Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 15 Jul 2024

How to create indoor jungle vibe

Philodendron x Paraiso Verde

Q: What rare and unusual showy plant will thrive indoors?

A: Philodendron x Paraiso Verde is a unique and visually striking, large-leaf plant that perfect for growing indoors, virtually care-free!

Stunning leaves: long, variegated leaves with a mix of green, cream, and sometimes pinkish hues.

Rare and exotic: it is highly sought after by plant enthusiasts and collectors due to its rarity and exotic appearance, and may be pretty expensive in trade.

Fast climber: capable of climbing up to 10 feet in a single season, with stems growing over an inch thick. Just provide a support and you will have a lush tropical paradise in no time.

Low maintenance: easy to care for, thriving in indirect light and requiring minimal watering. In captivity, indoors on a totem, Paraiso Verde is easy to grow and may only need to be trimmed once a year or so.

Air-purifying: helps purify the air by removing toxins, making it great for indoor environments - home or office.

Unique patterns: each leaf has a unique pattern, just like fingerprints! It is making every plant distinct and adding a touch of individuality to your plant collection.

Tropical aesthetic: brings a lush, tropical feel to any space, perfect for creating an indoor jungle vibe. Truly beautiful!

Order Paraiso Verde

Date: 15 Jul 2024

Five most useful edibles for your Food Forest

Tired of mowing a boring lawn? Use your yard instead of being used by your yard - grow edible landscape! Below are several plants that made our life happier and meals healthier. Besides, these are fun to grow! Try them out:

1. Hibiscus sabdariffa - Flor de Jamaica, Karkade Sorrel - Flowers are used to make a tea "Agua de Flor de Jamaica". Medical studies show that it lowers blood pressure and has diuretic effects. The pleasant flavor is on the tart side similar to a cranberry juice. We make this cold tea every day - perfect for hot summer. Full sun.

2. Gynura procubens - Longevity Spinach, Cholesterol spinach - one of the Superfoods, and there are many claims that it lowers cholesterol. We use it in our cooking all the time and so far we are all alive! Full sun.
See recipe >>

3. Sauropus androgynus - Katuk, Tropical Asparagus. Delicious young shoots, one of the most popular leaf vegetables in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, people cook it in stews and soups. It is among only a few flora containing vitamin K. Full sun or semi-shade.
Learn more >>

4. Cymbopogon citratus - Lemon grass: Versatile performer in the kitchen where it can be used in teas, beverages, herbal medicines, Eastern inspired soups and other dishes. Full sun or semi-shade.

5. Lippia dulcis - Aztec Sweet Herb, Sweetleaf: Mexican herb with incredibly sweet leaves that can be eaten from the plant like candy or tossed into fruit salads for an unusual addition. It has been used since the time of the Aztecs for coughs and colds. Tastes great, can be used by diabetic patients. We add this herb to Karkade or Mint tea as a sweetener. Shade or semi-shade.

Shop Herbs and Edibles

Date: 11 Jul 2024

What is lipstick made of? Lipstick plant!

Hedges with benefits

Q: What is the name of that plant that lipstick made of? Do you have it?

A: Bixa orellana - Lipstick Tree, Annatto or Achiote - is a bushy shrub or a small tree South America with large, impressive leaves, charming pink flowers and amazing... seeds! It is used in various industries, including cosmetics and culinary arts.

Natural Pigment: The seeds of the Bixa plant contain a natural pigment called annatto, which ranges in color from yellow to deep orange-red.

Cosmetic Use: Annatto is commonly used in cosmetics, including lipstick, due to its vibrant coloration. It adds shades of red and orange to cosmetic products. Extract derived from the Bixa seeds is mixed with other ingredients to achieve desired shades. It provides a natural alternative to synthetic dyes.

Famous spice Annatto is widely used as a spice in cooking, particularly in Latin American, Caribbean, and Filipino cuisines.

Flavor and color: It imparts a mild, slightly peppery flavor and is prized for its ability to add a rich, yellow-orange color to dishes such as rice, stews, and sauces.

Health benefits: Beyond its culinary use, annatto seeds have medicinal properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Flower arrangements: The dried seed pods add a unique touch to flower arrangements, enhancing their visual appeal.

Hedge or screen: Ideal for use as a hedge or screen, Bixa requires frequent pruning to encourage bushy growth at the base.

Order Lipstick Tree - Annatto

Date: 11 Jul 2024

Five most popular Avocado varieties

Food Forest

"What is the best variety of Avocado?"
"Do you have the one with small black fruit and bumpy skin?"
"I have avocado with very large green fruit, what variety is it?"

These are frequently asked questions we get from our customers. This basic "classification" by black/green doesn't encompass all the wonderful qualities avocados have to offer. There are numerous hybrids in cultivation, and once you plant your first tree and taste the REAL fruit (not from the grocery store), you'll be eager to explore other varieties. While it's true that avocado fruit can vary in "butter" content, most superior varieties are equally delicious. First comes first -

The most popular Avocado varieties this year are:

1. Brogdon - red-purple pear-shaped fruit, 7-15 oz. Skin is very thin, yellow buttery flesh. Fruit ripens in late summer-fall. Very cold hardy.

2. Hass - probably the most popular, but this tree prefers drier climate (Florida is humid, so we plant adaptable Florida Hass here). The fruit is dark-colored with a rough and bumpy skin, turns black when ripe.

3. Fuerte - a dwarf and a very cold hardy variety. Everybody's favorite "Condo Avocado": perfect for container culture and small yards. The mature tree in the ground is under 15 ft; 6-7 ft in containers.

4. Oro Negro - Oro Negro means "black gold" in Spanish, which is an incredibly appropriate name for this fruit. This Monroe hybrid (with big size fruit) is crossed with a Mexican type which would explain the black skin. The flesh is rich and buttery with a creamy texture.

5. Winter Mexican - one of most cold hardy varieties, Guatemalan x Mexican origin. Mature trees may withstand temperatures in the mid 20s. Oblong fruit, 12-18 oz, thick green skin. Very vigorous tree, bears heavily and regularly in December-January.

Learn more: Avocado Variety Guide - check this out for interactive chart of Avocado varieties and sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!

Check Avocado variety Guide

Photo above: Avocado Hass

Photo above: Avocado Fuerte

Photo above: Avocado Oro-Negro

Photo above: Avocado Winter-Mexican

Shop Avocado varieties

Date: 3 Jul 2024

Celebrate Freedom on Happy 4th!
- Independence Day Sale ending soon -

Feel Free to Fill Your Yard!

Feel FREE to fill your yard with plants you ever wanted for your garden - at the lowest prices. Hurry up, only one day left! Choose from over 100 varieties of rare tropical plants specially priced for this Independence Day:

BLUE TAG SALE $9.95 >> SHOP

RED TAG SALE $14.95 >> SHOP

Check out our BOGO DEALS and Shipping discounts and make it a steal!

While supply lasts
Deals expire July 4, 2024
No minimum order
Max order: 2 plants per variety per order (for shipped orders)
Local pick up - no limit!

$9.95 BLUE TAG SALE

$14.95 RED TAG SALE

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