Six ideas for the best Christmas gift plants

It's this time of the year again when a million dollar question arises: "What do I get them for Christmas?" It's an easy task to buy a gift for a gardener - because we always have a long wish-list! But what to get for everybody else? The answer a simple - buy a live plant... that can bring: Surprise, Love, Joy, Meaning, Convenience, and an Action into their lives! Below are a few wise suggestions.

1. Surprise for Tradition. Everybody knows Ponsettia. Everybody buys it. Every house has it... Red, yellow, white, and even purple... unusual? No, simply dyed with a paint. Ahh. Go RARE! Ponsettia is Euphorbia, get a rare Euphorbia. It has indestructible nature, almosts zero maintenance, and FREE shipping!
Euphorbia leucocephala - Snows of Kilimanjaro
Euphorbia geroldii - Thornless Crown of Thorns
Euphorbia Exotic Thai Candyland, variegated leaves
Euphorbia Pink Cadillac

2. Love. Gardenia Aimee Yoshioka First Love. With a dramatic history behind this cultivar, it is a perfect expression of Love that one can bring to another for Christmas...

3. Joy of Miracle. Miracle fruit. It speaks for itself and is one of the greatest container plants.

4. Meaning. Symbol of Long Life! Adansonia digitata - Baobab, also called the Tree of Longivity, can live for 5000 years. Pass this remarkable plant in your family from generation to generation! Regarded as the largest succulent plant in the world, the Baobab tree is steeped in a wealth of mystique, legend and superstition wherever it occurs in Africa, being a tree that can provide food, water, shelter and relief from sickness. FREE shipping and easy to maintain bonsai.

5. Convenience. A gift card will give your loved ones a chance to browse amazing wonderland of Tropical Plant World, pick something they like and have it shipped to them weather permitting. The gift card (certificate) has no expiration date!

6. Action. Coffea arabica - Coffee. Want to give your kids a project to drag them away from their smartphones? Have them grow a Real Coffee tree. It is a rewarding plant that is happy indoors and gives you a feeling of Creator - for your care, it will bloom for you with fragrant flowers and fruit for you with real coffee beans!

Check out the full list of plants that are great gifts!

If you need further advice on great looking gift plants for Christmas, contact us!
Or call Anna Banana direct @ 239-771-8081.

Happy Shopping!

Amazing root growth after treatment of SUNSHINE-SuperFood!

This Sansevieria grandis leaflet planted indoors in a plastic cup was treated with SuperFood once a week, along with regular monthly N-P-K, for a couple of months. On the photo, you actually see not just a ginormous root but a whole new plant started forming through the colossal size root sucker trying to find its way out. A pretty impressive result for a small plastic cup! The cup was protected from the sunlight, sitting inside of a dark planter. The plant received filtered light sitting on a windowsill with Eastern exposure.

Check out SuperFood

TROPICAL GARDENING: How to grow Brugmansia (Angel Trumpet) in the ground outside.

Q: I recently moved from New Jersey to Florida and I brought with me my Brugmansia that I used to have as a house plant. Can I plant it in the ground now?

A: Angel Trumpet - Brugmansia - is a very popular container plant valued for its large, stunning fragrant flowers. Originated from South America, it will be happy to grow in tropical to subtropical climate outdoors. These are a few useful tips to get the most out of this beautiful plant:
1) Light. Plant it in full sun - the more sun, the more flowers you get, although Brugmansias tolerate shade. If the plant was previously grown in container indoors, to avoid leaf burn, keep it protected with a shade cloth or simply white sheet for a while and gradually open to adjust to full sun.
2) Soil and fertilizer. Use fertile soil with lots of organic matter (add compost to existing soil). It must be very well drained, Angel Trumpet won't tolerate waterlogged conditions. Plant it on a little "hill" elevated 3-4"above the surrounding area. Brugmansias are very heavy feeders. Once the plant is established, fertilize on regular basis with Slow Release Fertilizer - a handful once a month.
3) Water. Water daily until established. Once the root system is well developed, the plant is drought tolerant and won't require too much care. But at the beginning, watch the leaves - the lush foliage droops quickly if the plant is thirsty.
4) Plan space. Brugmansia is a short tree, but it needs a lot of room to spread branches with its heavy hanging flowers. Think 12" wide and maybe almost as much tall.
5) Support. Being widespread plant, Brugmansia can be blown with strong winds. Stake with strong support until established.
6) Propagation. Brugmansia is one of the few plants that propagates with semi-woody cuttings; soft green cuttings usually have little success. Other than that, it is pretty easy!

Check out our Brugmansia collection and... collect them all!

Varieties of Guava

Q: We were just in Australia where guava juice was available in the markets. Pretty sure I can grow different varieties of Guava's here, as I have 3 already, but wondering if it would be psidium guajava or littorale as the best bet for making the pink juice we enjoyed. Thanks so much, your plants are so healthy when they arrive!

A: Both species are used for commercial juice making. We grow lots of Psidium littorale - Cattley Guava, Strawberry Guava - and we make delicious juice. Psidium guajava - Tropical Guava, Guajava - is less juicy, fruit is somewhat dry, but it still has a great flavor; you may need to add water to blended pulp. And sugar - add it to both kinds of fruit!

Check out our Guavas!