Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 1 Jan 2022

Easy Sunday Morning Deals: Five Tropical Garden favorites for 2022

Saving on your favorite plants is Easy. Easy like Sunday Morning...

"...The ticking of the hands of your watch are telling you how time is passing away, never to return. Listen to it..."
Ryan Holiday, Daily Stoic

Tropical Colors for the New Year

This New Year, resolve to add color into your garden and into your life.

Today we feature five Tropical Garden favorites for 2022.

1. Bolivian Sunset

Gloxinia sylvatica - Bolivian Sunset. Low growing perennial that will always surprise you with a sudden burst of scarlet blooms in Fall-Winter.

2. Dwarf Tibouchina

Tibouchina lepidota - Jules Dwarf. So much purple for such a small compact plant! Relatively cold tolerant.

3. Tropical Hydrangea

Dombeya seminole - Tropical Rose Hydrangea. All time favorite that blooms for several months from Fall through Winter.

4. Cranberry Hibiscus

Hibiscus acetosella - African Cranberry Hibiscus. Super fast growing colorful shrub with beautiful flowers and edible leaves.

5. Burgundy Thread

Alternanthera dentata - Red Thread Burgundy. Ultimate fast growing groundcover for sun or shade, any soil and any water, any size of garden, cold- and heat-tolerant.

The Easy New Year Deal expires at midnight Sunday, January 2nd, 2022.
Enjoy your Hot Deal!

Date: 16 Oct 2025

Grumichama jam: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Grumichama jam: quick-n-fun exotic recipes Grumichama jam: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

🍴 Grumichama jam: quick-n-fun exotic recipes


  • 🔴Cook Grumichama cherries with sugar and lime juice.
  • 🔴A deep red jam with a cherry-meets-blackberry flavor.

Grumichama Jam: Quick-n-Fun Exotic Recipes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh Grumichama cherries (Eugenia brasiliensis)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

  1. Remove seeds from Grumichama cherries.
  2. Place fruit in a saucepan with sugar and lime juice.
  3. Simmer over low heat until thick and glossy, stirring often.
  4. Pour into sterilized jars and let cool before sealing.



🛒 Plant Grumichama tree (Eugenia brasiliensis)

📚 Learn more:


#Food_Forest #Recipes

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 30 Oct 2025

Before you open a bottle of wine,

Jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora)

🍷Before you open a bottle of wine, meet the Secret Wine Tree from Brazil
  • 🍷Jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) grows grapes right on its trunk! It's one of Brazil’s most fascinating and beloved native fruits. Its name alone sounds exotic, but wait until you see it in fruit: shiny, grape-like berries bursting straight from the bark!
  • 🍷 Jaboticaba is the source of the famous Brazilian wine Vinho Tinto de Jabuticaba. The fruits are small, dark purple, with a thick skin and a sweet, melting pulp that tastes a lot like black currant. They can be eaten fresh, made into jams, or fermented into homemade wine with an incredible aroma and rich color.
  • 🍷 Jaboticaba tree is slow-growing and compact, often used as a bonsai because of its small leaves and graceful shape. But patience pays off - mature trees covered in purple fruits are absolutely stunning! The fruiting habit, called cauliflory, means the fruits grow directly from the trunk and main branches, creating a truly one-of-a-kind look.
  • 🍷 Jaboticaba trees can handle some cold (down to mid-20's once mature), don't mind wet rainy seasons and can be grown in containers in cooler areas. They make beautiful landscape trees and conversation starters wherever they’re planted.
  • 🍷 If you've ever dreamed of making your own wine from fruit grown in your backyard, this is the tree for you. Jaboticaba isn’t just a plant - it's an experience, a piece of Brazil's culture, and a living work of art that rewards patience with magic.


🛒 Grow your own wine from Jaboticaba Tree

📚
Learn more:


#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 18 Aug 2025

🌟Repotting FAQ

Tabernaemontana  variegated  in  container

Q: How big should the new pot be?

A: Only a few inches larger than the old one. Oversized pots hold too much moisture and may cause root rot.

Q: Why are plastic pots better than ceramic?

A: Plastic pots are lighter, easier to handle, and you can cut them if a root-bound plant is stuck. Ceramic pots are heavy, breakable, and often lack drainage.

Q: How do I safely remove a plant from its pot?

A: Turn the pot upside down and let gravity help. Never pull by the stems or leaves. If stuck, lay the pot on its side and squeeze or tap it. Cut the pot if needed.

Q: Should I remove old soil from the roots?

A: No. Roots have tiny hairs that absorb water and nutrients. Shaking off soil damages them and sets the plant back.

Q: Why must the plant sit at the same soil level?

A: Planting too deep suffocates the stem, and planting too high exposes roots. Keeping the same level protects the root crown.

Q: How soon should I water again after repotting?

A: Water thoroughly right after repotting, then wait until the top inch of soil dries before watering again.

🌱 Done! Your plant now has room to grow stronger before fall.

Shop Garden Supplies

Date: 28 Nov 2025

Betel leaf bites: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Betel leaf bites recipe

Betel leaf bites recipe

Piper betle - Betel leaf

Piper betle - Betel leaf

🍴 Betel leaf bites: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

  • 🟢Spread coconut, peanuts, lime bits, and palm sugar on a Piper betle leaf.
  • 🟢Fold and chew for a refreshing, spicy-sweet treat.

Betel Leaf Bites (Quick and Fun Exotic Snack)

Ingredients

  • 6 fresh betel leaves (Piper betle)
  • 2 tbsp shredded coconut
  • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar sauce or thick palm syrup
  • 1 tbsp finely diced lime (with rind)
  • 1 tbsp finely minced ginger (optional)
  • 1 small chili, sliced (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the betel leaves and pat dry. Keep whole leaves for folding.
  2. Place each leaf shiny side down. Add a pinch of shredded coconut, roasted peanuts, diced lime, and a small dollop of palm sugar sauce.
  3. Add ginger or chili if you want extra heat.
  4. Fold the leaf into a small triangular packet.
  5. Serve freshly folded and enjoy the refreshing sweet-spicy-lime flavor.

🛒 Plant your own Betel Leaf

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Piper betle
Betel Leaf
USDA Zone: 9-11
Vine or creeper plantSemi-shadeShadeFull sunModerate waterOrnamental foliageSpice or herb plantEthnomedical plant.
Plants marked as ethnomedical and/or described as medicinal, are not offered as medicine but rather as ornamentals or plant collectibles.
Ethnomedical statements / products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We urge all customers to consult a physician before using any supplements, herbals or medicines advertised here or elsewhere.Subtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
  • Piper betle in Plant Encyclopedia
  • How to grow your own Pepper plants. Five most valuable Pipers
  • Plant Smarter: Grow Your Own Brain Boosters
  • 10-minute recipe Bo La Lot with a leaf you’ve never cooked before

  • #Food_Forest #Recipes

    🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals