Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 21 Mar 2025

Spring is calling - let's plant some trees!

March 21: World Planting Day
Big Tree Sale and Specials

Cat planting a tree

Spring is Officially Here! March 20, 2025, marked the Spring Equinox - the first day of Spring - a season of growth, renewal, and fresh beginnings! And on March 21, we celebrate International Day of Forests - the perfect time to plant a tree!

Happen to live in Florida? You're in luck: Top Tropicals is right around the corner! Not only do we offer a massive online selection of flowering and fruiting tropical trees, but we also have large, ready-to-go trees in 7-gal, 15-gal, and 25-gal sizes - already mature and ready to bloom and fruit! No waiting years for results! Mango, Avocado, Champaka and other hot selling trees are available in large size.

And here's the best part - FREE DELIVERY! (see offer details below ). Visit our Garden Center in Ft. Myers or our B-Farm in Sebring, Florida to check out our large tree selection. Our friendly team is ready to help you find the perfect trees, discuss delivery options, and even install them for you!

Yes, we install! We bring the trees, soil, mulch, fertilizer, and all necessary supplies for a hassle-free garden upgrade! Discounts and special deals are available based on order size and plant type. Enjoy our free delivery deal this week only! See offer details below.

Fruiting Wax Jamboo in 25 gal pot
Fruiting Wax Jamboo in 25 gal pot

FREE DELIVERY+
7 gal - $25 off regular price
15 gal - $75 off regular price
25 gal - $125 off regular price
Purchase over $300 in big trees, install only $30 for 15g, $60 for 25g
Purchase over $600 in big trees, install only $20 each

For walk ins only. Min order $200 for free delivery to Lee, Collier, Highlands counties and more (check with our office). Exp. 3-28-25

Shop 15 -25 gal inventory

Shop 7 gal inventory

Avocado trees in 15 gal pots

Champaka trees in 15 gal pots

Date: 5 Apr 2025

Go Bananas - up to 20% OFF Banana Trees!

Now through 4/15 - Limited Time Only!

Banana varieties collage

Banana Health Benefits

Bananas are a powerhouse of nutrition - rich in potassium for heart health, and packed with vitamins B6 and C to boost energy and immunity. They come from fast-growing, easy-care trees that thrive in warm climates or containers. Whether eaten fresh, blended, or baked, bananas are a naturally sweet and tasty treat you can grow yourself!

Ready to turn your garden into a tropical paradise and grow your own delicious bananas? Now's your chance - use our offer below!

A Banana for Every Space and Taste

At Top Tropicals, we've got over a dozen top banana varieties - from exotic ornamental beauties like Blood Leaf and Siam Ruby to edible showstoppers. Edible varieties range from popular, heavy-producing types like Double Mahoi to rare collector favorites like Ice Cream (Blue Java) - the kind you'll never find at the grocery store. We also carry dwarf varieties that grow just 4 feet tall but still produce full-sized fruit - perfect for containers, patios, and small spaces. Collect them all - edible, ornamental, dwarf, rare - and enjoy the fun, flavor, and beauty of growing your own banana grove.

From Collectors to Beginners - We've Got Your Banana

"Growing bananas is like growing sunshine. They bring energy, beauty, and fruit to your doorstep." - said Dr. Richard Campbell, tropical fruit expert and co-creator of the condo mango concept.

Growing bananas is easy, low-maintenance, and budget-friendly. With Sunshine Boosters plant food, these tropical favorites grow fast and can start producing as soon as next season! Whether you live in the South or up North, in a house or an apartment - you can grow your own bananas in the garden, on a balcony, patio, or lanai and enjoy the taste of the tropics at home.

Special Offer

Get instant 10% off all bananas for 1 week only, plus extra 10% OFF sitewide with code below for qualified orders.

Additional 10% off your entire purchase (including any other plants), saving total of 20% on your Banana trees:

GOBANANAS

Min order $150, excluding S/H. Exp. 4-15-25

Hurry, offer ends April 15th!

Go Bananas!

Banana Truly Tiny

Learn More About Banana Varieties:

- Top Ornamental Banana Varieties - Which One Belongs in Your Garden?
- Best Edible Bananas to Grow - Sweet, Unique, and Delicious!
- How Many Banana Varieties Can You Grow? (More Than You Think!)

Sunshine Boosters fertilizers for Banana trees

In the photo above: Sunshine Boosters are the best fertilizers for ornamental (Sunshine Robusta) and edible bananas (Sunshine C-Cibus).

Date: 19 Nov 2025

5 fruits that help manage gout (high uric acid)

5 fruits that help manage gout

5 fruits that help manage gout

🍒 5 fruits that help manage gout (high uric acid)



💥 High uric acid, hyperuricemia, also called gout, causes painful swelling in joints and can affect kidney health over time. Medicine helps, but so does what you grow and eat. Some fruits can naturally flush out excess uric acid and reduce inflammation. Here are five easy fruit trees and plants that can help:

🍋 Citrus


Citrus trees are great to grow in pots or sunny yards. Lemons and oranges are rich in vitamin C, which helps kidneys remove uric acid and keeps the body’s pH balanced. A glass of lemon water in the morning or a fresh orange during the day can help. Studies in Science Direct show lemon juice lowers uric acid levels in the blood.

Berries (mulberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries)


Berries are packed with antioxidants that fight inflammation and support kidney health. Mulberry trees are perennial trees and bushes that produce berries year after year. They grow well in both temperate and warm areas, and are an easy choice for all backyard gardeners. Mulberry high water content helps flush out toxins. Research from the National Institute of Health shows berries rich in polyphenols can lower uric acid naturally.

🍒 Cherries


Cherries are one of the best fruits for gout. They’re rich in anthocyanins, compounds that reduce inflammation and uric acid levels. National Institute of Health studies have found regular cherry intake helps lower gout attacks. Dwarf cherry trees can grow in large pots if space is limited.

🍌 Bananas


Bananas are rich in potassium, which helps the kidneys remove uric acid more efficiently, according to PubMed central. They’re also low in purines, the compounds that form uric acid. Dwarf banana varieties grow well in containers and add a tropical look while supporting healthy digestion and uric acid balance.

🍍 Pineapple


Pineapple contains bromelain, a natural enzyme that eases swelling and pain caused by gout. It’s also refreshing and supports kidney function. Studies by global health science group show pineapple juice can help reduce inflammation and uric acid. It’s easy to grow in a pot or sunny garden bed.

These fruits won’t replace medicine, but they can support your body’s natural detox system. Grow them, eat them fresh, and enjoy both their flavor and health benefits.

🛒 Explore Fruit trees and grow your own natural remedies

📚 Learn more:
#Food_Forest #Mango #Remedies #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 23 Nov 2016

Growing tropical fruit trees in containers in winter

Q: Please give me your advice. The winter is here. I bought mango tree, jackfruit tree, sugar apple tree and planned them for spring. What can I do to keep them no frost bite? My home in Bonifay FL.

A: In subtropical areas with occasional hard freeze in winter, we recommend you to keep tropical plants in pots. The plants you purchase are tender to frost. For cold protection, container growing has several advantages:
1) easy to move into wind-protected and sun-exposed locations as needed: for example, on a different side of the house. In many areas, seasonal prevailing winds have opposite directions in Summer and Winter.
2) easy to cover with frost cloth, sheets, or blankets in case of immediate cold spells. Container plants' growth is easier to control and trim, and those plants naturally stay more compact.
3) easy to move indoors, inside garage, or in covered lanai/patio.
We also recommend to keep these trees in their original pots until Spring, in containers size of the rootball. Step them up in Spring, when plants start active growth of root system. This will help you to avoid root rot due to possible overwatering in Winter. Reduce watering in any case, and keep your plants in bright, wind-protected spot. Do not fertilize until Spring. Protect from cold when night temperature drops below 35-40F.

Use SUNSHINE plant boosters to provide additional cold tolerance.

Cold protection is a lengthy subject. You may also use propane heaters during cold nights. Here is some more information on cold protection.

Black Friday starts Wednesday! Use this discount code in your shopping cart from Wednesday through end of Friday. Enter THANKS2016 in your shopping cart for 20% off on all plants and seeds from our store - no minimum order! Offer is not valid for previous purchases

Date: 9 Apr 2026

*️⃣ Stop Babysitting Your Trees - Grow Cold Hardy Avocados Instead

Smokey the black-and-white cat with glasses sits on a patio taking notes while Sunshine, a fluffy orange cat wearing bunny ears, holds a small potted mango tree with light yellow flowers.
Sunshine: I love these crazy guacamole donuts… but I’m tired babysitting trees during cold.

Smokey: Then stop planting trees that need babysitting. Plant cold hardy avocado.

Read more about Smokey & Sunshine

You always wanted an avocado tree. Not in Miami - right there in Central Florida, in your own yard. You planted one, it grew well for a few years, and it felt like you finally figured it out. Then 2026 hit. A few cold nights, temperatures dropped below what your area usually sees, and the tree was gone.

Here is the part most people miss: USDA zones are based on average minimums, not the worst freezes. One bad night can erase years of growth.

That does not mean avocado will not work. It means you planted the wrong variety. Cold hardy avocados are built for exactly this kind of surprise.

Florida USDA plant hardiness zone map showing zones 8a through 11a with temperature ranges

USDA zone map

This USDA Zone map makes one thing clear: all of Florida can grow avocado. The question is not if - it is which variety. From North Florida (8b) to South Florida (11a), there is always an option that fits your conditions.

If you are outside Florida - in Texas, Louisiana, California, or anywhere else - the same rule applies. Start with your USDA zone, then choose the right type of avocado for it. You can check your local zone here

So what does this mean for your yard? It is not about trying again and hoping for a warmer winter. It is about choosing a tree that actually matches your zone.

Cold Hardy Avocado Varieties for Reliable Harvests

Swipe left/right to see all data <->
🌡️ Threshold 🛡️ Resistance Profile Primary Varieties & Type Culinary Profile 📍 Geographic Best Fit
15°F+ High Resistance: Mexican-type selections. Short freezes near 15°F are survivable with minor leaf burn. Fantastic (A), Joey (B), Lila (A), Poncho (B) High Oil / Nutty USDA Zone 8b / 9a transition regions. Central/North Florida, Texas, Arizona
20°F+ Moderate: Brief freezes usually survivable. Full recovery may take an entire growing season. Bacon (B), Brogdon (B), Day (A), Fuerte (B), Mexicola Grande (A), Ulala "Super Hass" (A), Winter Mexican (B) Medium Oil / Creamy Coastal 9a. Inland Florida and colder microclimates.
25°F+ Light: Visible canopy damage and branch dieback are common. Survival depends on wind protection. Choquette (A), Oro Negro (B), Lula (A) Rich / "Black Gold" Zone 9b/10a. Coastal Central Florida and protected microclimates.
30°F+ Frost Tolerant Only: Even brief freezes cause rapid damage. Best for South Florida. Simmonds (A), Black Prince (A) Mild / Large Slicing USDA Zone 10a / 10b. S. Florida, Miami, Keys, Coast.
  Compact: Move inside during cold Dwarf Wurtz (A&B) and Fuerte (B) Rich / High Oil Patio Growers & Containers

See more varieties in our Master Avocado Varieties table

Microclimate matters more than your zone. The same yard can have warm and cold pockets. Plant near a south-facing wall, under light canopy, or in a spot protected from wind, and you gain a few critical degrees on cold nights.

Young avocado trees need protection during their first winters. They have not built enough wood or root strength yet, so even a short cold snap can damage them. Simple steps like frost cloth, wind protection, or temporary covers can make the difference between a setback and a loss.

You may see avocados labeled as Type A or Type B. This refers to how the flowers open, not cold hardiness. Some people mix both types to improve pollination, and while a single tree can still produce fruit, having two different types is beneficial and can increase your harvest.

Practical Planting Advice

  • Plant on a mound
    Raise the root zone 4-8 inches for fast drainage.
  • Avoid low spots
    Standing water is worse than drought for avocados.
  • Full sun
    Maximum light = stronger growth and better recovery.
  • Use microclimate
    South-facing wall, light canopy, or wind protection adds critical warmth.
  • Do not overwater
    Let the top layer dry slightly between watering.
  • Protect first winter
    Cover young trees during cold nights.

✅ Stop Guessing. Plant What Works.

Cold hardy avocados are not theory - they are proven to handle real conditions. Choose the right variety for your zone, plant it correctly, and you stop replacing trees after every cold snap.

🎥 Watch cold hardy avocado videos

✨ Grow More. Save More.

Get 10% off when you buy 2 or more 3 gal avocado trees. Mix varieties, combine Type A and Type B, and set yourself up for better pollination and bigger harvests.
Offer valid through 04/15/2026. No code needed - discount applied automatically at checkout.
Discount applies to 3 gal avocado plants only. Not valid on previous purchases and cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts. Offer subject to change without notice.
🛒 Shop cold hardy avocado

Avocado tree Joey, Semi-Dwarf, Cold Hardy (Persea americana) - purple and green fruit on a branch

Joey is one of the most cold hardy Avocado trees with a compact habit and very pretty fruit. The flesh is nutty, smooth, and mildly sweet.

📚 Learn from our Blog:
Avocado for cold areas

Fuerte avocado tree compact dwarf growth with green fruit in garden setting

Fuerte is very productive, cold hardy, and is one of very few dwarf avocado varieties that stay compact in the garden and easy to grow in container.
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