Avocado, Lychee and Mango setting
fruit... give them some FOOD!
Q:
Do I need to fertilize tropical fruit when they set fruit?
A:
It is traditionally believed that mango and other tropical
fruit shouldn't be fertilized during fruiting period. It
is true to an extent: you don't want fruit to burst from
fast excessive growing. Instead, try to feed fruit trees
wisely, because they still need proper nutrition to
produce flowers and fruit.
Our spring specials of Lychee, Avocado and Mango are full of buds and
some already set tiny fruit (see examples on the photo).
Here is the feeding plan for these plants once you receive
your mail order:
1) Once received the plant, pot it into container size of
the root ball and let establish for couple weeks. Use SUNSHINE-E to help the plant
recover from shipping stress and establish root system.
2) Apply SUNSHINE-Honey right before
flowering, and next time at setting fruit, to provide
sweeter and bigger fruit, eliminate fruit cracks and help
resist fungus and other fruit diseases.
3) Use balanced granulated fertilizer,
1 tsp per each gallon of soil. Apply once a month during
Spring-Summer season. This gives the plant balanced
macro-elements (NPK) necessary for overall plant health.
Do not use on fruit trees fertilizers with high Nitrogen
content.
4) Apply SUNSHINE SuperFood
micro-element booster to keep fruit trees vigorous,
develop strong root system and avoid deficiencies.
5) In case of signs of chlorosis (yellowing leaves with
darker veins), give the tree SUNSHINE-GreenLeaf and watch
the leaves turning green quickly.
After harvesting, don't forget to make another treatment
of SUNSHINE-Honey as a
preparation for the next year flowering and fruiting
season.
Date: 22 Oct 2025
💞 Cassia or Bauhinia?
Looking for a small tree that blooms like fireworks but still fits on
your patio? We hear this question all the time at Top Tropicals: Cassia or
Bauhinia? Both are tropical showstoppers, but they shine in very different
ways.
🌞
Cassias: Sunshine Fireworks
Cassia trees
are some of the most rewarding tropical bloomers you can
grow. Fast-growing, free-flowering, and surprisingly cold-tolerant, they
thrive in full sun and summer heat. Their bright clusters come in shades of
yellow, orange, pink, red, and even multicolor blends. The famous Rainbow
Cassias
show swirls of coral, gold, and rose on the same tree, creating a living
fireworks display.
Cassias can also be grown in pots with pruning and
patience. Once mature, they reward you with breathtaking color that turns
any patio
or pool deck into a tropical show. Most showy cassias (numbers correspond to
the photos in the collage above):
Cassia
bicapsularis (Butterfly Bush) - is a fast-growing,
low-maintenance shrub covered in bright yellow, butterfly-like blooms from
fall
through winter.
Cassia roxburghii (Ceylon Senna) - graceful tree with spreading,
drooping branches appearing to be overweighed by its wealth of clustering
red
blossoms.
Cassia
x nodosa (Pink Shower) - is a spectacular medium-sized, fast-growing
tree with cascading clusters of fragrant pink-and-white appleblossom blooms
in spring and summer.
Cassia fistula (Golden Shower) - to many tropical gardeners, the
most beautiful of cassias with masses of bright gold flower clusters appear
on
almost every branch.
Cassia javanica (Apple Blossom) - dazzles with dense clusters of
pink-to-white blossoms that change shades as they bloom, creating a
spectacular
display that lasts for months.
"Cassias love the heat and sunshine," says Tatiana
Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert. "They are perfect for anyone
who wants big
bursts of color and doesn’t mind giving them space and light to grow."
Bauhinia Magic: Orchid-Like Blooms in a Compact Size
Bauhinia orchid trees: top left
– Bauhinia acuminata (Dwarf White Orchid Tree), middle left –
Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree), bottom left – Bauhinia
monandra
(Napoleon’s Plume Orchid Tree), top right – Bauhinia
madagascariensis (Red Dwarf Orchid Tree), and bottom right – Bauhinia
tomentosa
(Yellow Orchid Tree)
Bauhinia trees
known as Orchid Trees, bring a touch of tropical luxury
to any space. Their butterfly-shaped leaves and orchid-like blossoms appear
in shades of red, pink, purple, white, and yellow, often lasting up to ten
months a year. Bauhinias are ideal for gardeners who want nonstop color in a
manageable size. Most species grow well in large pots and bloom young, often
within the first season.
The following compact varieties stay neat and flower almost
continuously in warm weather:
Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree). A large tree in the
ground, but compact in pots if trimmed. Grafted trees flower right
away.
Winter bloomer, cold hardy to light frost.
The Hong Kong Orchid Tree is especially prized because it
is sterile and produces no messy seed pods, keeping patios clean. Grafted Buhinia
blakeana trees begin blooming while still small, making them perfect for
containers or tight spaces.
"Bauhinias are generous bloomers," Tatiana explains. "They respond
beautifully to regular feeding and full sun. If nights turn too cold, just
move the
pot to a sunny porch - they’ll keep their tropical charm most of the
year."
Give them full sun, regular fertilizer, and a well-drained
mix such as Sunshine
Abundance, and they will reward you with months of vivid
blooms. When nights turn too cold, simply move the pot to a sunny porch or
bright
window. Bauhinias adjust beautifully and keep their tropical grace year
after
year.
🎥
Watch Short Videos:
💲
Special Offer – 20% off Cassias and Bauhinias!
Get 20% OFF Cassias and Bauhinias with code
RAINBOW2025
Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only,
cannot be combined with other offers.
🌸 Magnolia figo, or Banana Magnolia - is in bloom! It is now filling the air with its unbelievably sweet fragrance! Its creamy, cup-shaped flowers smell like fresh bananas mixed with fine perfume - you have to smell it to believe it.
🌸 This compact evergreen shrub grows only about 5-6 ft in a container, making it perfect for small gardens, patios, or even near an entryway where you can enjoy the scent up close. Glossy green leaves, elegant shape, and that irresistible aroma - it’s pure charm in a pot.
🌸 Cold tolerant, heat tolerant, sun or shade - this little magnolia doesn’t ask for much but gives so much back.
How to have fruit year around from Everbearing Mulberry
🍇 How to have fruit year around from Everbearing Mulberry
📱
💗 Dwarf Everbearing and Dwarf Issai - Compact, container-friendly varieties perfect for small spaces. These dwarf trees (6-10 ft tall) are disease and drought resistant, with multiple crops year-round, even from the first year! Ideal for patios and small yards..
Everyone wants Red Jade vine - this is the one that lives! How to grow Red Jade outside the Tropics
Camptosema grandiflorum - Dwarf Red Jade Vine, Cuitelo, or Rooster's Crest
❤️ Everyone wants Red Jade vine - this is the one that lives! How to grow Red Jade outside the Tropics.
🔥 Camptosema grandiflorum (grandiflora) - Dwarf Red Jade Vine, Cuitelo, or Rooster's Crest - this Brazilian superstar brings cascading chains of bright red blooms.
🔥 Love the stunning, fiery blooms of the famous Red Jade Vine (Mucuna benettii) but live outside the tropics? Its cousin - Dwarf Red Jade Vine - delivers the same jaw-dropping, flame-red flower chains as the famous tropical Red Jade vines - but without the extreme fuss.
🔥 This vine is native to Brazil, where it grows at higher elevations. That is the secret. It is noticeably more cold tolerant than Mucuna benettii and can handle short dips to around 28F with little or no damage. It is also more forgiving with watering and can tolerate brief dry spells once established.
🔥 Bloom time is late fall through winter, exactly when most gardens slow down. The flowers are long, heavy, and hang best from a pergola, arbor, or fence where they can cascade freely. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds find it fast.
🔥 Despite the word "dwarf," this is a vigorous vine. It grows quickly, needs strong support, and rewards good care with a massive display. Give it sun to light shade, water when the soil feels slightly dry, avoid soggy roots, and prune after flowering. Mulch helps keep roots cool.
🔥 It can even be grown in a large container with solid support.
🔥 If you have ever wanted the iconic Red Jade look but live in a place with real winters or surprise cold nights - this is the smarter choice.
