Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 5 Jan 2026

☘️ What plants are easy to ship in Winter?

Lush  tropical  garden  with  a  bright  green  leafy  Magnolia  champaka  surrounded  by  flowering  shrubs,  such  as  Brunfelsia  grandiflora,  at  Top  Tropicals  nursery

Ordering plants in winter is often easier than people expect - and for many plants, it is actually better. Lush foliage plants like philodendrons and medinilla, fine-leaved trees such as moringa, jacaranda, and poinciana, and even sensitive fruit trees like papaya, jackfruit or starfruit ship more safely in cool weather without overheating stress.

Winter is also ideal for subtropical and cold-tolerant plants, dormant or deciduous plants like plumeria and adenium, orchids - including ground orchids and vanilla orchids, and winter bloomers that flower their best right now. Winter care is simple: water less, use gentle liquid amino-acid fertilizers like Sunshine Boosters, and monitor insects.

In mild climates, many tropicals can be planted anytime, while extra-tender plants can stay potted until spring. Winter is a perfect time to bring tropical warmth indoors and enjoy greenery when you need it most.

🌿Learn more: easy plants for Winter shipping

Date: 17 Nov 2023

Hedges with Benefits
Reference Chart

Hibiscus  mutabilis  flowering  hedge

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: 20 Oct 2024

How hibiscus plant acts like a chameleon

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

👀 How hibiscus plant acts like a chameleon

  • 🌺 Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus - is the magical chameleon of the garden! This beauty opens with pure white flowers that gradually shift to bright pink over three days, much like the Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow plant (Brunfelsia).
  • 🌺 As the blooms age, they take on a rich, deep pink hue, creating a stunning rainbow of colors on the bush all at once.
  • 🌺 With blossoms reaching up to 5 inches across, this hibiscus is as showy as it is unique.
  • 🌺 It's the perfect way to add a touch of dynamic color magic to your garden!


🛒 Order Cotton Candy Hibiscus

#Hedges_with_benefits #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 21 Dec 2024

Why this Hibiscus is changing color?

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

🌸 Why this Hibiscus is changing color?

  • 🌸 Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus - is an amazing winter bloomer that chances flower color! It opens pure white than gradually shifts to baby pink to dark pink over three days, much like the Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow plant (Brunfelsia).
  • 🌸 As the blooms age, they take on a rich, deep pink hue, creating a stunning rainbow of colors on the bush all at once.
  • 🌸 Blossoms reach up to 5 inches across!


📚 From previous posts:


How hibiscus plant acts like a chameleon
How to make your Hibiscus plants thrive and bloom

🛒 Order Cotton Candy Hibiscus

#Hedges_with_benefits #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 26 Apr 2023

The Benefits of Companion Planting

Landscaped  garden  with  companion  planting

Q: What is companion planting?

A: Companion planting is a gardening technique that involves planting different crops or types of plants together in a way that benefits all plants. This practice has been used for centuries, and it can be especially useful in tropical gardens where there is a diversity of plant life: trees, shrubs, vines and climbers, ground covers, fruit and edibles, and different flowering ornamentals. It is a great way to improve the health and yield of fruit tree crops while reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides. By choosing the right companion plants and planning your garden layout carefully, you can create a vibrant and diverse ecosystem that will benefit both your plants and the environment.

Companion planting involves:

Planting different crops together to repel insects: adding such plants as Lemon grass, Patchouli leaf, or Moujean Tea near your vegetables can deter aphids and other pests.

Attracting pollinators - Butterfly plants. Many tropical crops, such as passion fruit, papaya, mango, and avocado, rely on pollinators to produce fruit. Companion planting can help to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden.

Providing nutrients to the soil, adding mulch and low growing plants (ground covers) to preserve moisture.

Planting a variety of different types of plants together in order to create a more resilient ecosystem that is less susceptible to pests and diseases.

To get started, plan your garden layout and choose companion plants with similar water and light requirements.
For example, plant in the same group lush foliage plants, gingers, and flowering brunfelsias in shady areas; plant jasmines and gardenias in full sun and very well-drained spots.
Rotate annual crops regularly and experiment with combinations to find what works best. By doing this, you can create a thriving ecosystem that benefits both your plants and the environment, reducing the need for harmful chemicals.

Landscaped  front  yard  with  companion  planting

Buddah  and  flowers