Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 29 May 2026

Avocado Brogdon: the hidden world beyond green and black

Avocado Brogdon fruit

Avocado Brogdon fruit

Avocado Brogdon in a pot

Avocado Brogdon in a pot

Avocado Brogdon: the hidden world beyond green and black



Brogdon is one of Florida's most popular cold-hardy avocados. The fruit develops attractive purple-black skin and contains exceptionally rich, buttery flesh with a high oil content. The tree is vigorous, productive, and capable of tolerating temperatures around 20°F, making it a favorite for gardeners who want excellent flavor without sacrificing cold tolerance.

· Botanical name: Persea americana 'Brogdon'
· Origin: Mexican hybrid (Florida selection)
· Cold hardiness: Tolerates temperatures around 20°F and is considered one of the most cold-hardy avocados for Florida
· USDA zones: 9a-11
· Flower type: B
· Tree size: Approximately 30 ft x 20 ft
· Growth habit: Vigorous, upright, and productive with a dense canopy
· Foliage: Glossy green leaves with the characteristic fragrance of Mexican-type avocados when crushed
· Fruit size: 7-20 oz
· Fruit shape: Pear-shaped
· Fruit color: Purple-black when ripe
· Skin: Thin, smooth, and easy to peel
· Flesh: Deep yellow, creamy, buttery, and high in oil
· Flavor: Rich, nutty, and often considered among the best-tasting cold-hardy avocados
· Season: September-October
· Best use: Fresh eating, slicing, guacamole, and gourmet dishes
· Special feature: Combines excellent cold hardiness with premium fruit quality and attractive dark skin
· Why growers love it: Brogdon is often considered the avocado that proves cold-hardy varieties do not have to sacrifice flavor. Its rich buttery flesh, beautiful purple-black fruit, and dependable performance have made it one of the most popular avocados for home gardeners in the Southeast. 👉 More

💡 Avocado tip: Don't overwater


More avocado trees die from too much water than too little. Water deeply, then allow the soil to partially dry before watering again.

🛒 Explore cold hardy Avocado varieties

📚 Learn more:


· Avocado Variety Guide: Snack or Guacamole? Collector's inspiration
· Avocado Joey: the hidden world beyond green and black
· Avocado Fantastic: the hidden world beyond green and black
· Avocado Fantastic Quick Facts
· Cold-hardy avocado survival groups - what the numbers really mean
· How to protect Avocado from cold and how hardy is it?
· Avocado that laughs at frost: Mexicola Grande for cooler climates
· Cold hardy Avocado Joey - you eat it with the skin

📖 Our Book: Avocado Variety Guide, Snack or Guacamole?
·
Hard copy · PDF File Download

#Food_Forest #Avocado #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 15 Jun 2026

Passion fruit baked yogurt

Passion fruit baked yogurt Passion fruit baked yogurt
🍴 Passion fruit baked yogurt: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

🟡Stir fresh passion fruit pulp and a drizzle of honey into plain yogurt until evenly combined.
🟡Spoon the mixture into small ramekins and place them in a baking dish.
🟡Bake gently until the yogurt is just set but still slightly creamy in the center.
🟡Allow to cool, then chill for at least an hour to develop a smooth, custard-like texture.
🟡Top with a spoonful of fresh passion fruit pulp before serving for an extra burst of tropical flavor.

🌿 About the plant:


Passion fruit belongs to the genus Passiflora, known for its intricate, almost architectural flowers with layered filaments and bold central structures. The fruit develops after pollination, forming a tough rind around fragrant pulp.

🏡 In the garden:


Vines can grow aggressively in warm climates and quickly cover trellises or fences. Regular pruning after fruiting keeps the plant manageable and encourages new flowering growth.

🛒 Plant Passionfruit Vine - fast growing and rewarding

📚 Learn more:

Passion Fruit Plant Facts

Botanical name: Passiflora edulis
Also known as: Passion Fruit, Parcha, Maracuya, Granadilla
USDA Zone: 8 - 11
Highligths Vine or creeper plantFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryBlue, lavender, purple flowersWhite, off-white flowersEdible plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
Get personalized tips for your region

Passiflora edulis in Plant Encyclopedia
Passion fruit butter glaze: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
The truth about Passion flower and Passion fruit.

#Food_Forest #Recipes

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 25 Jun 2021

Kristi's Loquat Tropical BBQ sauce

Loquat trees are famous for their abundant fruit production. Many customers who purchased this tree from us, soon end up with some serious crops and start asking if we have any special recipes for loquat fruit - because you can only eat so much out of hand! Here is our manager Kristi's favorite Loquat recipe - not only delicious and tropically-aromatic, but also good for you. Happy Tropical Meal!

Ingredients

2 lbs loquat fruit
1 cup soft brown sugar
3 cups malt vinegar
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cloves whole or 1/2 tsp ground cloves

Instructions

Wash the fruit, cut them in half and remove stones. The loquats will lose about a third of their weight once stoned (3 lbs of whole fruit = 2 lbs of fruit, stones removed). Add loquats and all remaining ingredients to a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil, then simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. The liquid will have reduced quite a bit and the fruit will be collapsed and very soft. Allow to cool slightly, then liquidize the sauce in a blender or a food processor. Be careful, hot sauce really burns!
This delicious tropical sauce is great for any BBQ - with meats or fish. Enjoy!

Date: 30 Aug 2020

Healthy Plant Food

Q&A from Mr Booster

How to make Mango tree fruit

Q: Hello, I have a five-year-old Lemon Meringue tree that has only given me fruit one year. It put out about 50 mangoes and has done nothing for the past three years. Do you recommend any vitamins or any of the nutrients that you guys sell to help with this for next season?

A: We've had very similar problem with our Nam Doc Mai Mango tree, fruited once and no more next year. Usually the reason is nutrients deficiency, here in Florida we have poor soils. We applied Mango-Tango tree booster and it started flowering within a couple of weeks.
Generally, Mango flowering season is over by now, however, we recommend to feed the tree starting now, during active growth season. This way it will get better established before winter and also will store away all elements necessary for triggering flowering and fruiting. So by late Fall through Winter it will be ready to flower.
Along with the fertilizer, additional micro-element supplements will be beneficial. For improving fruit quality and increasing number of flowers, we also recommend to use SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster

SUNSHINE Mango Tango - Mango Tree Booster, for healthy mango trees and profuse fruit production.

SUNSHINE Honey - a natural supplements that makes fruit sweeter, and increases fruit quantity and quality.

Date: 22 Jun 2024

Pineapple Season started!
The most luscious Hospitality Fruit

Pineapples

Pineapple plant (Ananas comosus) produces a delicious fruit treat and is a fascinating plant to grow.

King of fruits. Pineapple is often referred to as the "king of fruits" (along with Durian and Mango). It is cherished for its sweet and tangy taste, refreshing qualities, culinary uses, and health benefits, including high vitamin C content and digestive enzymes.

Bromelain for healthy guts: pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain that can break down proteins and is often used as a meat tenderizer. It's great for digestion; eat 1 slice of pineapple after every meal to maintain healthy digestive system.

Single fruit per plant: each pineapple plant produces just one pineapple per year.

Growth time: It takes about 18-24 months for a pineapple to mature and be ready for harvest.

Symbol of Hospitality: in many cultures, pineapples are a symbol of hospitality and welcome.

Those are berries! A pineapple is formed from many individual single fruit (technically, berries), which fuse together around the core.

Cultivation. Pineapples are easy to grow. They need very little water to thrive, and take full sun, shade, semi-shade. For faster production, fertilize with SUNSHINE boosters Ananas - Pineapple and Bromeliad Booster. Perfect container plant, Pineapple can be grown indoors as a houseplant. Many superior varieties are available in selection.

Learn more: The most luscious Hospitality Fruit - Pineapple.

Sunshine  Boosters  Ananas

Pineapple