Date: 19 Nov 2020
Chorisia speciosa - Exotic Pink Silk Floss Tree
by Onika Amell, tropical plant expert
When I stumbled upon my first Pink Silk Floss tree at the Naples Botanical Garden in Florida, it stopped me in my tracks. It was in full bloom and one of the most beautiful flowering trees I had ever laid my eyes upon. This tree has so much wow factor. Not only are the flowers of this native from the Amazon Rain Forest in South America spectacular, but the trunk, seeds and attractive, umbrella-like crown makes it exceptionally unique and interesting. This tree will stand out in any garden....
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Date: 8 Jul 2020
Grafted fruit trees for Hawaiian gardens
Q: Aloha guys, I purchased a Diospyros digyna - Black Sapote grafted var. Black Beauty from you and am checking to make sure it will fruit by itself and not need both sexes. Also checking to see if the grafted atemoya I bought from you will fruit at sea level (where I'm at) or if I should give it to a friend who is above 1,000 so it will fruit? My grafted Maimi soursop is thriving! Looking at getting a grafted jackfruit from you all next.
A: Black sapote Black Beauty does not need a second plant to produce
fruit. Grafted trees should be flowering and setting fruit right away, or
sometimes on the second year.
Atemoya does not require high elevation for fruiting. It is a hybrid
Annona squamosa x Annona cherimola (A. cherimola species prefers higher
elevation) so Atemoya is usually is happy at sea level.
Congratulations with your Soursop! It should be really happy in your location.
As for grafted Jackfruits, this is the list of varieties we usually carry. Since many of them are very rare, they sell out quickly once we get new arrivals. If you are looking for a specific variety, I strongly recommend to add it to your wishlist (click on "Notify me when available") and you will receive email from us as soon as we have it in stock, so you will be the first one to know about it!
Our favorite Jackfruit varieties (and also hot sellers)
Black Gold
Borneo
Red
Crispy
Dang
Rasimi
We also suggest to get a Kwai Muk (while we still have it!) - the most delicious fruit, and it should do well in Hawaii.
Date: 23 May 2020
Perfumed Milky Way Tree
by Onika Amell, tropical plant expert
What is a garden without fragrance? Unknown to so many gardeners because
of its rarity, the Milky Way tree or Stemmadenia litoralis is one of those trees that are simply
unforgettable. This is without a doubt one of the most fragrant flowering trees you can
plant in the tropics or warm greenhouse conditions...
When this tree is in full bloom, masses of large, white, tornado-shaped
flowers cover the branches. The fragrance is something to behold… soft,
vanilla sweet and musky. Leaves are dark green and sparkly and a striking contrast
against the large, white flowers. Even the seed pods are pretty,
double-horned and orange-gold, born in pairs and hanging from the tree. This tree is so
ornamental!..
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Date: 13 Mar 2020
The stunning beauty of Brownea
by Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc
Recently, while admiring the stunning beauty of a large flowering Brownea planted on the grounds here at Top Tropicals, I began wondering why these most splendid of tropical flowering trees remain so rare and obscure in South Florida. Much of our local climate seems perfectly conducive to their cultivation...
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Date: 15 Feb 2020
Araucaria: A Case of Mistaken Identity
by Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc
There is a particular kind of tall narrow tree, commonly seen planted in yards all over the Florida peninsula... They perhaps resemble Northern spruces or firs, and basically everyone knows them as "Norfolk Island Pines". For many years, I also did not question their identity. Not only are they planted very commonly here in Florida, but are also found for sale, often as potted "Christmas Trees" in every major nursery, big box store, and often grocery stores across the country. They are all sold as Norfolk Island Pines. Basically everyone knows them under that name. However, they are NOT!..
