead branches. In containers, trim back vigorous shoots regularly to manage size and encourage more fruiting wood.

Pests and Problems

Guavas are generally tough and pest-resistant. The main thing to watch for in humid or rainy climates is mealybugs - those cottony white clusters on leaves or stems. They're easy to manage with neem oil or a quick spray of horticultural soap.

Fruit time

Guavas fruit young - often within a year or two.

Pollination

Guavas are self-pollinating, so you'll get fruit even with a single tree. Planting more than one tree, however, often boosts harvests and gives you a longer fruiting season.

If you've ever wanted instant gratification from a fruit tree, guava is it.

Ruby  Supreme  Guava  tree  with  a  large  ripe  yellow  fruit,  variety  known 
 


for  sweet  pink  flesh  and  reliable 
 


harvests.

🍴 Guava Recipes

With all that fruit, the next question is always: "What do I do with it?" Here are our favorites:

  • Cas Guava: Make Agua de Cas

    Boil halved Cas Guava fruits with sugar, simmer, strain, and bottle. Dilute with water when serving. The concentrate keeps for months in the fridge.
    Check out the recipe.

  • Hawaiian Gold: Make Drinks

    Perfect for Mojitos or Margaritas. Sweet, tangy juice pairs beautifully with lime and mint. Learn more

  • Araca Pera: Guava Wine

    Famous in Brazil, where the fruit is turned into a vibrant rosу wine. Locals say it’s the taste of summer in a glass — and yes, you can make it at home too. Learn more...

  • Quick snack: Guava Grilled Cheese

    Spread guava paste or fresh mashed fruit with cheese, grill until golden. Sweet and savory heaven. Learn more...

  • Simple Guava Juice

    Blend ripe guavas with water, ice, and a little sugar if you like. Instant refreshment.

✅Ready to Grow? Whether you want fresh juice, sweet fruit, or even your own guava wine, we’ve got the best varieties in stock right now. Your future self, sipping guava juice on a hot summer afternoon, will thank you.

👉 Order your guava tree today

Tabby  cat  sitting  between  a  glass  of  yellow  guava  juice  with  white 
 


guavas  and  a  glass  of  pink  guava  juice  with  green  guavas  and  cut  pink  guava 
 


fruit.

Date: 4 Feb 2021

PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Month: Moishe, the Google Intern with a Sweet Tooth

Just a few months ago we introduced our new Little Purrrson Jim II that we got as a "toy" for intellectual Google the Cat, to cheer him up after he lost his friend Jim I... Jim II, the fluffy goofball, grew up in no time and in his turn, requested entertainment, since Google bored him with his technical lectures... So we got a toy for Jim-the-toy... and he turned out to be - another mini-Google!
Moishe is very busy young individual, spending his day solving math equations and discovering laws of physics... Google appreciates the new generation's input. Jim II is simply glued to the little guy. He follows Moishe everywhere, including boring seminars by Google. Jim loves his new little brother with all his heart!
Moishe's favorite things are - gravity experiments, reading scientific manuscripts, and eating JAM for breakfast! No toast required.

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club and Zoo

Thank you for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us! Every little bit helps. Thank you and God bless you and your pets!

In the photo: Moishe the Scientist and Jim the Hopeless Romantic

Date: 25 Feb 2021

Container mango - Condo varieties

Q: What are the good varieties of mango trees available for container grow? Can you please share the details?

A: There are some great varieties of Mango selected specifically for container culture, they even have a nick-name - "condo mangoes". They have compact growth habit and respond well to pruning to keep them in small size. Here are a few of our favorites that we currently have in stock:
Glenn
Ice Cream
Cotton Candy
Mallika
Manilita
Pram Kai Mai
Mun Kun Si
Maha Chinook
You can see more condo mangoes on this page.

Related articles:

How to grow a Dwarf Mango tree
Choosing the right Mango for your garden
10 secrets of successful Container Mango growing on a balcony.
Condo Mango

Date: 3 Dec 2019

Ghost Cold Protection

Q: Has anyone ever tried using heat packs under frost blankets to protect tropical plants from frost?

A: The reality is, the heat packs used for shipping do not have enough heat capacity to create efficient warming effect. From our own experience, the best way is to use small 25W incandescent bulbs which produce lots of heat (considering observing all safety precautions and fire safety). Some gardeners use Christmas lights. See picture of our plants in the ground during a cold night. We called them Ghost Cold Protection! ;)

See more columns on cold protection:
Seven rules of cold protection for tropicals
About Cold Protection
Cold protection - winter action for your plant collection
Tropical Treasures articles