Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 8 Sep 2025

Four best low-growing perennials that bloom all summer

Crossandra, Heliconia Lady Di, Plumbago, and Spathoglottis ground orchids.

🌷 Four best low-growing perennials that bloom all summer



🌼 1. Crossandra



Crossandra is one of those plants that never really takes a break. Its ruffled orange blooms pop almost nonstop in warm weather, making it a reliable color source for borders, pots, or even as a filler around taller shrubs. Unlike many flowering plants that fade in midsummer, Crossandra keeps going through heat and humidity, thriving where others give up. It's compact, easy to trim, and works beautifully in small gardens or patios.

🌼 2. Heliconia psittacorum Lady Di



Heliconia Lady Di adds a tropical accent with its upright, torch-like blooms in fiery orange and yellow. What makes this variety practical is its manageable size compared to giant heliconias - it fits well in small gardens and large pots. Its flowers last long, both on the plant and as cut flowers, making it popular for summer arrangements. Once established, it keeps sending up flower stalks all season, giving a steady display of color and drama.

🌼 3. Plumbago



Plumbago is a gardener's friend in hot climates because it covers a lot of ground and throws out flower clusters all summer (sky-blue, white or red). It's versatile - train it as a shrub, hedge, or let it spill over walls and trellises. The flowers attract butterflies, and the plant is low-maintenance, tolerating pruning, sandy soil, and neglect. If you need a reliable plant to soften fences or add a cool color contrast to reds and oranges in the garden, plumbago is a winner.

🌼 4. Spathoglottis ground orchids



Ground orchids like Spathoglottis are practical because they give you the exotic look of orchids without the fuss. These hardy, clumping perennials send up spikes of purple, pink, or yellow blooms that last for weeks, repeating through summer in warm climates. They’re perfect for edging walkways or filling beds where you want constant color with minimal care. Unlike potted orchids that bloom once and rest, Spathoglottis keeps producing flowers right in the ground, almost year-round in frost-free areas.

🛒 Discover more flowering perennials

#Hedges_with_benefits #Container_Garden #Discover

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Date: 8 Sep 2025

Count your age by friends

Cats Bob and Cash

Cats Bob and Cash

🐱 Count your age by friends



"Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears."
- John Lennon

🐈📸 Cats Bob and Cash are buddies at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden 

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Date: 9 Sep 2025

Harmony

Harmony

🍑 Harmony



"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." - Mahatma Gandhi

🐈📸 Bob the Cat is in harmony at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden 

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Date: 10 Sep 2025

Pitaya vs Dragon fruit - what is the difference and how to grow it?

Pitaya vs Dragon fruit - what is the difference and how to grow it?

🌵 Pitaya vs Dragon fruit - what is the difference and how to grow it?



🍉 Pitaya and Dragon Fruit are the same plant!
Both names refer to climbing cacti in the genus Hylocereus. The word pitaya is more common in Latin America, while dragon fruit is the name used in Asia and English-speaking countries. They come in different types: white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus), red-fleshed (Hylocereus costaricensis), and yellow-skinned (Hylocereus, or Selenicereus megalanthus). All share the same growth habit and care needs. Pitaya or dragon fruit - whichever name you use, it's one of the easiest exotic fruits to grow at home.

🍉 How to grow Dragon Fruit



Get a desired variety or start from a cutting - let the cut end dry for a few days before planting to prevent rot.
Plant in well-draining soil with lots of sun.
Give it a strong support to climb on - it's a vining cactus.
Water deeply but let the soil dry between waterings.
Flowers open at night and need pollination - some types are self-fertile, others need cross-pollination.
With care, you can enjoy fruit in 1-2 years. Remember to ferilize!

🍉 Dragon fruit varieties



🔴 ⚪️ Red skin, white flesh (Hylocereus undatus) - The most popular type, and the biggest fruit. Mildly sweet, refreshing, and often compared to a kiwi crossed with a pear.
Varieties: David Bowie, Delight, Hana, Lake Atitlan, Seoul Kitchen, Vietnamese Jaina, Hana

🔴🔴 Red skin, red flesh (Hylocereus costaricensis) - Sweeter, juicier, and more intense in flavor. The deep red juice can stain, but it’s loaded with antioxidants.
Varieties: American Beauty, Bloody Mary, Eureka Red, Costa Rican Sunset, Mac Edwin, Halleys Comet, Mac Edwin, Makisupa, Mega Red, Physical Graffiti, Sweet Red

🔴🟣 Red flesh, purple/magenta flesh (Hylocereus x costaricensis) - Hybrids, usually between red and white varieties.
Varieties: Cosmic Charlie, Edgar's Baby, Halleys Comet, Natural Mystic, Physical Graffiti, Purple Haze, Tricia, Voodoo Child, Zamorano

🟡⚪️ Yellow skin, white flesh (Hylocereus, or Selenicereus megalanthus) - Smaller fruit, but the sweetest of all. Crisp, juicy, and tropical with notes of pineapple or honey.
Varieties: Amarilla (Kirin), Colimbiana, Godlen Dragon, Palora, Thai Gold (Hawaiian)

Each type looks stunning and tastes slightly different, but all are easy to grow once you give them sun, support, and patience.

🛒 Explore and collect Dragon Fruit varieties

📚 Learn more:


· How to grow Dragon Fruit from a cutting - Quick Guide
· How to grow Dragon Fruit 📱
· Planting your own Dragon Fruit plantation
· Do-It-Yourself Support Structure for Dragon Fruit
· Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden
· Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits: Dragon fruit
· What does Dragon Fruit Flower look like?
· Why you need to grow your own dragon fruit
· Do red, white and yellow Dragon fruit taste differently?
· What to do with a lot of Dragon Fruit

#Food_Forest #How_to #Dragon_Fruit

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Date: 12 Sep 2025

Who do you think is winning?

Cats Bob and Cash playing

Who do you think is winning?

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
- Mike Tyson

🐈📸 Cats Bob and Cash always have a plan at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden 

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