Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 20 Feb 2026

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:

Tender container plants:

Hardy container plants:

Nutrition support:

Sunshine Boosters

The plants below had NO PROTECTION, established trees 2-3 years old

✅ Survived with no damage:

🍑 Tropical Fruit Trees and Edibles:

🌸 Flowering Trees and Shrubs:

Beaucarnea recurvata - Pony Tail
Callistemon - Bottlebrush
Yucca
Tabebuias
Magnolia figo and Little Gem
Calliandra tweedii - Red Powderpuff
Sophora tomentosa
Galphimia gracillis - Thriallis
Acacia trees
Osmanthus fragrans
Abutilon trees
Erythrina - several species
Monkey Ear tree - Enterolobium cyclocarpum
Bauhinia Orchid Trees - several species
Pseudobombax ellipticum - Shaving Brush Tree
Bulnesia arborea- Vera Wood
Caesalpinia mexicana, Mexican Bird of Paradise
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
Black sapote tree
Tamarind tree
Syzygiums: Rose Apple and Java Plum

🌸 Flowering Trees and Shrubs:

Pandora vine
Jasminum - several species
Stenocarpus sinuatus - Firewheel Tree
Xanthostemon
Quisqualis indica
Schotia tree
Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage
Hiptage benghalensis - Helicopter Flower

🏡 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.

🛒 Explore cold tolerant tropical plants and cold hardy Avocados

📚 Learn more:

🎥 These Avocados survived 3 nights of 25F hard freeze, Florida Record Freeze

#Discover #How_to

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 21 Feb 2026

The best time to plant a fruit tree was 20 years ago - here is why you need to plant it now

Litchi chinensis - Smiles under the Lychee tree

Litchi chinensis - Smiles under the Lychee tree

🍑 The best time to plant a fruit tree was 20 years ago - here is why you need to plant it now

They say the best time to plant a fruit tree was 20 years ago.
The second best time is today.

A fruit tree is not a seasonal purchase. It is not a decoration. It is a decision that stretches far beyond you.

When you plant a mango, an avocado, a loquat, a lychee tree - you are not just planting for this summer. You are planting for children who will climb that tree. For neighbors who will ask for a basket of fruit. For someone who may live in your house long after you are gone.

Fruit trees are quiet investments in the future.
Unlike annual crops that come and go, a tree deepens its roots every year. Many fruit trees - especially mangoes - can live for decades, even a century. They outlive trends, owners, renovations, even mortgages. They stand there, steady, producing.

Even if you sell the house, the tree remains.
The next family will walk into the yard and discover fruit hanging overhead. Imagine buying a home and realizing someone before you planted abundance!

That is a gift.

In many parts of the world, mango trees are called generational crops. One farmer plants them. His children harvest them. His grandchildren sell the fruit. A single decision continues to feed and support a family long after the planter is gone.
There is something deeply grounding about that.

We live in a fast world. Quick returns. Quick moves. Quick upgrades.
A fruit tree moves at a different pace. It asks for patience. It rewards consistency. It teaches you to think long term.

Planting a fruit tree says:
I believe in tomorrow.
I believe this land will matter.
I believe someone will stand here after me.

And even if you never taste the fullest harvest, someone will.
Passing fruit trees through generations is more than horticulture - it is legacy. It is continuity. It is resilience. It is saying that this space, this soil, this home will keep giving.

So plant it now.
Plant it for your children.
Plant it for the next homeowner.
Plant it for shade you may never sit under.
Plant it for fruit you may never pick.
Because one day, someone will walk into that yard, look up, and thank the person who thought ahead.
Let that person be you.

🛒 Explore fruit trees for your orchard

👉 Tropical Fruit favorites:

🥭 Mango
Avocado
🍒 Cherry
🍊 Loquat
🍈 Jackfruit
🍑 Peach tree
🍉 Guava
🍏 Sugar apple
🍇 Mulberry
🍐 Sapodilla

#Food_Forest #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 9 Aug 2021

Care of Desert Roses

Q: I am looking forward to my three desert roses I just ordered from you and I am wondering how to take care of them, especially during winter time. Should I put the pots in full sun or shade? What kind of soil do they like? How often should I water them? When it gets cooler, should I bring them inside? We do have occasional frost here during winter.

A: Here are a few tips for your desert roses:

1. When received Adenium from mail-order, unpack carefully; branches are fragile. Plant in well-drained potting mix. Cactus mix will do, but we recommend special Adenium mix. If using regular acidic peat-based potting mix, you may add sea-shells on top of soil to neutralize acidity: adeniums prefer alkaline soils. Using clay pots is beneficial. Water once and do not water again until soil gets dry. Place in bright shade until new leaves sprout, then the plant can be moved to full sun.

2. Adenium is a succulent, but not a cactus. It needs watering, however let soil dry before waterings. Reduce watering during cool season and discontinue when plant gets dormant (drops all leaves in winter).

3. Bright light is the best for profuse flowering. However, adeniums look much healthier in slightly filtered light rather than in all-day full sun.

4. Fertilize and spray leaves with liquid fertilizer SUNSHINE Megaflor - Nutrition Bloom Booster. Phosphorous is responsible both for flowering and caudex development. Avoid caudex, spray over foliage only. Dry fertilizer can be used only during hot months.

5. Watch for spider mites during hot and dry season.

6. Give plants a break during winter dormant season. Keep in bright shade and reduce watering to 1-2 per month or stop watering if temperature is below 65F.

More info on growing Desert Roses:
What you need for successful growing Adeniums
Overwintering Adeniums outside of tropics
Growing Exotic Adeniums - Growing Exotic Adeniums

Date: 4 Jun 2021

Tahitian Gardenia

Q: I am interested in your Tahitian Gardenia and I would love to try and grow this plant in a large container/fabric pot. The soil here where I live is terrible as it's hard rock, clay, and sand! So I'm not sure if amending the soil would help to plant in the ground? Can you tell me if this will do okay in a container or best in ground? I live here in Las Vegas, NV (zone 9a). Any information would be great to help me make a this decision, I love the selection of cool tropical plants you offer! Also my daughter does Tahitian/Polynesian dance and this would be a cool "topping on the cake" if she could have a live Tiare flower in her performances.

A: Tahitian Gardenia will be doing best if grown in container in your area. In its natural habitat, it grows full sun but also it enjoys mild weather conditions and high air humidity. All gardenias prefer acidic soils. In your area, if planted in the ground, it may be exposed to some harsh conditions: too high temperatures, too hot sun, dry air, and as you mentioned - heavy clay and sandy soil. You can enjoy this plant grown in container, which can be moved as needed away from too much sun during summer months. Use well-drained potting mix. Use plastic pot, do not use fabric or clay pots - soil will dry out too quickly.
Also remember to fertilize this plant on regular basis with a liquid fertilizer SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Flower Booster.
Grow gardenia in full sun or semi-shade during the hottest months. You may spray it with pure water if the air too dry and hot. Enjoy your Tropical Beauty and good luck!

Date: 4 Sep 2020

Healthy Plant Food: Q&A from Mr Booster

Encouraging blooms on the Hawaiian Sunset Bell Vine

Q: Please can you advise how to encourage the Stictocardia beraviensis the Hawaiian Sunset Bell vine blooms? Mine is all beautiful leaves and full sun in Miami.

A: Providing full sun, Stictocardia blooms profusely. In your area, it should be happy and thriving. However, keep in mind that these flowers can be seasonal (meaning, not ever-blooming). The good news it, Hawaiian Sunset Bell usually blooms several times a year on and off. In our garden, we have a large plant growing in the ground and covering a whole fence; we see flowers 3 times a year:
- Early Spring
- Summer (sporadically)
- Late Fall to early Winter

Make sure to provide proper fertilizer to encourage blooms. It is especially important if you grow this plant in container (where nutrients are very limited). We suggest the following fertilizer for your Stictocardia:

SUNSHINE Megaflor - Bloom Nutrition Booster

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