Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 8 Mar 2025

What is the most beautiful winter flowering tree for Florida snowbirds?

Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia, Pau DArco, Taheebo

🌸 What is the most beautiful winter flowering tree for Florida snowbirds?

🌸 It's not a cherry blossom! It's one of the most beautiful Florida trees - Tabebuia impetiginosa - Dwarf Pink Tabebuia, Pau DArco, Taheebo. It is in full bloom now, and it's a spectacular view!
🌸 This tree is a Florida favorite that's sure to make your garden stand out. This beauty is a winter-spring bloomer that'll have your landscape looking fabulous with bright pink flowers and a splash of yellow in the throats.
🌸 These gorgeous blooms pop up before the tree even puts out new leaves.
🌸 Perfect for smaller yards, this compact tree brings a burst of color without taking up too much space. Plus, it's the ideal choice for snowbirds visiting Florida in winter - when you're craving some color!
🌸 But this Tabebuia isn't just pretty - it's also practical! This tropical beauty is cold-hardy down to the upper 20’s, making it a great fit for Central Florida.
🌸 It's been a prized medicinal tree for centuries! Pau DArco (Taheebo) bark is brewed to make a smooth, earthy, and subtly sweet tea that contains compounds like lapachol and quercetin, used for centuries by indigenous South American tribes. A tree that's not only lovely to look at but also useful? That’s a win-win!
🌸 Starts flowering in very small size - see next post ⬇️

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Date: 31 Oct 2023

How to establish Tabernaemontana
and get more fragrant blooms

Q: I purchased Tabernaemontana australis from you back in June of this year and it recovered just fine, but the new growth got some chlorosis. Older leaves still look normal. The flowers also look normal but lack fragrance. Since I live up north, I have it in a heated greenhouse for the winter, with a grow light to compensate for the short days. I have it in a 10 inch clay pot in a mix of equal parts standard indoor potting soil, peat moss, and perlite. It gets fed with half strength 10-10-10 about once a month on average. Is there some specific culture that you would recommend for this plant ? I really love it and want it to thrive.

A: Tabernaemontana is a plant that may take some time to establish itself, and leaf chlorosis often becomes a common issue when the root system is not well-established. This symptom is indicative of Iron deficiency, and possibly other micro-element deficiencies, such as Boron or Molybdenum, which become more apparent when the plant receives excessive water. This problem tends to intensify as temperatures drop, particularly when a combination of cool and wet conditions prevails. It's worth noting that your potting mix seems to be appropriate for this plant.

In light of these circumstances, we recommend the following steps:

1) Reduce watering during the cooler season, especially when daylight hours are shorter. Allow the top layer of the soil to dry before watering again.

2) Consider supplementing with microelements using a product like Sunshine Superfood. You can apply this as a foliar spray and mix it with your watering can.

3) Maintain your regular fertilizing program throughout the winter months, but ensure that you use only liquid amino-acid fertilizer, such as Sunshine Megaflor. Follow the instructions on the label for the correct dosage and apply it with each watering, even during the winter. Since you will be reducing amount of water, the amount of fertilizer also will be adjusted accordingly.
Important: do not use any dry fertilizers during winter months (Nov-March).

Regarding the fragrance of the flowers, they typically emit a mild, sweet scent, although it may not be as potent as that of gardenia or jasmine. The strongest aroma usually becomes more prominent during warm (but not excessively hot) and humid conditions, particularly in the morning hours. As the plant grows larger and healthier, the fragrance should become more intense because the flowers produce more essential oil when the plant is robust. You may also apply Sunshine Honey supplement to improve flower quality and fragrance strength.

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Date: 22 Mar 2017

Condo Mango

Q: I was curious about indoor fruiting mango trees. I live in upstate New York and was thinking about trying to grow an indoor tree for fruit. I have a small heated greenhouse. Is there a variety that can be grown from seed that would suit my purposes and if not what is the most economical way I could obtain a cutting or small grafted plant? I keep my greenhouse around 60F in the winter and have no supplemental lighting. Are there any varieties that may work in a sunroom or other well lit indoor location?

A: There are many dwarf varieties of mango suitable for container culture. They are called "condo mangoes".
The most popular condo varieties are: Carrie, Cogshall, Cushman, Fairchild, Graham, Ice Cream, Julie , Mallika, Nam Doc Mai, Pickering. You may read more about them in our online catalog. You may also look into variety Lancetilla which is also a compact tree, and produces one of the biggest size fruit, up to 5 pounds. If you want some rare variety that hardly anyone else has - try Baptiste, an exotic Haitian dessert mango.

Your greenhouse should work for the winter time. Mango trees can take as low as mid 40s during winter and even lower as long as that cold is occasional. If you keep the temperature around 60, this should work well for over wintering. Just make sure to reduce watering to a minimum, because cool temperatures, low light and wet soil - is a bad combination for tropical plants, especially for mango trees which prefer to be kept on a dry side.

Many indoor gardeners have fruiting mango trees in their collection. However, keep in mind that the most important requirement for a mango is full sun. While you may over winter the plant for a few months in a low light conditions, in order for it to flower and produce fruit it needs lots of light. If moving the tree into full sun your yard during the summer is possible, this would be the best solution.

We always recommend SUNSHINE boosters for both over wintering tropical plants in colder climates, and for indoor gardening. SUNSHINE applications will help your tree to cope with cool temperatures and low light conditions. This will also dramatically increase flowering and fruiting performance. Another important factor for keeping your container plant healthy is quality of your potting soil. We offer a special professional mix that contains lots of good stuff: coconut fiber, peat moss, pine bark, and perlite. Fertilizing potted plants is also very important during the warm season, because this is the only way for them to get nutrients (which in the ground can be reached by spreading root system).

As far as seedlings vs. grafting - the only way to have a nicely fruiting mango tree is to plant a grafted variety. Seedlings start producing only after 8-15 years, and the quality of such fruit may be questionable. Only grafted plants can guarantee the desired taste of a variety. Besides, grafted mangoes start producing immediately - you may see fruit forming on plants as small as 3 ft, in 3 gal containers. However, during the first 1-2 years you will need to remove extra fruit and leave only 1-2 fruit so the plant doesn't get exhausted and has enough energy to establish strong root system.

For fun stories about growing mango, check out our Radio Show recording YO Tango Mango!

Date: 24 Mar 2024

Bauhinias: trees with Orchid Flowers
and Butterfly Wings...

Photo above: Bauhinia variegata - Purple Orchid Tree, one of the most spectacular varieties.

Q: We just moved to Florida and I see these beautiful trees with large purple flowers. I was told these are Orchid trees, do you have them?

A: Bauhinias, commonly known as Orchid trees, are renowned for their captivating flowers and unique foliage. These trees typically grow to a moderate height of 15-25 feet with a spread of 10-15 feet, showcasing a rounded to vase-like shape. Thriving in hardiness zones 9-11, they exhibit resilience to heat and can withstand mild frost. There are over 300 species of Bauhinia, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. These species vary in characteristics such as size, foliage, and flower color, contributing to the diversity and appeal of this genus. You can find them as trees, shrubs, and even vines.

Bauhinias are evergreen (in tropics) to semi-deciduous (in cooler climates), offering year-round beauty with intermittent blooming cycles. The peak bloom time varies depending on the species and location, often occurring in late winter to early spring, bedecking the tree with striking orchid-like flowers in hues ranging from white and pink to purple and red. The flowers boast delicate petals with intricate patterns, resembling the elegance of true orchids.

One of the distinguishing features of Bauhinia leaves is their unique bi-lobed or bilobed structure, which gives them a distinct appearance. The leaves are deeply divided, typically into two lobes or halves, hence the common name "Butterfly tree" due to their resemblance to butterfly wings. This characteristic is often used as an identifying trait for Bauhinia species. The bilobed leaves add to the visual appeal of the tree, contributing to its ornamental value in addition to its beautiful flowers.

Photo above: Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume, starts flowering in small size. This one is very beautiful but the most cold sensitive and should be grown in pots in areas with winter freeze. It will happily bloom in container!

Low-maintenance by nature, Bauhinias require minimal upkeep. Annual feeding with a balanced fertilizer enhances growth and flowering. Pruning is generally optional but can be done in late winter or spring, after flowering, to maintain shape or remove dead or damaged branches. These trees thrive in full sun, preferring well-drained soil. With their enchanting blooms and easy care requirements, Bauhinia orchid trees are a delightful addition to any landscape, and a colorful specimen for tropical winter gardens.

In addition, Orchid trees grow fast and provide excellent shade. They can make a shady spot in your garden in no time, giving relief from the hot sun. This is really valuable, especially in places where it gets very hot. So, not only are Orchid trees pretty to look at with their lovely flowers, but they're also great for keeping you cool!

Read more about Bauninias:
Bauihnias: Orchid trees with Butterfly flowers... and leaves

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Photo above: Bauhinia x alba (candida) - White orchid tree, the most cold hardy variety that can take light freeze once established.

Photo above: Bauhinia purpurea - Purple Orchid Tree, one of the most popular and easy trees in Southern landscapes.

Date: 15 Dec 2020

Plant of the Month:

Fragrant Dombeya Tree

Every tropical gardener wants to have a Dombeya (a.k.a. Tropical Hydrangea) in their collection - an easy to grow, fast growing winter bloomer. These plants don't require any special care, thrive in neglect in both sun or shade, and flower profusely during Fall-Winter months - what an awesome treat! Dombeyas are also wanted for their vigorous growth habit - they can cover unwanted view in no time, fill and empty corner in your yard, create a colorful tropical display, and attract lots of butterflies and bees. They are not afraid of water logging, in fact the more you water them, the faster they grow. The large tropical leaves are beautiful - soft, fuzzy, with shallow, maple-like lobes. This plant is tolerant to both light frost and periods of drought.
Most Dombeyas grow into round, dense bushes, but this one variety of is very special. Dombeya burgessiae from South Africa actually grows into a small (10-15 ft), pretty, upright tree that is covered with beautiful blossoms during winter. The flowers are creme color with raspberry centers, attracting lots of pollinators, and what is the most special - they are sweetly fragrant! What a beauty!

Surround yourself with aromatic cloud of Dombeya winter blooms!

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