Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 22 Dec 2025

Its a Holiday time!

Onika's cats: iTembie and Nandie

Onika's cats: iTembie and Nandie

💡 It's a Holiday time!



🐈📸 Onika's cats: iTembie on the back of the chair, and Nandie arranging the flowers.
TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

#PeopleCats

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Date: 22 Dec 2025

Center of the world tree that stops traffic in Florida - now fits in a pot

Ceiba Dwarf Pink Princess

🗿 Center of the world tree that stops traffic in Florida - now fits in a pot



🎥 Ceiba Dwarf Pink Princess
  • 🌸 If you’ve ever visited Florida in winter, you’ve probably seen those unbelievable pink trees in full bloom - that’s a Ceiba (Chorisia) speciosa, also known as the Kapok or Pink Silk Floss tree, famous for its hibiscus-like flowers and fluffy silk pods.
  • 🌸 The problem? The classic Ceiba can grow 40 feet tall.
  • This one doesn’t! Ceiba hybrid Dwarf Pink Princess stays compact - about 8-12 feet in the ground and even smaller in a pot.
    And unlike seed-grown trees, this one blooms right away because it’s grafted! No long wait.
  • 🌸 In winter, it drops most of its leaves and explodes into thousands of soft pink flowers. Same wow factor. Just a fraction of the size.
  • Perfect for small yards, patios, balconies, or anyone who wants a show-stopping winter tree without committing to a giant.
  • 🌸 #Fun_facts: the ancient Maya believed the Ceiba was the sacred tree at the center of the world, connecting earth to the sky.
  • 🌸 So yes… You can officially say you’re growing the center of the world in your backyard.


🛒 Plant it now - it fits any garden

📚 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
  • Ceiba (chorisia) speciosa in Plant Encyclopedia
  • How this breath-taking flowering tree stays so compact

  • #Trees #Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden

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    Date: 22 Dec 2025

    Chaya Nutritious Omelet: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

    Chaya Nutritious Omelet

    Chaya Nutritious Omelet

    Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Chaya, Maya Spinach Tree)

    Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Chaya, Maya Spinach Tree)

    🍴 Chaya Nutritious Omelet: quick-n-fun exotic recipes


    Ingredients

    • Chaya leaves - about 2 cups packed, stems removed
    • Onion - 1 small, sliced
    • Eggs - 2
    • Cooking oil - 1 tablespoon
    • Salt - to taste

    Instructions

    1. Boil chaya leaves in plenty of water for 10 to 15 minutes to remove natural toxins. Drain well and chop.
    2. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onion until soft and lightly golden.
    3. Add eggs and scramble gently.
    4. Fold in the cooked chaya and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until well combined.
    5. Serve warm. Flavor is similar to spinach with a firmer texture.

    🛒 Add Chaya to your tropical Veggie Garden

    📚 Learn more:

    Plant Facts

    Cnidoscolus aconitifolius
    Spinach Tree, Tread Softly, Cabbage Star, Chaya
    USDA Zone: 9-11
    Large shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftSemi-shadeRegular waterOrnamental foliageWhite, off-white flowersEdible plantSpice or herb plantEthnomedical plant.
Plants marked as ethnomedical and/or described as medicinal, are not offered as medicine but rather as ornamentals or plant collectibles.
Ethnomedical statements / products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We urge all customers to consult a physician before using any supplements, herbals or medicines advertised here or elsewhere.Irritating plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
  • Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Chaya, Maya Spinach Tree) in Plant Encyclopedia
  • Variegated Chaya - beauty meets nutrition
  • Chaya's health benefits: a must-have tropical leafy vegetable for sustainable gardening

  • #Food_Forest #Recipes

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    Date: 21 Dec 2025

    Lilys conspiracy on her first Christmas at B-Farm

    Lilimon the cat

    🔔 Lily's conspiracy on her first Christmas at B-Farm



    "Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.
    " - Hamilton Wright Mabie

    🐈📸 Lilimon the cat has her cozy spots at TopTropicals. This year she is going to have her first Holiday Season at Bfarm PeopleCats.Garden

    #PeopleCats #Quotes

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    Date: 21 Dec 2025

    Everyone wants Red Jade vine - this is the one that lives! How to grow Red Jade outside the Tropics

    Camptosema grandiflorum - Dwarf Red Jade Vine, Cuitelo, or Rooster's Crest

    ❤️‍ Everyone wants Red Jade vine - this is the one that lives! How to grow Red Jade outside the Tropics.

    • 🔥 Camptosema grandiflorum (grandiflora) - Dwarf Red Jade Vine, Cuitelo, or Rooster's Crest - this Brazilian superstar brings cascading chains of bright red blooms.
    • 🔥 Love the stunning, fiery blooms of the famous Red Jade Vine (Mucuna benettii) but live outside the tropics? Its cousin - Dwarf Red Jade Vine - delivers the same jaw-dropping, flame-red flower chains as the famous tropical Red Jade vines - but without the extreme fuss.
    • 🔥 This vine is native to Brazil, where it grows at higher elevations. That is the secret. It is noticeably more cold tolerant than Mucuna benettii and can handle short dips to around 28F with little or no damage. It is also more forgiving with watering and can tolerate brief dry spells once established.
    • 🔥 Bloom time is late fall through winter, exactly when most gardens slow down. The flowers are long, heavy, and hang best from a pergola, arbor, or fence where they can cascade freely. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds find it fast.
    • 🔥 Despite the word "dwarf," this is a vigorous vine. It grows quickly, needs strong support, and rewards good care with a massive display. Give it sun to light shade, water when the soil feels slightly dry, avoid soggy roots, and prune after flowering. Mulch helps keep roots cool.
    • 🔥 It can even be grown in a large container with solid support.
    • 🔥 If you have ever wanted the iconic Red Jade look but live in a place with real winters or surprise cold nights - this is the smarter choice.


    🛒 Plant the Red Jade Vine that grows outside the Tropics

    📚 Learn more:

    Plant Facts

    Camptosema grandiflorum
    Crista-De-Galo, Dwarf Red Jade Vine, Brazilian Red Jade Vine
    USDA Zone: 9-11
    Vine or creeper plantSemi-shadeShadeRegular waterRed, crimson, vinous flowersPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short timeSeaside, salt tolerant plant
  • Camptosema grandiflorum - Dwarf Red Jade Vine in Plant Encyclopedia
  • Cold-hardy Dwarf Red Jade Vine
  • Camptosema grandiflora, Dwarf Red Jade Vine - my favorite plant

  • #Nature_Wonders #Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants

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