Nature's farmacy: Coronavirus cure discovery? Cinchona - Fever Tree

by Alex Butova

As the world's health experts race to find a cure for the novel coronavirus, this drug have jumped to their attention - Chloroquine. It contains alkaloid Quinine, extracted from the bark of the Cinchona, or Fever Tree.
We receive many questions from our customers if we carry this plant. Although we do not offer it at the moment, we definitely can tell you more about this interesting medicinal plant!

If you like gin and tonic, you will be familiar with the bitter taste of the tonic which is provided by quinine. While it is now mainly used to add a flavor to our favorite tipple, the Cinchona tree bark once held a place as one of the most important drugs in history.
Cinchona was discovered in the 1630s as a treatment for malaria and, for 350 years, was the only effective cure known in Europe until synthetic replacements were developed in the 1940s. Malaria remains today one of the deadliest diseases known throughout the tropics, but up until the 20th century the disease was prevalent throughout Europe, including Britain.

The Cinchona tree is native to the Eastern slopes of the Andes with a range across Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Once the bark became an established medicine, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, demand started to outstrip supply. Threats of overharvesting and the desire to control the source of this precious bark drove various competing empires to source this plant for themselves. Understandably, the Spanish, who were in control of this area of South America, actively tried to prevent this, but failed to establish successful plantations themselves. A race to source and cultivate Cinchona ensued, and eventually both the Dutch, in Indonesia, and the British, in India, founded government controlled plantations for the mass production of quinine.

Chloroquine appears to have "broad-spectrum antiviral properties" and effects on immune response, and to be effective against severe acute respiratory syndrome... As the rest of the world, we are looking forward to the research results and hope the cure will be found soon!

In the meantime, let's just have more Gin-n-Tonic!

Garden Sustainability Tips: Live your Life. Dig your Garden.

You can grow herbs and vegetables that can be easy incorporated into your home landscape. You don't need a raised bed for a few little things that will come really handy for your kitchen.

1. Parsley. Get a small 4" pot parsley plant from a local garden center. It grows super fast and just one plant can provide great healthy addition for your cooking for a few months. Plant in in full sun, under a tree or shrub, where it gets hit by a sprinkler.
2. Dill. This one grows from seeds quickly and easily. It also needs full sun and regular water.
3. Chives, or Green Onion. Don't through away "bulbs" from chives you got from the store. Stick them in the ground, pretty much anywhere in your garden. You will have supply of fresh chives loaded with vitamins right away (withing a few days!) and for many months. You can also plant an onion bulb (root-end down... duh) - this one will produce greens even faster!
4. Bay Leaf. If you live in a mild climate, plant a Bay Leaf in your yard (closer to the door - closer to the kitchen!). It is a wonderful healthy spice for soups and stews that makes them super flavorful. If your winters are cold, keep the plant in a pot. Bay Leaf makes a great undemanding houseplant that needs bright light, but very little water.
5. Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow, heat tolerant and even grow in lower light, so they are easy to incorporate into any existing landscape. Get Sunshine Boosters to double your crop: see how it works.
6. More herbs and spices. Check out our large selection of herbs and spices - they are on sale today!
7. Garden work is a great exercise. While the gym is closed - get to gardening. Read about Fun workout and Calories Burning Gardening.
8. Lemons. Vitamin C is your best friend for boosting immune system, and Lemons have tons of it! In areas where citrus can grow outside, Lemon tree is a must-have for your garden, or at least find a friend who has one! Citrus also makes a great house plant, so you can keep it in a pot, too. Just make sure to have a grafted tree that will produce right away.

Lemon Juice Health Booster Recipe

1. Squeeze juice from 1 lemon and mix it with 1 cup of water.
2. Add ice cubes and 1-2 tbsp of any flavored syrup (optional). You may add some fresh mint for Mojito flavor.
3. Enjoy this drink at least once a day.
4. Get a bunch of lemons, squeeze fresh juice into ice cube trays and freeze. 1 lemon = makes 1 ice cube. Store in freezer and use 1-2 cubes to make the above drink, daily.

Besides being rich in vitamin C that will boost your immune system, Lemon juice is a Natural medicine that helps to treat:
- cold and flu
- headaches and high blood pressure
- stomach problems
- insomnia
- and much more
Drinking lemon juice on regular basis will make your body stronger and more resistant to infections and many illnesses.

Please take good care of yourself and your loved ones. Stay healthy.

Tu BiShvat - New Year for Trees

By Alex Butova

Tu BiShvat is the Israeli Arbor Day, and it is often referred to by that name in international media. Ecological organizations have adopted the holiday to further environmental-awareness programs. The modern practices and interpretations of Tu BiShvat often revolve around the earth and environment. This holiday is a celebration of nature and appreciation for creating the natural world. In Israel, Tu BiShvat is celebrated as an agricultural holiday. The 15th of Tu BiShvat was celebrated this year on February 10, 2020. This day marked the beginning of a new year for trees. This day marks the season in which the earliest-blooming trees emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. Often the date of Tu BiShvat is used for determining the age of fruit baring trees and therefore establishes their birth dates. Therefore, Tu BiShvat is the "birthday" of trees!

The traditions and customs of Tu BiShvat vary, however, the most common include planting trees and gathering with family and friends for a meal. It is celebrated by eating fruit, particularly the kinds that praise the bounty of the Holy Land: grapes, figs, pomegranates, almonds, dates, olives and others. It reminds people that "a man is a tree of the field", and reflects on the lessons we can derive from the botanical analogue.

Check out fruit trees and nuts:

Persimmon tree

Loquat tree

Dwarf and Condo mangoes - easy mangoes

Q: We leave in zone 6a, could you tell us what is the list of different types of mango plants that could be planted indoor and that they can bear fruits?

A:There is a large group of mangoes called "Condo Mango" - they literally can be grown in your apartment! Those are dwarf varieties that can remain compact in containers with minimal pruning and successfully bear fruit providing bright light and proper care, including plant food.

The best dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties are: Carrie, Cogshall, Cushman, Fairchild, Graham, Ice Cream, Julie, Mallika, Nam Doc Mai, Pickering, Irwin, Jahangir, Juliette, Lancetilla, Little Gem, Manilita, Sia Tong, Torbert, Pim Seng Mun, Super Julie.

They produce juicy, fiberless sweet fruit. Julie is also a very popular dwarf variety, however, it is very cold sensitive and not the easiest to grow. If you get a 3 gal size mango, step it up to 7 gal when the plant reaches 4 ft; you may use a bigger container as the root system grows, up to 15 gal or even 25 gal, space permitting. Trim the tree under 6-8 ft after production season is over (summer-fall).

See more information on growing condo mangoes

RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:

Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
For sweeter fruit, use SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster

Shipping plants during hot weather. Ship plants now or wait until it gets cooler

Q: Can you ship my plants now or should I wait until it gets cooler? Daytime temperatures here are around 90F.

A: Top Tropicals ships year around. In transit, packages are usually kept in a temperature controlled environment. In hot summer time, it is still safe to order plants in mail, as long as the box is not left at your doorstep in full sun.

Keep your eye at the weather forecast and if temperatures get to extremes (over 95F daytime), we strongly advise that you be present to accept delivery. As your package may be left on your doorstep by the carrier, this prolonged exposure to heat may be harmful to the health of your plants.

If no one is available to accept delivery, we suggest that you contact our customer service to postpone shipment until a later date or coordinate an alternate delivery address, or simply use your work address for delivery - so you can get your plants without delay. You may also use the delivery address at FedEx pickup locations to avoid delays!

We monitor the weather at destination before shipping. When daytime temperatures in your area are over 90F, your shipment may be delayed to ensure plants have a safe trip and do not overheat in the delivery truck. See information on shipping process and terms.

Please contact us for more info on holding orders during hot weather.

Read more about hot weather shipping...