Botanical name: Mangifera indica Also known as: Mango
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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All mango trees are naturally vigorous and, if planted in the ground, they all can grow into full-size trees reaching 15-20 ft or more. The term "Condo Mango" refers to varieties with a more compact growth habit that can be kept small in containers with light pruning. In a pot, their size is controlled by root space and regular trimming, allowing them to stay manageable and productive for many years. Here is how:
🥭 Condo mango = mango trees that stay compact in containers with light pruning.
✔️ In ground: 15–20+ ft ✔️ In pots: keep them 6–8 ft
🥭 Best pot sizes
· 3-7 gal - starter (3–6 months) · 7-5 gal - young tree (1–2 years) · 15-25 gal - ideal long-term · 25-40 gal - faster growth, more pruning
👉 Smaller pot = easier care 👉 Bigger pot = more growth + more work
🥭 Best mango types for containers
True dwarf (easiest)
Minimal pruning, perfect patio trees
· Keep tree 6–8 ft with pruning · Use fast-draining soil (critical) · Full sun = fruit · Feed regularly - Green Magic + Mango Tango · Repot or root-prune every few years
What tropical plants survived Floridas historic freeze without protection
Florida historic freeze
What tropical plants survived Florida's historic freeze without protection
In the first week of February 2026, arctic air pushed deep into Florida. For many areas, this was the coldest event in over a century.
We received one question over and over: How did your gardens do?
Top Tropicals Farm in Sebring, Florida is up and running - and this freeze became a real-world hardiness test for tropical and subtropical plants. Below is our initial field report after inspecting established plantings.
📊 Weather data - February 1-6, 2026
Sebring, Florida - 132 years of recorded observations
This was not a light frost. It was prolonged, windy, penetrating hard freeze.
🌡 Minimum temperature: 25F ❄️ Wind chill: 14F ⏳ Duration: 3 nights of 8-10 hour hard freeze ☀️ Daytime temperatures: around 50F for 7 days 🌀 Wind: sustained 20 mph, gusts 40-50 mph
Cold protection
In-ground trees: selected plants covered with frost cloth, especially
Mango Plant Facts
Botanical name: Mangifera indica Also known as: Mango
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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mango and young
Avocado Plant Facts
Botanical name: Persea americana, Persea gratissima Also known as: Avocado, Alligator Pear, Aguacate, Abacate
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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avocado trees. Tender container plants: moved into greenhouses with propane heat above 34F. Hardy container plants: frost cloth and wind protection only - no plastic Nutrition support: plants fertilized regularly during the growing season with Green Magic and Sunshine Boosters to maintain vigor and hardiness.
However, the plants listed below had no protection at all.
All were established trees 2-3 years in the ground.
The plants below had NO PROTECTION, established trees 2-3 years old
Botanical name: Psidium cattleyanum, Psidium littorale Also known as: Cattley Guava, Sand Plum, Strawberry Guava
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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Eugenias (Grumichama, Rio Grande, Surinam and more)
Olive trees
Bay Leaf (Laurus nobilis)
Fig trees (Ficus carica)
Prunus sp - Peaches, Plums, Nectarines
Persimmons
Rubus (Blackberries) including Tropical Mysore Raspberry
Elderberry (Sambucus)
Yerba Mate - Ilex paraguariensis
Opuntia - Nopal Cactus, Prickly Pear
🌸 Flowering Trees and Shrubs:
Beaucarnea recurvata - Pony Tail
Ponytail Palm Plant Facts
Botanical name: Beaucarnea recurvata, Nolina recurvata Also known as: Ponytail Palm, Pony Tail, Bottle Palm, Nolina, Elephant-foot Tree
USDA Zone: 10 - 11
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Callistemon - Bottlebrush
Yucca
Tabebuias
Magnolia figo and Little Gem
Banana Magnolia Plant Facts
Botanical name: Magnolia figo, Michelia figo, Magnolia fuscata Also known as: Banana Magnolia, Banana Shrub, Port Wine Magnolia
USDA Zone: 7 - 10
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Calliandra tweedii - Red Powderpuff
Sophora tomentosa
Yellow Necklace Pod Plant Facts
Botanical name: Sophora tomentosa Also known as: Yellow Necklace Pod, Silverbush
USDA Zone: 8 - 11
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Galphimia gracillis - Thriallis
Thriallis Plant Facts
Botanical name: Galphimia gracillis, Galphimia gracilis, Galphimia glauca Also known as: Thriallis, Rain of Gold, Spray of Gold
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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Acacia trees
Osmanthus fragrans
Tea Olive Plant Facts
Botanical name: Osmanthus fragrans, Olea fragrans, Olea ovalis, Osmanthus longibracteatus, Osmanthus macrocarpus Also known as: Tea Olive, Fragrant Olive, Sweet Olive, Kinmokusei in Japan
USDA Zone: 8 - 11
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Abutilon trees
Erythrina - several species
Monkey Ear tree - Enterolobium cyclocarpum
Bauhinia Orchid Trees - several species
Pseudobombax ellipticum - Shaving Brush Tree
Shaving Brush Tree Plant Facts
Botanical name: Pseudobombax ellipticum, Bombax ellipticum Also known as: Shaving Brush Tree
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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Bulnesia arborea- Vera Wood
Vera Plant Facts
Botanical name: Bulnesia arborea Also known as: Vera, Verawood, Vera Wood, Maracaibo Lignum Vitae
USDA Zone: 10 - 12
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Caesalpinia mexicana, Mexican Bird of Paradise
Mexican Bird of Paradise Plant Facts
Botanical name: Caesalpinia mexicana Also known as: Mexican Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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Sansevieria - Snake Plant
Foxtail fern - Asparagus densiflorus
Lonicera - several varieties
Jacaranda tree
Eucalyptus
Plumbago Imperial Blue
Philodendron bipinnatum
Gardenias
Gingers (dormant rhizomes)
✳️ Minimal leaf damage only:
(These plants showed light cosmetic damage but no structural injury)
🍑 Tropical Fruit Trees and Edibles:
Glycosmis pentaphylla - Gin Berry
Ash sheora Plant Facts
Botanical name: Glycosmis pentaphylla, Limonia pentaphylla Also known as: Ash sheora, Orangeberry, Rum Berry, Gin Berry
USDA Zone: 9 - 10
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Black sapote tree
Tamarind tree
Syzygiums: Rose Apple and Java Plum
🌸 Flowering Trees and Shrubs:
Pandora vine
Jasminum - several species
Stenocarpus sinuatus - Firewheel Tree
Firewheel Tree Plant Facts
Botanical name: Stenocarpus sinuatus Also known as: Firewheel Tree
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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Xanthostemon
Quisqualis indica
Rangoon Creeper Plant Facts
Botanical name: Combretum indicum, Quisqualis indica Also known as: Rangoon Creeper, Burma Creeper, Chinese Honeysuckle
USDA Zone: 10 - 11
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Schotia tree
Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage
Blue sage Plant Facts
Botanical name: Eranthemum pulchellum, Eranthemum nervosum Also known as: Blue sage, Blue eranthemum, Lead Flower
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
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Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower
Hiptage Plant Facts
Botanical name: Hiptage benghalensis, Hyptage bengalensis Also known as: Hiptage, Helicopter Flower
USDA Zone: 9 - 10
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🏡 What this means for Florida gardeners
This freeze was a stress test few gardens are prepared for. Yet many species handled 25F, wind, and multi-night freeze conditions without protection.
Choosing proven survivors, planting in smart microclimates, and maintaining strong plant health during the growing season makes a measurable difference.
More updates will follow as full recovery continues - but these early results already help define a stronger plant palette for future winters.
🛍 One week only, all adenium desert roses ship FREE!
Adenium Plant Facts
Botanical name: Adenium sp. Also known as: Adenium, Desert Rose, Impala Lily
USDA Zone: 9 - 10
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🌸 Perfect time to grab the varieties you have been eyeing or add a few more to your collection.
🌸 Many selections are limited and selling quickly. Orders are filled first come, first served.
🌸 We will pack all your adeniums together and ship them safely in one big box for you (or many boxes if that's what it takes) - with free shipping on us!
🌸 Don’t wait on this one. When they’re gone, they’re gone. While supply lasts.
The most asked-about tree in the Sunshine State: Bauhinia
Purple Orchid tree - Bauhinia purpurea
🌸 The most asked-about tree in the Sunshine State: Bauhinia
🌸 If you visit Florida in winter, chances are you will notice a tree covered in orchid-like flowers and wonder what it is. That tree is often an orchid tree, most commonly Bauhinia purpurea. It is fast growing, wide spreading, and blooms from late winter through spring, sometimes with a second round in summer. The flowers range from magenta to lavender, are lightly fragrant, and stand out even from a distance. The leaves are just as distinctive - split into two halves like butterfly wings, which is why these trees are also called butterfly trees.
🌸 Orchid trees are easygoing and practical. They thrive in full sun, tolerate many soil types as long as drainage is good, and need little water once established. Growth is quick, often 2–3 feet per year, making them excellent shade trees for hot climates. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and in some cultures the buds and blossoms are used in cooking, while the bark has a long history in folk remedies. Beautiful, useful, and low maintenance, orchid trees are a perfect fit for Southern landscapes.
Avocado Joey: the hidden world beyond green and black
Avocado Joey
Avocado Joey: the hidden world beyond green and black
Joey is a Texas selection prized for its exceptional cold tolerance and dependable production. The small dark-skinned fruit has rich, creamy flesh and excellent flavor despite its modest size. For gardeners pushing the limits of avocado growing, Joey is often one of the first varieties recommended. As a compact grower, it is an excellent choice for container culture.
· Botanical name: Persea americana 'Joey' · Origin: Guatemala · Cold hardiness: Among the most cold-hardy avocados; reported to tolerate temperatures around 15°F · USDA zones: 8b-11 · Flower type: B · Tree size: Approximately 20 ft x 20 ft in the ground · Growth habit: Upright, compact, with a well-branched canopy, suitable for container culture with minimal pruning · Foliage: Mexican-type foliage with a pleasant anise-like fragrance when crushed · Fruit size: 6-10 oz · Fruit shape: Pear-shaped · Fruit color: Purple-black when ripe · Skin: Thin and smooth · Flesh: Creamy, buttery, and high in oil · Flavor: Rich, nutty, and excellent for fresh eating · Season: September-October · Best use: Fresh eating, slicing, and premium guacamole · Special feature: Exceptional cold tolerance combined with rich, high-quality fruit · Why growers love it: Joey is one of the best choices for gardeners in colder climates who still want excellent avocado flavor. Its ability to withstand winter cold while producing rich, buttery fruit has made it a favorite among avocado enthusiasts across the South. 👉 More
💡 Avocado tip: Protect young trees from cold
A mature avocado may handle a light freeze, but young trees are far more vulnerable. During the first few winters, be ready with frost cloth, blankets, or temporary protection.