Date: 17 Nov 2023
Hedges
with Benefits
Reference Chart
Large and fast growing
Tithonia diversifolia - Sunflower tree
Acacia farnesiana
- Sweet Mimosa
Calliandra
surinamensis - Powderpuff
Aloysia virgata
- Almond Bush
Dombeya x wallichii - Tropical Hydrangea
Cornutia grandifolia - African lilac
Gmelina
philippensis - Parrots Beak
Hibiscus
mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus
Senna alata -
Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant
Medium or easy-trim
Acalypha hispida - Cat tail, Chenille plant
Bauhinia galpinii - Pride of De Kaap
Cestrum nocturnum
- Night blooming jasmine
Dombeya seminole
- Tropical Rose Hydrangea
Gardenia thunbergia - Forest
gardenia
Hamelia patens - Fire Bush
Hibiscus variegated
Snow Queen
Jasminum sambac
Maid of Orleans
Ochna integerrima
- Vietnamese Mickey Mouse, Hoa Mai
Odontonema callistachyum - Lavender Butterfly Bush
Odontonema cuspidatum - Firespike, Red
Rondeletia
leucophylla - Panama Rose
Tecoma stans - Yellow Elder
Short or slow growing
Aglaia odorata - Chinese Perfume Plant
Allamanda
schottii - Dwarf Allamanda Bush
Brunfelsia pauciflora Compacta - Dwarf Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow
Clerodendrum
incisum - Musical Note
Calliandra schultzii -
Dwarf calliandra
Gardenia
vietnamensis - Vietnamese Gardenia
Leonotis leonurus
- Lions Ears
Neea psychotrioides - Pigeon Plum, Hoja de Salat
Plumbago auriculata Imperial Blue
Garden Specimens
Combretum constrictum Thailand, Ball of Fire
Caesalpinia
pulcherrima - Red Dwarf Poinciana, Bird of Paradise
Clerodendrum
quadriloculare - Winter Starburst
Euphorbia
leucocephala - Snows of Kilimanjaro, Pascuita
Gardenia nitida - Shooting Star Gardenia
Hibiscus schizopetalus - Coral Hibiscus
Jatropha integerrima compacta
Kopsia fruticosa - Pink Gardenia
Malvaviscus x penduliflorus
Variegata - Summer Snow
Mussaenda philippica
x flava - Calcutta Sunset (Marmelade)
Plumeria pudica - Bridal Bouquet
Semi-Shade to Shade
Clerodendrum bungei - Glory Bower
Clerodendrum
paniculatum - Pagoda Flower
Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage, Lead Flower
Clerodendrum
speciosissimum - Java Glorybower Mary Jane
Justicia carnea
- Pink Brazilian Plume, Jacobinia
Magnolia figo -
Banana Magnolia
Megaskepasma erythrochlamys - Brazilian plume
Thunbergia erecta - Kings Mantle
Tibouchina lepidota - Ecuador Princess, Jules Dwarf
Edible Hedges
Eugenia uniflora - Black Surinam Cherry Lolita
Camellia sinensis
- Tea Leaf
Hibiscus
sabdariffa - Flor de Jamaica, Karkade Sorrel
Laurus nobilis - Bay Leaf
Manihot esculenta
- Yuca Root
Nashia inaguensis
- Moujean Tea, Bahamas Berry
Sauropus androgynus - Katuk, Tropical Asparagus
Sauropus Variegata - variegated Katuk
Date: 14 Oct 2024
New Animation Video: Grow Your Own Food
Q: Prices continue to skyrocket! How can we afford healthy food? I wish I could grow money, like that useless grass in the yard - it grows faster than we can mow it!
A: You don't have to grow money! Grow the fruit! Use your yard instead of being used by your yard. Start your own Food Forest today by planting the edible landscape. Grow your own food - we can help!
Plant a tree today and enjoy your fruit tomorrow!
Watch our new video:
Subscribe to our Channel:
Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by subscribing to our channel at YouTube.com/TopTropicals and get our latest video news of what is fruiting and blooming!
Date: 7 Oct 2024
How to use your yard instead of being used by your yard? Grow your own food - we can help! Sound on
How to use your yard instead of being used by your yard? Grow your own food - we can help!
🌳 How to use your yard instead of being used by your yard? Grow your own food - we can help! Sound on 🎶
😩 "I want to buy some Mango fruit for my kids but prices continue to skyrocket! How can we afford healthy food? I wish I could grow money, like that useless grass in the yard – it grows faster than we can mow it!"
You don't have to grow money, grow the fruit. Use your yard instead of being used by your yard: grow your own mango and stay happy!
⬆️ Start your own Food Forest today by planting the edible landscape. Plant a tree today and enjoy your fruit tomorrow!
🛒 Order your trees online from TopTropicals.com - we ship Nationwide!
📱 Watch HR video:
#Food_Forest #Mango
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 7 May 2025
Why you should grow a Pitanga tree
Eugenia uniflora - Surinam cherry, Brazilian cherry, Pitanga tree - fruit
Eugenia uniflora - Surinam cherry, Brazilian cherry, Pitanga tree - fruit var. Lolita
Eugenia uniflora - Surinam cherry, Brazilian cherry, Pitanga tree
Eugenia uniflora - Surinam cherry, Brazilian cherry, Pitanga tree - fruit var. Lolita
🍒 Why you should grow a Eugenia uniflora), also known as Surinam cherry or Brazilian cherry
Pitanga (Eugenia uniflora), also known as Surinam cherry or Brazilian cherry, is a tropical fruit that's as tasty as it is healthy. This small tree or bush brings beauty to your yard and benefits to your body. With shiny leaves, fragrant white flowers, and bright red or dark maroon fruit, it's an easy-to-grow plant that also happens to be a nutritional powerhouse.
❓ So, why plant Pitanga?
- 🍒 Pitanga is packed with vitamins. Pitanga is loaded with vitamin C for glowing skin and a strong immune system, and vitamin A for healthy eyes.
- 🍒 Pitanga is full of antioxidants. Especially the dark fruits, which are rich in plant compounds like lycopene and beta-carotene that may protect your cells and reduce inflammation.
- 🍒 Pitanga has healing power. Traditional medicine has used it for heartburn, stomach issues, and even respiratory conditions. Lab studies show it may help fight bacteria and fungi too.
- 🍒 Pitanga might fight cancer. Early research suggests pitanga extracts may slow cancer cell growth.
- 🍒 Pitanga tastes like summer. When fully ripe, the juicy fruit has a sweet-tart flavor - great in salads, desserts, jams, and even cocktails. Pitanga var. Black Star, or Lolita has exceptional flavor, larger sweeter fruit than regular red-fruit variety.
⚠️ Bonus: It grows fast, stays evergreen, and makes a great natural privacy screen or edible hedge.
If you're looking for a tropical fruit tree that’s both beautiful and beneficial, Pitanga is a smart choice. Just make sure to pick the fruit when fully ripe - and prepare to fall in love with this cherry that's not quite a cherry!
🛒 Start growing Health today - add Pitanga to your Food Forest
📚 More about Lolita Cherry from previous posts:
- 💋What makes Lolita different from regular Surinam Cherry?
- 💋Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits: #8 Lolita Cherry
- 💋 Who is that Sweet Black Lolita from Surinam?
- 💋Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #3. Eugenias - Tropical Cherries
- 💋How to make a jam with Surinam Cherry
#Food_Forest #Remedies #Hedges_with_benefits #Discover
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 2 Mar 2026
😼😺 The Story Behind Smokey and Sunshine 🐾
Smokey: Not so fast, genius. Twenty five degrees is not the North Pole. And polar bears and penguins do not share zip codes.
Sunshine: You always pour cold water on my brilliance. Fine. Where do we start?
Smokey: Well, first you go talk to Tatiana. She graduated from the Geography Department. She can explain climate zones. Cherry of the Rio Grande can grow in North Florida, Texas, and similar climates. Let’s master that before we conquer Arctic.
Sunshine: So… Phase One: Geography?
Smokey: Exactly.
Some stories are easier to tell with a little humor. Smokey and Sunshine were never just mascots. They represent the two forces behind every decision we make here: bold ideas and careful reality. One dreams big. The other checks the climate zone map. Together, they remind us that growing plants is part science, part optimism, and always personal. If you have ever wondered why they keep appearing in our newsletters, you can read their full story on the Smokey and Sunshine page. They have been with us longer than most people realize.
🐾 Learn the Story of Smoky and Sunshine
Freeze Testing of Grumichama and Cherry of Rio Grande 🍒❄️
When temperatures dropped to 25F, with wind chill near 14F, winter made it clear which tropical trees were truly resilient. Some plants burned back. Tender growth collapsed. But our established Eugenia cherries stood steady. Leaves held. Branches stayed flexible. The canopy remained intact.
Cherry of the Rio Grande (Eugenia aggregata) and Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis) are among the most cold-hardy tropical cherries for Southern gardens. Both are native to Brazil and thrive in USDA Zones 9b–11, and even protected 9a sites.
Cherry of the Rio Grande produces dark ruby fruit that ripens almost black, with a rich, full cherry flavor. It flowers early in spring and can fruit well into summer. Mature trees can tolerate brief drops into the low 20s once established. Trees typically grow 8 to 15 feet tall, remain naturally compact, and often begin fruiting within 2 to 3 years.
Grumichama is an evergreen tree known for both beauty and productivity. In spring, it covers itself in white starburst flowers that attract pollinators. Within about four weeks, glossy purple-black fruit develops. Established trees tolerate temperatures into the upper 20s and grow well in the ground or in 5–10 gallon containers. Mature trees can produce hundreds of fruits per season.
Across the Eugenia group, strengths are consistent: early bearing, compact growth, heat tolerance, light freeze endurance, and low pest pressure. They are adaptable to different soils, need modest water once established, and perform in full sun or partial shade. Birds enjoy the fruit, but there is usually plenty to share.
Nutritionally, Eugenia cherries provide Vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and notable Vitamin A that supports eye health. They offer sweetness with real dietary value.
In the kitchen, they are simple and rewarding. Cherry of the Rio Grande makes an easy compote. Simmer the fruit with a small amount of water until soft, mash lightly, and spoon over pancakes or warm bread. Grumichama turns into a deep red jam with sugar and lime, or can be blended into a bright spoon drizzle over vanilla ice cream.
Even when not fruiting, both trees remain attractive year-round with glossy evergreen foliage and clean structure. They fit well into edible landscapes, small yards, and container gardens.
Winter will return. The difference lies in planting fruit trees that can handle heat, humidity, and the occasional cold snap. If you are building a food forest for lasting harvests, cold-hardy tropical cherries like Cherry of the Rio Grande and Grumichama deserve a place in your garden.
