Date: 3 Aug 2018
Featured Plant. Monstera deliciosa - Swiss cheese plant
Monstera deliciosa - Swiss cheese plant
Swiss cheese plant is a jungle climbing relative of the philodendron from Mexico and Guatemala. It is seen in gardens in tropical and subtropical areas, growing well in partial sun or shade. The plant begins bearing fruit after three years. The large deep green, cone-like fruit is actually an unripened flower spike, covered with hexagonal scales that dry out and separate as the fruit ripens from the base upwards, revealing the white pulp. It takes a little longer than a year to mature to an edible stage. The fruit tastes kind of like a cross between a sugar apple and a pineapple. Very perfuming smell and taste! It's so amazing, can't figure the consistency, but totally a pineapple sugar apple cross... But wash the black specks off before eating - they will sting your tongue.
Date: 24 Jun 2018
Florida winters and gardening
From
Anna Banana, our Garden Center customer advisor.
Cool weather - no sweat. Here in Florida we are
blessed to have warm winters. We just went to the beach
for Christmas! Winter time is not only a good beach time,
but also the best planting time here. Why? I always refer
my customers to Murray Corman's article Tropical Planting Breaks the
Rules. "...Wintertime does not just mean hard work
for tropical gardeners. It is also a time to enjoy the
fruits of our labor. Winter-blooming plants and the
visitors they attract - birds, bats and butterflies - make
the garden as enjoyable in winter as any other time of
year. Tasks performed during the spring and summer up
north have to be done during the fall and winter here.
Why? The answer is elementary: It's too hot! Taking
advantage of the coolest months of the subtropical year
for heavy chores like planting trees has a twofold
benefit: The gardener can make hay while the sun shines
without getting heat stroke and the plants appreciate the
moderate temperatures, enjoying a break from the stress of
93 degrees in the shade..."
Continue reading...
Winter flowering plants - are a blessing for a tropical gardener. See below what's blooming now! See our recommendations for winter flowering and fruiting plants (PDF)
Date: 24 Jul 2022
Ground Orchids for every Home
10% OFF 3 days only!
Ground orchids are the easiest and the most rewarding flowers for a tropical garden. They grow in regular garden soil or potting mix, take both sun and shade and bloom nearly year around. And look at these colors! Watch the video:
Date: 25 Oct 2025
Straight from the Amazon: the most beautiful ginger everyone asks about at our farm
Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus)
⭐️ Straight from the Amazon: the most beautiful ginger everyone asks about at our farm
- 🌀 Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus) is not your average ginger. Unlike the common gingers with plain green leaves and short flower spikes, this one is a real standout. Its tall spiral stems are striped with bold white variegation, creating a dramatic swirl of green and cream even before it blooms.
- 🌀 And when it does bloom - the flowers are pure white with soft yellow centers, like porcelain sculptures nestled among the leaves. It's a tropical showpiece that turns heads wherever it grows.
- 🌀 Originally from South America and now loved in Hawaii and Florida, this ginger thrives in moist, rich soil and loves plenty of water. It handles both sun and shade, but really shines in a bright, filtered light spot.
- 🌀 We have one growing right by our farm office, and everyone who walks by stops, stares, and says the same thing: "I want that plant!"
🛒 Get your own Amazon Ginger
📚 Learn more:
- 💋The most spectacular variegated ginger
- 💋Ginger makes a natural shampoo
- 💋How Raspberry ginger became spiral
- 💋5 most spectacular Gingers
- 💋Spice Up Your Garden with Variegated Ginger
#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 18 Jan 2026
Five steps to everblooming Rose Hydrangea
Dombeya seminole - Tropical Rose Hydrangea
🌸 Five steps to everblooming Rose Hydrangea
- 🌸 Dombeya seminole - Tropical Rose Hydrangea: everyone who sees this plant falls in love at first sight. Exceptional rose-pink flower clusters cover the shrub, and butterflies and bees go wild over it. While it is considered a winter bloomer, here at Top Tropicals garden we regularly see it flower multiple times a year, with peak bloom from November through January and surprise blooms the rest of the year.
- 🌸 Here is how to keep your Dombeya seminole happy and blooming more:
💋 1. Full sun
The more sun it gets, the more flowers it produces. Sun equals bloom power.
💋 2. Adequate water
Dombeyas are heavy drinkers. Regular watering fuels fast growth and heavier flowering.
💋 3. Feed for flowers
Use Sunshine Megaflor bloom booster with regular watering, or apply Green Magic controlled-release fertilizer every 6 months.
💋 4. Trim after flowering
Prune once blooms fade. A bushier plant means more flowering points next season.
💋 5. Give it space
This is a round, airy shrub. Allow at least 6 x 6 ft for good air circulation and even light exposure.
🌸 Quick facts you will appreciate:
- 💋Often called Tropical Hydrangea because of its hydrangea-like flower clusters
- 💋Blooms fall through spring, often all winter
- 💋Reaches about 6-7 ft tall and wide, but can be kept smaller with pruning
- 💋Thrives in full sun to partial shade and tolerates poor soil
- 💋An excellent nectar source for butterflies
If you want a beautiful color that refuses to quit, this shrub earns its spotlight.
🛒 Add Beautiful Dombeya to your garden
📚 Learn more:
- Dombeya seminole - Tropical Rose Hydrangea i- n Plant Encyclopedia
- The number one seller of tropical flowering shrubs: Tropical Rose Hydrangea.
- What is the most popular Winter-flowering shrub?
- How to create privacy in your yard fast
#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals