Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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: 8 Jun 2024

The Drama you want in your garden: dazzling Medinilla!

Medinilla plant

Medinilla plant

Medinilla plant

Medinilla plant

Medinilla plant orange

Medinilla plant orange

Medinilla plant

Medinilla plant

🌺 The Drama you want in your garden: dazzling Medinilla!

🎀 Show-Stopping Blooms: The Medinilla plant is known for its spectacular, dramatic clusters of pink, pendulous flowers that cascade like floral chandeliers - perfect for turning heads!
🎀 Tropical Flair: With its lush, leathery leaves and exotic appearance, the medinilla adds a touch of the tropics to any indoor or outdoor space.
🎀 Conversation Starter: Its unique and eye-catching flowers make the Medinilla a true centerpiece, sparking admiration and conversation among garden visitors.
🎀 Low Maintenance: Despite its luxurious look, the Medinilla is surprisingly easy to care for, thriving in indirect light (loves shade!) and only moderate watering.
🎀 Pollinator's Delight: The vibrant blooms attract a variety of pollinators, making your garden not only more beautiful but also more buzzing with life 🐞🐝
🎀 Year-Round Beauty: Unlike many plants that only shine for a season, the Medinilla can bloom multiple times a year.

🛒 Shop Medinilla plants

#Butterfly_Plants #Shade_Garden #Container_Garden

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 27 Dec 2024

Why New Guinea Creeper is a must-have for your garden

New Guinea Creeper (Tecomanthe dendrophila)

💕 Why New Guinea Creeper is a must-have for your garden

💖 It's this time of the year when beautiful Tecomanthe is opening her majestic blooms!

New Guinea Creeper

💖 Spectacular flowers: In late winter to early spring, it produces large clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers with deep pink tubes and creamy-white lobes, creating a striking contrast.
💖 Non-invasive growth: This well-behaved climber can reach up to 40 feet but is easily maintained at shorter lengths, making it suitable for trellises, arbors, or even large containers.
💖 Evergreen beauty: With its glossy, pinnate leaves, the New Guinea Creeper adds year-round interest to your garden, even when not in bloom.
💖 Great Butterfly attractor!

Care tip for New Guinea Creeper

🌞 Light: Thrives in partial to full sun; however, it prefers some shade during the hottest part of the day.
💦 Water: Keep the soil consistently moist but well-drained, especially during the growing season.
🌡 Temperature: Ideal for USDA Zones 9-11; protect from frost and provide a warm, humid environment.
⛩ Support: Provide a sturdy structure for it to climb, such as a trellis or arbor, to showcase its cascading blooms.

Introduce the New Guinea Creeper to your garden and enjoy a breathtaking display of color and elegance that will be the envy of your neighborhood!

🛒 Shop New Guinea Creeper

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants

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Date: 3 May 2025

How to add Music to your garden

Clerodendrum incisum - Musical Note, Morning Kiss

🎶 How to add Music to your garden

♪ Clerodendrum incisum, also known as Musical Note or Morning Kiss, is a compact, low-maintenance plant with unusual, showy flowers that resemble musical notes, giving it its name.
♪ It thrives in both full sun and shade, tolerates some drought, and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, making it perfect for wildlife-friendly gardens. With blooms bursting everywhere, this plant creates a beautiful carpet of musical-note-shaped flowers around its base, offering a true symphony for your garden.

ℹ️ The unopened flowers resemble musical notes, giving the plant its name.

🛒 Get Musical Notes for your garden

📚 Learn more about Music Notes:

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants

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Date: 22 Sep 2022

Ceiba pentandra, Kapok Tree:
Maya's Sacred Tree at the Center of the Earth

by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

...Everybody who sees this tree for the first time, always says "What's THAT???" And everybody wants to have one! Kapok Tree is a large, magestic, gorgeous shade tree that just requires a little bit of space in your garden! It is definitely a conversation piece and is a must for every botanical garden or a large private tropical tree collection. Kapok is a fast growing tree, however, it may take many years to reach its mature size. It is worth the wait though!..

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