Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 18 Jun 2025

What is the rarest Tacca?

Tacca leontopetaloides - Green Bat Flower, Devil Flower

What is the rarest Tacca?
  • 💚 Tacca leontopetaloides - Green Bat Flower, Devil Flower - is the rarest Tacca of them all!
  • 💚 Move over Black and White - this is the green bat flower, and it's in a class of its own!
  • 💚 Tacca leontopetaloides is a collector's dream and is rare in cultivation. With eerie greenish-purple flower clusters perched on tall stalks and long, trailing whisker-like bracts, this plant looks like something out of a botanical fairytale.
  • 💚 Unlike its fussy cousins, the Green Bat Flower is surprisingly easy to grow. It thrives in shady or semi-shaded spots, comes back reliably each spring, and doesn’t mind a bit of neglect. Its glossy, deeply divided leaves die back in fall and return with vigor as the weather warms up. A well-draining pot, occasional feeding, and moderate watering are all it asks for.
  • 💚 Native to Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, it's more than just a pretty face - this plant has traditional medicinal uses too. But let's be honest: most collectors grow it for the jaw-dropping display.
  • 💚 Very few collectors have this variety - don't miss your chance to be one of them!


📚 Learn more about Taccas:



🛒 Get the rare Green Bat Flower - easy to grow and unlike anything else in your garden

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Date: 17 Jun 2025

Scooby in action

Scooby the Cat at TopTropicals

🐈 Scooby in action



"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop" - Confucius

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Date: 16 Jun 2025

Why is my palm tree turning yellow?

Green and yellow palm

Green and yellow palm

🌴 Why is my palm tree turning yellow?



Yellowing leaves are a common concern with palms and can be a sign of several issues, most commonly: nutrient deficiency and pests or disease. Additionally, leaf yellowing may be a sign off overwatering or poor drainage, underwatering, or cold damage.
  • ✔️ Nutrient deficiency


    Nutrient deficiency is the most frequent cause of palm issues. Palms are heavy feeders, and even a slight imbalance can lead to yellowing. Lack of nitrogen, magnesium, iron, or potassium is the leading cause.
  • ✔️ Signs of nutrient deficiencies:


Magnesium and Iron deficiency is one of the top culprits, especially in sandy soils. It causes older fronds to turn yellow with green veins.
  • Potassium deficiency causes yellow or orange spots on older fronds.
  • Nitrogen deficiency leads to overall pale yellowing, especially in new growth.


✔️ How to fix?


Use a slow-release fertilizer with high Nitrogen content, like Green Magic, that includes all these elements; with 16-6-11 grade and 6 months release, it turns plants green very quickly! You can also use a balanced liquid fertilizer like Sunshine Robusta. Additionally, a supplement of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) and micro-element supplement containing chelated Iron can help, like Sunshine Superfood (amino-acid based natural product).
  • ✔️ Pests and Diseases


    Pests and fungal diseases can lead to yellowing. Check for signs of scale, mites, or fungal and bacterial problems, especially if yellowing is uneven or spotted.
  • ✔️ Signs of pests:


Thrips cause silvery-yellow streaks or mottling
  • Spider mites, especially in dry conditions, cause yellow speckling
  • Scale insects can suck sap and weaken fronds
  • Mealybugs often found in leaf bases and crowns


✔️ How to fix?


Inspect your palm regularly and treat pests early with neem oil, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil.
  • ✔️ Lethal yellowing


    Lethal yellowing is a serious disease caused by a phytoplasma, a type of bacteria-like organism. It affecting mostly Coconut palms and some other species like Phoenix (Date) palms. It causes premature fruit drop, yellowing of fronds starting from the lower ones, and eventual death of the tree.
  • ✔️ How to fix?


    Unfortunately, there's no cure, but early removal of infected trees can slow the spread. Disease-resistant coconut varieties are available.
  • ✔️ Other causes


Overwatering or Poor Drainage: Too much water can suffocate roots and lead to yellowing. Make sure the soil drains well and let it dry slightly between waterings.
  • Underwatering: Dry soil for too long will stress the palm. Water deeply but infrequently.
  • Cold Damage: Exposure to cold temperatures can turn fronds yellow or brown, especially in tropical varieties.


✔️In most cases, leaf yellowing isn't fatal, but it's a sign your palm needs attention. Focus on balanced feeding, proper watering, and pest checks to keep your palm healthy and green. Trim only fully dead fronds - yellow ones still provide nutrients to the palm. With proper care, your palm should green up again.

🛒 Shop garden supplies

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Date: 19 Jun 2025

Find it yourself

Sushi the Cat finding her sushi dinner in refrigerator

Sushi the Cat finding her sushi dinner in refrigerator

🍴 Find it yourself



"To find yourself, think for yourself." - Socrates

🐈📸 Sushi the Cat finding her sushi dinner at PeopleCats.Garden 
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Date: 22 Jun 2025

The fiery plant that fights sugar: Nature secret insulin?

Costus igneus - Insulin Plant, Fiery Costus, Spiral Flag

Costus igneus - Insulin Plant, Fiery Costus, Spiral Flag

💚 The fiery plant that fights sugar: Nature secret insulin?

  • Costus igneus - Insulin Plant, also known as Fiery Costus or Spiral Flag, this vibrant tropical plant is famous for its potential health benefits - especially for people managing diabetes. Nicknamed the insulin plant, it's believed to help lower blood glucose levels naturally.
  • Its lush, turmeric-like leaves spiral around upright stems, with a glossy dark green top and a striking light purple underside. The plant grows up to two feet tall and forms elegant clumps from underground rhizomes.
  • In warm months, it produces bright orange, cone-like flowers that stand out beautifully in the garden.
  • Beyond its beauty, the insulin plant is credited with aiding digestion, reducing cholesterol, boosting energy, improving skin health, supporting weight loss, relieving stress, and promoting heart wellness. A real botanical multitasker!


🛒 Grow your own sugar-fighter - order the Insulin Plant

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Most interesting edible gingers

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