Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 25 Apr 2026

🎁 Mothers Day plant gift guide: something for every kind of mom

Skip the bouquet, give her something that grows

Four  potted  tropical  plants  in  bloom  -  Magnolia  Little  Gem,  Champaka, 
 Jasmine  Sambac,  and  Plumeria  -  arranged  on  gravel  in  a  garden  setting 
 against  a  light 
 fence.

Magnolia Little Gem, Champaka, Jasmine Sambac, and Plumeria

Some gifts last a few days. These don't. Right now, these plants are at their best in our nursery - full, established, and ready to impress the moment she sees them. This year, give her something that doesn’t fade. Pick a plant that will keep growing, blooming, and reminding her of you long after Mother's Day is over. Here are a few easy ways to choose the right one.

Plumeria Plant Facts

Botanical name: Plumeria sp.
Also known as: Plumeria, Frangipani
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Large shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryYellow, orange flowersRed, crimson, vinous flowersWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsDeciduous plantFragrant plantSeaside, salt tolerant plant
Get personalized tips for your region

All of these grow well in containers and are beginner-friendly.

1. For moms who love fragrance - give her living perfume ✨

These are the plants people remember. Soft, rich scent that fills the garden, patio, or even a warm evening indoors.

  • Champaka Joy Perfume Tree - the legendary Joy perfume flower - rich, sweet, and unmistakably bubble gum-like.
  • Magnolia Little Gem - the classic Southern magnolia in a smaller form - big, creamy, fragrant blooms that never go out of style.
  • Wrightia religiosa - a sacred Buddhist tree - delicate white flowers with a soft jasmine fragrance that feels calm and refined.
  • href="https://toptropicals.com/store/findname/Jasminum-Sambac.htm?utm_source=mlist" >Jasmine Sambac - intensely fragrant and impossible to ignore - once you have it, you won’t want a garden without it
  • Plumeria - the iconic Aloha flower - bold color, rich perfume, and pure tropical feeling in bloom.
  • Parijat Tree Jasmine (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) - blooms at night and fills the air with a gentle, unforgettable fragrance.

🛒 Shop Perfume plants

2. For easy care and everyday enjoyment - beautiful, low maintenance choices 🌸

  • Jatropha podagrica - Buddha Belly - a quirky caudex plant with a swollen trunk and bright red flowers that shows character without needing much care.
  • Dorstenia bahiensis - Mattress Button Plant - a strange, sculptural plant with flat, button-like blooms that always gets people curious.
  • Columnea - Flying Goldfish Plant - trailing stems covered in bright orange flowers that look just like little goldfish in motion.
  • Adeniums - collectible forms in many colors - bold caudex shapes and striking blooms, easy to grow and hard to stop collecting.

🛒 Shop Indoor Garden

3. For the plant collector - rare, unusual, unforgettable 🔮

For moms who already have a garden... and still want something different.

  • Rainbow Eucalyptus - a one-of-a-kind tree with peeling bark that reveals streaks of green, orange, red, and purple like living artwork.
  • Tacca Bat Head Lily - an unforgettable plant with dark, bat-shaped flowers and long whiskers that look almost unreal.
  • Dwarf Ceiba Princess - a rare, compact silk floss tree with a sculptural trunk and soft, showy blooms that feel truly special.

🛒 Shop Rare Plants

4. For the fruit lover - grow something she can enjoy and taste 🍒

A gift that turns into harvest. Fresh fruit, right from her own garden.

Mango Plant Facts

Botanical name: Mangifera indica
Also known as: Mango
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Large tree taller than 20 ftSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryYellow, orange flowersPink flowersEdible plantSeaside, salt tolerant plant
Get personalized tips for your region

Avocado Plant Facts

Botanical name: Persea americana, Persea gratissima
Also known as: Avocado, Alligator Pear, Aguacate, Abacate
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Large tree taller than 20 ftSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyEdible plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
Get personalized tips for your region

  • Jaboticaba - a truly unique fruit tree that produces sweet, grape-like fruit right on the trunk, turning it into a conversation piece.
  • Rose Apple - crisp, refreshing fruit with a light floral taste and a beautiful ornamental tree to match.
  • Java Plum (Jambolan) - deep purple fruit with a sweet-tart flavor, loved for both its taste and its shade tree presence.
  • Mango - the king of tropical fruit - rich, sweet, and incredibly rewarding to grow in your own garden.
  • Avocado - creamy, nutrient-rich fruit from a tree that becomes a long-term staple in the garden.
  • Eugenia cherries - Surinam Cherry, Rio Grande and Grumichama - compact trees with glossy foliage and delicious, dark cherries that are easy to grow and quick to fruit.

🛒 Shop Fruit trees and edibles

Potted  tropical  fruit  trees  including  jaboticaba,  Wax  jambu,  Java  plum,
   mango,  avocado,  and  Eugenia  cherries  arranged  in  a  nursery  setting  on 
 gravel.

Tropical fruit trees selection - from Jaboticaba fruiting on the trunk to Mango, Avocado, and rare Eugenia cherries - a great mix for building a productive food forest.

Mothers Day Gift Card 💌

Mother’s  Day  themed  Top  Tropicals  gift  certificate  with  a  pink 
 decorative  frame  filled  with  jasmine,  plumeria,  magnolia,  and  champaka 
 flowers,  tropical  fruits  across  the  center,  and  a  Happy  Mothers  Day  banner 
 at  the  top,  with  space  for  certificate  details  and 
 message.

Mother’s Day Top Tropicals gift certificate

Still not sure what to choose? A gift card keeps it simple. She can pick exactly what she wants, when she is ready for it. No guessing, no pressure - just something she will actually enjoy.

Get 15% extra value on gift certificates. Just mention Mother’s Day in the message field. For example, a $100 certificate becomes $115. A $50 certificate becomes $57.50.
Offer valid through 05/12/2026.
Bonus value applies to gift certificates only. Must include “Mother's Day” in the message field at checkout. Not valid on previous purchases and cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts. Offer subject to change without notice.

Date: 21 Jun 2019

The Flower of Gold

By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist

Q: I am concentrating on adding more fragrance to my garden. I've had great success growing gardenias and I have many different varieties, but their flowers are all white, and I would like to add some colors to my garden too. Are there any gardenias available in different colors? I live in Waipio Acres, Hawaii.

A: Meet the very rare and highly fragrant, tropical Gardenia tubifera Kula or Golden gardenia. Kula flowers change color as they mature, which is a unique feature! Kula flowers start out as cream, then change to yellow and finally to a beautiful gold. In addition to the spectacular flowers, this gardenia also has beautiful, leathery, deep green foliage.
This is a slow-growing and compact plant. Like all the other members in the Gardenia family, the Golden gardenia will do best in an acidic, well-drained, and fertile soil. It will appreciate a good deal of direct sunlight but will be very happy if provided with midday and afternoon shade. As with with gardenias, the more sunlight the more flowers.
It will eventually grow into a rounded shrub if left unpruned, but also can be trained into a small tree, maintainable to a height of under 7-8 feet. Blooms will appear from spring onward. Prune after flowering, this will encourage more flowers in a few months.
Gardeners living in colder areas, do not fret. Gardenias make perfect container plants and can be grown indoors in colder climates. Just be sure to provide high light when bringing them indoors.
The fragrance and changing colors of a Gardenia Kula is unforgettable. They are most fragrant near sunset and during early evening hours. Plant them near walks and patios where their lovely fragrance can be enjoyed.
This rare tropical Gardenia is sure to be a conversation piece in any garden. Great collector's plant!

Recommended fertilizers:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster

Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 OFF Golden Gardenia!

Date: 7 Aug 2025

Blackberry Jam Fruit - the sweetest surprise

A  tuxedo  cat  making  jam  from  Blackberry  Jam  Fruit  (Randia  formosa)  while  an  orange  cat  smiles  in  a  chair,  sipping  tea  beside  a  large  flowering  Randia  plant  in  a  cozy,  sunlit  room.

Tea and Jam with the PeopleCats – A Tropical Afternoon Beneath the Randia

Meet the cats behind the jam! The tuxedo cat is none other than Google-the-cat - our beloved elder and one of the original cat-fathers of Top Tropicals PeopleCats.garden. At 18 years old, he’s still sharp, curious, and very much in charge. The orange fluffball? He represents the universal image of cat joy - and we’ve got a few real-life orange sunshine residents just like him.

Why do you include cats in a plant newsletter?

Because they’re part of the garden. Our rescued PeopleCats live among the plants, nap under the mango trees, inspect new arrivals, and occasionally steal a sunspot meant for seedlings. They’re not mascots — they’re part of our team. Sharing their presence is like showing a part of the soul of our space.🐈

Are the cat images real or AI-generated?

All our cats are real! We take lots of pictures and videos. And a few images are AI-generated illustrations inspired by our real PeopleCats.garden residents. While not literal photographs, they are creative interpretations that capture the spirit of our tropical home and its furry citizens.🐾

Are the stories about the cats true?

Mostly! The jam-making, tea-drinking, and greenhouse meetings are creative interpretations - but inspired by real personalities. We use AI scenes to bring their spirit to life. Real cats. Real plants. Imagined adventures.🐱

Watch Top Tropicals videos about PeopleCats

Shop Blackberry Jam Plants

Date: 19 Dec 2025

13 festive shrubs with bright flowers that bring color to your Winter Garden when everything else is dormant

13 festive shrubs for Winter Garden

13 festive shrubs for Winter Garden

💐 13 festive shrubs with bright flowers that bring color to your Winter Garden when everything else is dormant



Southern Living points to colorful berries as winter garden standbys. Tropical plants take it a step further, filling the cool season with real flowers, not just fruit. From vivid reds to electric blues, these plants prove winter does not have to be dull.

🌈 1. Gloxinia sylvatica - Bolivian Sunset


This plant waits for cool weather, then suddenly lights up the shade with fire-red blooms. Flowers appear almost overnight and continue through fall and winter. It rests in summer, returns in fall, spreads gently, and makes an easy, festive ground cover that is perfect for sharing.
👉 Learn more

🌈 2. Pereskia aculeata - Barbados gooseberry


An unusual vine that surprises in cool weather with delicate, star-shaped blooms followed by tasty fruit. It flowers steadily from fall through winter, adding light, airy color to fences and trellises when most vines are quiet.
👉 Learn more

🌈 3. Mansoa alliacea - garlic vine


Best known for its garlicky scent, this vine really shines in winter. Cooler temperatures bring clusters of lavender-purple flowers that brighten fences and trellises with very little effort.
👉 Learn more

🌈 4. Dombeya wallichii - tropical hydrangea


Large pink pompom blooms hang from bare branches in winter, creating a true holiday look. Lightly fragrant and impossible to miss, it brings hydrangea-style drama to the cool season.
👉 Learn more

🌈 5. Brunfelsia pauciflora Compacta - dwarf yesterday-today-tomorrow


Compact and cheerful, this shrub opens purple flowers that fade to lavender and white. The color shift makes it look like several plants blooming at once, perfect for pots or small garden spaces.
👉 Learn more

🌈 6. Clerodendrums


Long, cascading sprays of white flowers of Clerodendrum minahassae - fountain clerodendrum - spill from the plant during the cooler months. It brightens shaded areas and adds movement when the garden slows down. Most clerodendrums bloom through Winter!
👉 Learn more

🌈 7. Tibouchina multiflora - glory bush


Soft, fuzzy purple blooms cover this shrub in winter, backed by velvety leaves that look good year-round. It adds strong color and texture during the cool season.
👉 Learn more

🌈 8. Holmskioldia sanguinea - Chinese hat


Bright red, orange or yellow, hat-shaped bracts surround small flowers and hold their color through the cool months. The shape alone makes this shrub a standout in winter.
👉 Learn more

🌈 9. Barleria cristata - Philippine violet


This tough shrub blooms heavily in winter with rich purple flowers. It delivers dependable color when many plants take a break. There is a golden variety too!
👉 Learn more

🌈 10. Eranthemum pulchellum - blue sage, lead flower


Few plants offer true blue in winter. Electric-blue flower spikes appear in cool weather, adding rare color with minimal care.
👉 Learn more

🌈 11. Petrea volubilis - queen's wreath


In winter, this woody vine erupts into cascading sprays of lavender star-shaped flowers. It creates a wisteria-like effect right when the garden needs it most.
👉 Learn more

🌈 12. Tabebuia varieties - dwarf golden and dwarf pink


These trees save their show for winter, blooming on bare branches. Golden forms glow yellow, while pink varieties cover themselves in soft trumpet-shaped flowers.
👉 Learn more

🌈 13. Bauhinia trees - pink butterfly and Hong Kong orchid trees


Butterfly-shaped blooms open on leafless branches, giving bauhinias their signature winter elegance. The Hong Kong orchid tree stands out with especially large, vivid flowers.
👉 Learn more

🛒 Explore Winter bloomers

📚 Learn more:


8 best flowering trees that will bloom for you in Winter
Ten shrubs you need to have for winter colors
Cassia vs Bauhinia: which is better as an everblooming container tree?

#Hedges_with_benefits #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 18 Jun 2026

Smokey,  Sunshine,  and  their  mini-me  kittens  arrive  at  the  Top  Tropicals
    Father's  Day  Plant  Market.
Smokey: The best Father's Day gift is a plant.
Sunshine: Because it grows?
Smokey: Because every garden is a promise to the future.
Sunshine: Then we'd better choose carefully. We brought our future with us.

Father's Day Belongs in the Garden

Some gifts are forgotten by next month.

A plant is different.

A fruit tree planted today may provide fruit for decades. A flowering tree may bloom every spring long after the holiday is over. The best gardens aren't built in a single afternoon - they're built one season at a time, one generation at a time.

This Father's Day weekend, come spend the day the way it was meant to be spent: outdoors, unhurried, surrounded by growing things.

Top Tropicals is hosting our Summer Solstice Plant Market, and this is one of the best times of the year to visit the nursery. The longest days of summer bring out the flowers, the fragrance, and the fruit. Thousands of plants at their peak, in the kind of Florida light that makes everything look like it belongs on a postcard.

📅 Saturday, June 20, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
📍 13890 Orange River Blvd, Ft Myers, FL 33905
Phone: 239-689-5745, 866-897-7957
📍 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL 33875
Phone: 863-401-4004, 866-897-7957

You'll find rare fruit trees, flowering trees, fragrant plants, and collector varieties rarely available elsewhere. There will be event specials, raffle prizes, free plants with qualifying purchases, tropical music, and cold drinks. And somewhere in the shade, King, Snitch, and the rest of the PeopleCats will be doing what they always do - making themselves at home and pretending to supervise.

But the real reason to come isn't the event. It's the reminder.

Whether you're planting your first fruit tree or adding one more chapter to a garden that's been growing for years, Father's Day is a good day to remember what we're really building. Not just a yard. Something that keeps giving long after the I love you, Dad card is forgotten.

Plant something today.

Every garden is a promise to the future.

👉SEE FULL FATHER'S DAY EVENT DETAILS