Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 23 Jun 2025

What is the best tasting and most beautiful tropical cherry? Grumichama

Grumichama - Eugenia brasiliensis

🍒 What is the best tasting and most beautiful tropical cherry? Grumichama!
  • 🍒 If you are hunting for a fruit tree that does it all - gorgeous looks, unbelievable flavor, and nonstop productivity - meet Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), the tropical cherry you'll fall in love with!
  • 🍒 Grumichamais a compact cherry tree that steals the show. In spring, the tree transforms into a cloud of delicate white starburst flowers, like fireworks frozen in bloom. The blossoms are pure white with long, golden-tipped stamens, giving them a soft, lacy glow. The entire tree hums with life - bees and butterflies swarm to sip the nectar, turning your garden into a pollinator paradise.
  • 🍒 And then comes the fruit! The cherries are dark purple-black, glossy, and almost too juicy to believe. One bite and you're hooked- sweet, smooth, with hints of cherry, grape, and plum. It's our favorite tropical cherry at Top Tropicals, hands down. So good, you'll eat one - then a handful - and then realize you've picked half the tree. They're that good!
  • 🍒 Grumichama tree is a dream come true for beginners. It tolerates heat, partial shade, even salt spray. It's drought-tough, yet grateful for a little water with a crazy fruit yield - up to 500 fruits per tree. And it's perfect container fruit, so even small-space gardeners in colder zones can grow it. Cold hardy to the upper 20s!
  • 🍒 Even when not fruiting, Grumichama is a stunning ornamental. Shiny evergreen leaves, showy blooms, and a neat, upright form make it a standout in your landscape.
  • 🍒 And the fruit? Packed with vitamin C, fiber, and even a bit of plant protein, it's a sweet treat that’s also healthy. Perfect fresh off the tree, or turned into jam or jelly - if you can stop eating them long enough.
  • 🍒 Start your food forest with Grumichama. It's easy. It's beautiful. And it's the most addictive fruit!


🛒 Start your food forest with Grumichama

📚 Learn more:


Why grow Grumichama? Benefits of Brazilian Eugenia Tree - Cherry of the Tropics

#Food_Forest #Discover

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Date: 1 Oct 2025

Ten shrubs you need to have for winter colors

Garlic Vine, Dombeya - Tropical Hydrangea, Brunfelsia Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow, Fountain Clerodendrum, Tibouchina grandifolia - Glory bush, Chinese hat, Barleria - Philippine violet, Thunbergia - Kings Mantle, Eranthemum - Blue Sage or Lead Flower, Petrea vine - Queens wreath

🌷 Ten shrubs you need to have for winter colors



Many snowbirds ask what to plant when they’re here just for the season. The answer is simple: go for trees and shrubs that bloom in winter. Fall is the perfect time to get them in the ground so your garden will be bursting with flowers once the cool season arrives. In our earlier video, we shared 8 best flowering trees that will bloom for you in Winter. Now, here are the shrubs that will complete your colorful winter garden.
  • 🌷 1. Mansoa alliacea - Garlic Vine
  • Known for its garlicky scent, it also puts on clusters of lavender to purple flowers in cool weather. Reliable and eye-catching, often trained on fences or trellises. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 2. Dombeya wallichii - Tropical Hydrangea
  • Large pink pompom clusters hang like lanterns from the branches. Sweetly fragrant and showy, it creates a hydrangea effect right in winter. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 3. Brunfelsia pauciflora Compacta - Dwarf Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow
  • Small and manageable, it opens purple flowers that fade to lavender and then white, giving the look of three colors at once. A cheerful winter bloomer for pots or borders. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 4. Clerodendrum minahassae - Fountain Clerodendrum
  • This shrub lives up to its name with cascades of long white flower sprays, blooming heavily in the cooler months and brightening shaded corners. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 5. Tibouchina multiflora (grandifolia) - Glory bush, Quaresmeira
  • Covered in clusters of soft, fuzzy purple blooms, this shrub adds tropical flair during the cooler months. Its velvety leaves are ornamental year-round. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 6. Holmskioldia sanguinea - Red Chinese hat
  • Cup-shaped bracts form red “hats” around small flowers. This shrub stands out with unique form and long-lasting blooms. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 7. Barleria cristata - Philippine violet
  • A hardy shrub with masses of purple-violet blooms in the cool season. It flowers when many plants are quiet, adding dependable winter color. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 8. Thunbergia erecta - King’s Mantle
  • A compact shrub with velvety purple blooms and bright yellow throats. It’s neat, easy to manage, and flowers generously in winter. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 9. Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage, Lead Flower
  • Few shrubs can match its electric-blue spikes of flowers in winter. Compact and low-care, it brings a rare color to the cool season garden. 👉plant it
  • 🌷 10. Petrea volubilis (racemosa) - Queen’s wreath
A woody vine-shrub that bursts into cascading sprays of lavender stars. It flowers heavily in winter, resembling wisteria in the tropics. 👉plant it
🛒 Explore Winter bloomers

📚 Learn more:


#Hedges_with_benefits #Discover

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Date: 6 Jan 2024

Ten New Year Resolutions:
Diversity in Tropical Garden

Cat  diversity  in  the  garden

1. Diversity. Grow different plants. Add more types of tropical plants to your garden for a colorful and diverse look.

2. Save Water. Use water wisely by installing drip systems, collecting rainwater, and using mulch to keep the soil moist.

3. Improve Soil. Make your soil healthier by adding compost or manure regularly. Healthy soil promotes robust plant growth and enhances overall garden resilience.

4. Deal with Pests Smartly. Keep pests in check with a plan - use natural solutions and check your plants often. Preventing program is easier than dealing with infestations.

5. Right Fertilizing. Feed your plants with Eco-frintdly fertilizer such as Sunshine Boosters (safe to use year around). If you use slow-release fertilizers - apply in right amounts, from March to November.

6. Trim Regularly. Keep your garden tidy and healthy by pruning and removing dead or sick parts of the plants.

7. Companion Planting. Explore which plants work well together to enhance nutrient uptake, fight pests and provide shade for those species that need it.

8. Right Climate and Zone Pushing. Pick plants that love your climate, considering sunlight, temperature, and humidity. For more sensitive tropical plants, work on a plan for cold protection: grow them in pots or set up temporary covers.

9. Teach Others. Share your gardening knowledge with the community. Propagate your plants from seeds, cuttings, divisions - and share them with friends and neighbors. Remember: live plant is the best gift, and love is sharing!

10. Make a Relaxation Spot. Create a cozy corner in your garden with comfy seating or hammock, shade, and maybe a water feature for a peaceful retreat.

Cat  in  hammock

Pick the plants you need

Date: 1 Aug 2023

Yuca root, Cassava, Manihot, Tapioca...
Food and Beauty

Manihot  esculenta,  Yuca  Root

Q: Can you recommend a pretty plant for my edible garden? Something that is not only useful but also very ornamental.

A: Introducing the fabulous and flamboyant star of the garden - Manihot esculenta, better known as the Yuca Root! This tropical root vegetable plant is the epitome of botanical fashion, showing off its cheerful and showy foliage like it's walking the runway of a tropical paradise...

The most stunning variety is Variegated Yuca root. You won't find this rare and remarkable variety of Yuca root just anywhere! It's like the unicorn of the edible plant world, combining practicality with pure visual delight. Not only can you feast on its starchy goodness, but you can also proudly display it as a stunning ornamental piece in your garden.

This tropical root vegetable knows how to put on a show, making its home as a shrub in subtropical zones across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America. Its roots and leaves are the real stars of the show, packed with all that starchy goodness. But hold on, there's a little twist to this drama! The root contains low levels of protein, while the green leaves are practically gym buffs with high protein levels.

Now, we must address the elephant in the botanical room - the mistaken identity crisis. Some folks confuse our lovely Yuca Root with Yucca, but let's clear things up: Yucca is a no-go in the culinary world. It's a non-edible plant from the Agave family, and you definitely don't want to cook that up for dinner!

So there you have it, folks! The Yuca Root, a true superstar of both the kitchen and the garden. Delicious, eye-catching, and ready to add a dash of tropical charm to your life. Get one for yourself, and let the good times yuca-roll!

Manihot  esculenta,  Yuca  Root,  tree

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