Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 9 Apr 2024

How to start a tropical garden?

Lagerstroemia

Photo above: Lagerstroemia speciosa - Queen Crape Myrtle. Gorgeous flowering tree with cascades of lilac flowers. One of the most popular trees in Southern gardens.

Q: It's spring, finally! I can't wait to plant my paradise garden with lots of tropical flowers. We moved into a nice new house but the yard has nothing but grass. Where do I start?

A: When you start your garden from scratch, you need to plant your trees first. It's a perfect timing!
Getting tropical flowering trees now is really important for making your garden strong and beautiful. Trees are like the bones of your garden, giving it shape and shade. If you plant them in spring, they have enough time to grow strong roots before winter. This helps them survive better.
Trees also give shade to other plants so they can grow well too. It's like building a house - you need to start with the frame before adding other parts. So, it's a good idea to get those trees now before moving on to shrubs and vines.
Remember to provide regular fertilizing program which is the most important during season of active growth. The more food your tree gets, the stronger and faster it grows! For flowering trees, we recommend Sunshine Boosters Megaflor formula.

Shop Flowering Trees

Royal poinciana, Flamboyant tree, Delonix regia

Photo above: Royal poinciana, Flamboyant tree - Delonix regia."The Royal Poinciana is one of the most spectacular flowering trees in the USA, and probably among the top 10 on this planet. In full bloom, it is like a regal elephant caparisoned in red and yellow brilliance."(Larry M. Schokman, The Kampong, National Tropical Botanic Garden)

Date: 3 May 2026

3 Olive Trees Worth Planting in Your Yard Right Now

3 Olive Trees Worth Planting in Your Yard Right Now

3 Olive Trees Worth Planting in Your Yard Right Now



Olive trees aren’t just for the Mediterranean anymore. In warm parts of the U.S. - including much of Florida - certain varieties handle heat, humidity, and even occasional cold better than people expect. If you’ve been thinking about adding something useful, low-maintenance, and long-lived to your garden, olives deserve a spot on your list. Here are three varieties that actually make sense to grow.

  • 1. Arbequina: Compact, Productive, and Beginner-Friendly


Arbequina is one of the easiest olives to grow, especially if space is limited. It is naturally compact, which makes it great for containers or small yards. It starts producing early compared to other olives, handles heat well, and adapts to different soils. The fruit is mild, buttery, and excellent for oil. If you want an olive tree that behaves well and produces without much fuss, this is the one. 👉 More...

  • 2. Coratina: Bold Flavor and Strong Growth


Coratina is a completely different type of olive - vigorous, tough, and known for intense flavor. It is fast-growing and very hardy once established, and it produces heavily under the right conditions. The fruit is high in oil content with a flavor that is strong and peppery, making it prized for premium olive oil. This is a great choice if you want a more traditional, high-performance olive tree with character. 👉 More...

  • 3. Leccino: Reliable and Cold-Tolerant


Leccino is known for consistency and is one of the most widely planted olives for a reason. It is more cold-tolerant than many other varieties and is a reliable producer year after year. It has a medium growth habit that is easy to manage, and the fruit works well for both oil and curing. If your area gets occasional cold snaps, Leccino is a safer bet. 👉 More...

  • Why olives make sense in your garden


Olives check a lot of boxes most fruit trees don’t. They are drought-tolerant once established and don’t need rich soil; average or even poor soil is fine. They are long-lived trees that can produce for decades and have low pest pressure compared to many tropical fruits. They’re not high-maintenance, and they don’t demand constant attention.

What to know before you plant



A few practical points make all the difference. Full sun is non-negotiable, and drainage matters because if water sits, the roots suffer. Light pruning keeps trees productive and manageable. Some varieties produce better with cross-pollination. In Florida conditions, airflow and avoiding overly wet soil are key.

If you want a tree that looks good, produces something useful, and doesn’t need babysitting, olives are hard to beat. Choose Arbequina for small spaces and ease, Coratina for strong growth and bold oil, or Leccino for reliability and cold tolerance. Plant one - or plant all three - and you’ll start to see why olive trees have been grown for thousands of years.

📚 Learn more:

Olive Plant Facts

Olea europea
Olive
USDA Zone: 9-11
Plant used for bonsaiSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunDry conditionsModerate waterEdible plantPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsEthnomedical 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


🛒 Shop Olive trees

#Food_Forest #How_to #Discover

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Date: 28 Dec 2020

Spanish Lime Tree

Q: Do I need two plants of the Spanish lime to have fruits? Do you have a grafted tree that I would only need one plant?

A: From our experience with Spanish Lime trees - Melicoccus bijugatus, fruiting habit really depends on variety. There are self-pollinating varieties that only require one tree. Seedling usually require cross-pollination between two trees for better production. It doesn't mean that one tree won't bloom or fruit - it will, but production may be lower than if they were cross-pollinated.
The Spanish Lime trees we currently have in stock are seedlings from a good, self-pollinating variety Key West, however, only grafted trees are precisely true to variety since they are technically clones. Seedlings normally take a few years (3-4) until they start fruiting. Spanish Limes don't have to be grafted to produce quality fruit, however, grafted trees may take less time till they fruit.
This species is really hard to obtain and we do not have any grafted trees now, and probably not for another year. So if you really want this fruit tree, you may want to try at least with a seedling. We only have a few left in stock and many people want them. Otherwise, you may sign up for the wish list and wait until we (hopefully) have grafted specimens (enter Melicoccus bijugatus in wish list).

Date: 19 Nov 2025

5 fruits that help manage gout (high uric acid)

5 fruits that help manage gout

5 fruits that help manage gout

🍒 5 fruits that help manage gout (high uric acid)



💥 High uric acid, hyperuricemia, also called gout, causes painful swelling in joints and can affect kidney health over time. Medicine helps, but so does what you grow and eat. Some fruits can naturally flush out excess uric acid and reduce inflammation. Here are five easy fruit trees and plants that can help:

🍋 Citrus


Citrus trees are great to grow in pots or sunny yards. Lemons and oranges are rich in vitamin C, which helps kidneys remove uric acid and keeps the body’s pH balanced. A glass of lemon water in the morning or a fresh orange during the day can help. Studies in Science Direct show lemon juice lowers uric acid levels in the blood.

Berries (mulberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries)


Berries are packed with antioxidants that fight inflammation and support kidney health. Mulberry trees are perennial trees and bushes that produce berries year after year. They grow well in both temperate and warm areas, and are an easy choice for all backyard gardeners. Mulberry high water content helps flush out toxins. Research from the National Institute of Health shows berries rich in polyphenols can lower uric acid naturally.

🍒 Cherries


Cherries are one of the best fruits for gout. They’re rich in anthocyanins, compounds that reduce inflammation and uric acid levels. National Institute of Health studies have found regular cherry intake helps lower gout attacks. Dwarf cherry trees can grow in large pots if space is limited.

🍌 Bananas


Bananas are rich in potassium, which helps the kidneys remove uric acid more efficiently, according to PubMed central. They’re also low in purines, the compounds that form uric acid. Dwarf banana varieties grow well in containers and add a tropical look while supporting healthy digestion and uric acid balance.

🍍 Pineapple


Pineapple contains bromelain, a natural enzyme that eases swelling and pain caused by gout. It’s also refreshing and supports kidney function. Studies by global health science group show pineapple juice can help reduce inflammation and uric acid. It’s easy to grow in a pot or sunny garden bed.

These fruits won’t replace medicine, but they can support your body’s natural detox system. Grow them, eat them fresh, and enjoy both their flavor and health benefits.

🛒 Explore Fruit trees and grow your own natural remedies

📚 Learn more:
#Food_Forest #Mango #Remedies #Discover

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Date: 22 Apr 2026

When Mango Ripens on the Tree, Everything Changes

Smokey and Sunshine enjoying fresh homegrown mango harvest in garden
Sunshine: Never understood the passion for mango. I tried store mangoes. I really tried. Just disappointment. So this is what real mango is supposed to taste like?

Smokey: Now you know.

There is a moment when a mango is perfectly ripe — soft to the touch, warm from the sun, fragrant before you even cut it open. The skin gives way, and suddenly there is color, juice, and a sweetness that feels almost unreal. Not sugary, but deep and layered, like something that took its time to become what it is. In that moment, it feels less like fruit and more like something truly given, exactly as it should be.

What you find in most supermarkets is something else entirely. Picked early so it can survive shipping, it never gets the chance to finish ripening process. It softens, it turns yellow, but the depth never comes. The flavor stays thin, and the texture often turns fibrous — strings in the flesh that get stuck in your teeth instead of melting away. That fiber is not an accident. It helps the fruit stay firm enough to handle transport without damage. It looks like a mango, but it never becomes one.

The only way to close that gap is simple — let the fruit ripe where it belongs. On the tree. When you grow your own mango, you control that moment. You pick it when it is actually ready, not when it has to survive a truck ride across the country. And that one difference is everything you taste.

Close-up of a hand holding a mango cheek while scoring the bright orange flesh into a grid pattern with a knife, with whole mangoes in the background.

Scoring a mango cheek into cubes - the easiest way to prepare clean, ready-to-eat pieces.

📚 Learn more about mango varieties

🛒 Shop Mango Trees

Educational infographic titled mango growing guide showing beginner tips for growing mango trees, including sweet fiberless varieties, dwarf and semi-dwarf options for containers, planting tips, pruning advice, watering, sunlight, and fertilizing recommendations, with illustrated mango trees and fruit.

Quick beginner guide to growing mango trees - from choosing the right variety to pruning, watering, and container growing tips.
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