Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 20 Feb 2026

Florida freeze damage - what to replant after a record cold winter

Magnolia champaka new shoots

Scratch test on a bark

❄️ Florida freeze damage - what to replant after a record cold winter

🌱 A record freeze changed Florida gardens

🌱 First - do not rush to rip everything out

Scratch the bark lightly - green underneath means the branch is alive.

Wait for consistent warm weather - some plants re-sprout weeks or even months later.
Look for growth higher on the stem, not just at the base.

After freezes, many tropicals look worse than they are. Patience often saves money.

🌱 Why some plants survived and others did not

Duration of cold - 2 hours vs 8 hours makes a major difference

Microclimate - south-facing walls, wind protection, canopy cover
Plant maturity - established roots handle stress better
Pre-freeze health - overfertilized, soft growth freezes faster

This explains why two identical plants in the same yard can perform very differently.

🌱 What to replant for a frost-resilient garden

Cold-hardy fruit trees

Proven freeze survivors from this winter
Shrubs that tolerate brief dips below freezing
Layered planting for wind protection

Plant tender species closer to structures.
Use hardy trees as windbreaks.
Avoid low frost pockets.
Improve drainage - wet roots freeze faster.

You do not have to remove tropical character. You just have to plant smarter.

✍️ Check the list of freeze survivors:

What tropical plants survived Florida's historic freeze without protection

🌱 Rebuild with strategy, not emotion

Identify what truly died.

Learn which species survived locally.
Choose varieties proven in your climate zone.
Design with cold in mind.

One freeze can become a turning point. Many Florida gardens become stronger after a hard winter because the plant list gets refined.

🌱 Spring Equinox - a natural reset

The Spring equinox marks equal day and night and the astronomical start of spring. From this point forward, daylight increases and active growth accelerates.
For Florida gardeners, it is a natural reset.
New growth begins. Roots wake up. Replacement planting becomes safer.
This is the right time to rebuild.

🛒 Explore cold tolerant tropical plants and cold hardy Avocados

📚 Learn more:

#Discover #How_to

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 20 Feb 2026

Top Ten Flowering Tree Winners of Florida 2026 Record Freeze

Bauhinia Orchid Tree

Beaucarnea recurvata - Pony Tail

Caesalpinia mexicana, Mexican Bird of Paradise

Callistemon - Bottlebrush

Erythrina

Jacaranda tree

Magnolia figo

Magnolia Little Gem

Tabebuia chrysotricha

Tabebuia impetiginosa

🏆 Top Ten Flowering Tree Winners of Florida 2026 Record Freeze

These flowering trees had no damage after 3 nights of hard freeze (25F) with NO PROTECTION:

✔️ Bauhinia Orchid Trees - several species
✔️ Beaucarnea recurvata - Pony Tail
✔️ Caesalpinia mexicana, Mexican Bird of Paradise
✔️ Callistemon - Bottlebrush
✔️ Erythrina - several species
✔️ Jacaranda tree
✔️ Magnolia figo
✔️ Magnolia Little Gem
✔️ Tabebuia chrysotricha
✔️ Tabebuia impetiginosa

🛒 Explore cold tolerant tropical plants

📚 Learn more:

#Discover #How_to #Trees

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 11 Mar 2026

📅 Do Not Miss: March 21 - Spring Equinox Plant Market

🍩 Saturday, March 21, 2026: 9 am - 4 pm

Smokey the tuxedo cat in work clothes studies the Spring Equinox Plant
Market poster at the Top Tropicals nursery entrance while Sunshine the
ginger tabby cat rides a bicycle balancing coffee and
donuts.

Sunshine: Smokey, look at me! See what I can do on my bike? I'm practicing to give people what they like: coffee and donuts.

Smokey: You'd be perfect for a Gulf beach cafe. But gardeners don't come here for donuts.

Sunshine: Really? Then why do they come?

Smokey: Some gardeners lost plants to the freeze. Others want trees that will handle winter better. Cold-hardy avocados. Macadamia. Grumichama. And some just come for fun - to see the PeopleCats.

Sunshine: And my charm... and my donuts will make it more fun.

🌞 Welcome to our Spring Equinox Plant Market, proudly hosted by the PeopleCats of Top Tropicals.

This one feels different.

After Florida’s record freeze, many gardens are brown, trimmed back, or missing a few old friends. We felt it too. And now - we rebuild.

The equinox marks equal day and night. More light ahead. New growth beginning.

And the PeopleCats are ready🐾.

🐱King is back on gate duty - inspecting every vehicle for proper plant-hauling capacity.
😺Paisley is rearranging freeze survivors and new arrivals like a design consultant.
😼Snitch is supervising recovery efforts from a comfortable chair.
😸Persephone is checking under tables for "hidden spring energy."
😻Sushi and Loki are preparing for guided garden tours - recovery edition.

This is not just a plant market. This is the spring reset.

👍 Why You Should Come

It is finally warm in Florida. After several nights of hard freeze, some plants survived - and some didn’t. This event is your chance to see real freeze champions in person.

If you lost plants, you are not alone. If you are ready to plant smarter, this is your moment.

Walk the gardens. See proven winter survivors. Discover cold-hardy fruit trees and resilient ornamentals. Get practical advice about replanting after freeze. This is rebuilding - Florida style.

♥️ What Makes This Event Special

We are featuring:

Verified freeze survivors
Cold-hardy fruit trees
Tough flowering trees and shrubs
Replacement plants for damaged landscapes
Smart layering ideas for frost-resilient gardens
You will see which species handled 25F with wind and multiple nights of freeze - with no protection.

Real-world test. Real results.

Cold hardy fruit favorites include:

Cold-hardy Avocado varieties, including varieties, which are cold hardy to 15-20°F: Joey, Fantastic, Mexicola, Poncho, Brogdon and more.
Macadamia Nut Trees
Eugenia Cherries, including Rio Grande and Grumichama
Gin Berry and Jaboticaba
Loquat and Cattley Guava
Peaches and Pomegranates

🌸 Cold hardy subtropical flowering trees including:

Bauhinias and Tabebuias
Mexican Bird of Paradise - Caesalpinia mexicana
Jacaranda and Magnolia

And many other cold hardy plants

🎉Event Highlights

30% OFF online prices
FREE plants with purchase
$5-10 specials
Exciting raffle prizes

🌳Don't just mow - grow!

Start your food forest, beat rising prices, and plant a future your family will thank you for.

🌿 Friendly Reminder

Just a quick reminder before we go: Sunshine Boosters are still shipping free. If you were thinking about stocking up for the season, now is a great time to do it while the offer is still active.

🛒 Feed your plants

Date: 12 Mar 2026

❄️Cold-Hardy Avocados and Fruit Trees

3 year old macadamia tree after 3 nights of hard freeze in February 2026 - standing strong.

Earlier in early February we had a rough stretch at the B-Farm in Sebring. Three nights around 25°F with steady wind. Weather like that quickly shows which plants actually belong in Zone 9 and which ones only look good on paper.

Once things warmed up and we could see the real results, a few clear winners stood out. All of the macadamias handled the cold surprisingly well. The grumichamas stayed solid. And the cold-hardy avocado varieties again proved why gardeners rely on them in borderline climates.

Instead of listing every tropical plant that might survive a freeze, we decided to keep things practical and focus on the ones that actually went through this cold spell and that we currently have in stock.

If you garden in USDA Zone 8b-9, these are the kinds of trees that make winter a lot less stressful.

📖Read the full article: 2026 Freeze Guide: Cold-Hardy Avocados and Fruit Trees.

📚 Learn more:

Add Cold Hardy Avocado Tree to your garden

Date: 24 Jul 2023

Easy, stress-free plants
for Summer planting

Q: With the rising temperatures, I'm concerned about shipping my plants safely. Can they withstand the heat during transit? Also, is it okay to plant them in the ground now, or should I wait for cooler Fall weather?

A: Your concern about shipping plants in hot weather is valid. For sensitive plants, we'll delay shipping until conditions are more favorable in your area. However, there are plenty of heat-tolerant tropical plants that handle shipping well with minimal stress. These plants adapt easily when planted during the hot summer months. Simply follow the included planting instructions, gradually acclimate them to full sun, and they should thrive.

Certain flowering tropical plants, such as Allamandas, Calliandras, Caesalpinias, Adeniums, and Clerodendrums, are excellent options for shipping and establishing during the summer. Flowering vines like Jasmines also adapt well. Consider using Sunshine Booster fertilizers to promote robust growth, they are safe to use right after planting.

Additionally, many fruit trees flourish in heat. Mangoes, Avocados, Pomegranates, Pineapples, Loquats, Eugenias - Tropical cherries, Bananas, Jackfruits, Dragon Fruit, and Olive trees are great choices for summer planting. Noni trees are hardy survivors and usually ship and grow well during the summer, in spite of their lush tropical leaves.

Feel free to check with us about the specific plant you plan to order for its suitability in summer shipping. We're here to take care of your green babies and address your year-round planting needs!

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