Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 3 Jun 2026

Avocado Fuerte: the hidden world beyond green and black

Avocado Fuerte

Avocado Fuerte

Avocado Fuerte

Avocado Fuerte

Avocado Fuerte: the hidden world beyond green and black



Before Hass became the world's dominant avocado, Fuerte was considered the gold standard. This historic Mexican-Guatemalan hybrid produces medium-sized pear-shaped fruit with exceptionally smooth, buttery flesh and outstanding flavor. Cold-hardy and productive, Fuerte remains one of the finest eating avocados ever developed; and it's one of the very few dwarf varieties suitable for containers.

· Botanical name: Persea americana 'Fuerte'
· Origin: Guatemalan x Mexican hybrid
· Cold hardiness: Tolerates temperatures around 20°F and is one of the more cold-hardy classic avocado varieties
· USDA zones: 9a-11
· Flower type: B
· Tree size: Approximately 15 ft x 20 ft
· Growth habit: Compact to semi-dwarf, making it easier to manage than many traditional avocado varieties, well suited to home gardens and containers
· Foliage: Dense evergreen foliage with an attractive, spreading canopy
· Fruit size: 12-14 oz
· Fruit shape: Pear-shaped
· Fruit color: Green to green-black
· Skin: Medium-thin, smooth, and easy to peel
· Flesh: Creamy, buttery, and rich in oil
· Flavor: Rich, nutty, and widely regarded as one of the finest-tasting avocados
· Season: November-June
· Best use: Fresh eating, slicing, salads, and gourmet dishes
· Special feature: Historic variety that dominated the avocado industry before Hass became popular
· Why growers love it: Fuerte combines exceptional flFuerte combines exceptional flavor, good cold tolerance, and a compact growth habit that makes it easier to fit into smaller landscapes. One of the few avocado varieties considered suitable for container culture, it has long been a favorite among collectors and home gardeners who appreciate its rich buttery flesh, manageable size, and extended harvest season. 👉 More

💡 Avocado tip: Prune for width, not height
When a branch grows 10-12 inches, trim the tip. This encourages multiple side branches and creates a stronger, more productive tree.

🛒 Explore cold hardy Avocado varieties

📚 Learn more:


· Avocado Variety Guide: Snack or Guacamole? Collector's inspiration
· Avocado Florida Hass: the hidden world beyond green and black
· Avocado Brogdon: the hidden world beyond green and black
· 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: 27 Jan 2026

🌸 Adenium, Coffee, and Donuts

Smokey  and  Sunshine  with  a  blooming  adenium  desert  rose  on  a  worktable,  surrounded  by  potted  adeniums  in  the  background.
Smokey: Desert rose. One caudex. Multiple grafts. Different flowers.
Sunshine: So it is a team plant. Everyone blooms, nobody agrees.
Smokey: Yet it grows just fine.
Sunshine: That is the secret. Coffee and donuts.

Adenium Plant Facts

Botanical name: Adenium sp.
Also known as: Adenium, Desert Rose, Impala Lily
USDA Zone: 9 - 10
Highligths Plant with caudexLarge shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunWater Requirement: Low. Allow soil to dry out between wateringsWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryYellow, orange flowersRed, crimson, vinous flowersUnusual colorBlue, lavender, purple flowersWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersToxic or Poisonous
Get personalized tips for your region

🌸Featured Adeniums

Recommended by our Horticulturist, Tatiana Anderson

Moung KusumaMoung  Kusuma  adenium  flower  with  deep  magenta  velvety  petals  and  dark  edging

Deep magenta flowers with a velvety look and a darker, almost black edge. A bold, elegant adenium that stands out immediately.

SunshineAdenium  Sunshine  flower  with  pink  and  white  petals  and  bright  color  contrast

Bright yellow and mauve swirls across layered petals create a warm, cheerful bloom that lives up to its name.

White RabbitAdenium  White  Rabbit  flower  with  white  petals  and  bright  pink  streaks.Clean white petals brushed with playful pink streaks. A reliable bloomer with soft ruffled flowers.
Thong SamseeAdenium  Thong  Samsee  flower  with  creamy  yellow  petals  and  soft  pink  edges

Known for its three-color effect, shifting from yellow to pink to nearly white on the same plant.

CandyAdenium  Candy  flower  with  creamy  white  petals  and  soft  pink  edges

Cheerful yellow petals dipped in cherry red with bold ruffled layers. Bright, playful, and impossible to miss.

Black SheepAdenium  Black  Sheep  flower  with  nearly  black  petals  and  deep  red  highlights

Nearly black petals with a glowing red center. Dark, dramatic, and different.

Free Adenium (Desert Rose) Shipping
Plant now, bloom soon. Get select Adenium (Desert Rose) varieties shipped to you with FREE S&H.
Offer valid through 02/06/2026. Limited quantities. While supplies last.
Free shipping applies to qualifying Adenium items only. Excludes other items and prior orders.

✍️ Learn About Adeniums

🎥 Watch Adenium Videos

🛒 Shop Adeniums

Date: 14 Sep 2022

PeopleCats Botanical Garden Grand Opening
Guided tour with Mark Hooten

PeopleCats  Botanical  Garden  at  TopTropicals

Top Tropicals Garden Center is pleased to invite you to visit our new PeopleCats Botanical Garden on the grounds of Top Tropicals in Ft Myers. It is named in honor of the relationship with our beloved Cats, who we treat like People. You'll see our Garden PeopleCats roaming the property. As a matter of fact, they rule the garden!
The Garden has many mature trees and plants so you can see what they look like before your purchase them in our Garden Center. And of course, our PeopleCats will be guiding you in the Gardens!

Peoplecats  -  cat  Marco  at  Top  Tropicals  gate

PeopleCats  Garden  -  Top  Tropicals  Ghost  light  in  the  forest  the  spirit  is  always  watching!

Photo above: blue light in the forest - TopTropicals Garden Ghost, the spirit is always watching!

Date: 13 Jun 2022

Secret Garden - 50% OFF
The point of your Garden

Secret  Garden

"...A garden always has a point..."
- Elizabeth Hoyt, The Raven Prince -

Let our Secret Garden selections help you make the point of your Garden!
Each week we add a variety of plants to our Secret Garden with special savings of

50% off and more!

Check back often to find new the Secret Garden selection! Find new specials of the month from our Newsletters.

And for local customers, come visit our Garden Center for an even larger Secret Garden selection. Ask our sales reps about full list of Secret Garden plants available for local pick up!

Trachelospermum  asiaticum  Ogon  Nishiki  Gold 
 Brocade

Photo above: Trachelospermum asiaticum Ogon Nishiki Gold Brocade (tri-color), very undemanding plant, can be used as an eye catching groundcover.

Date: 2 Jan 2025

Seven most popular low-growing plants
for small gardens

Alpinia  purpurata  -  Dwarf  Red  Cone  Ginger

Photo above: Alpinia purpurata - Dwarf Red Cone Ginger - is a medium-growing, compact option for your garden, offering vibrant red flowers with minimal space needed. Its tropical appeal and tolerance for partial shade make it perfect for adding color without overwhelming your garden. Grows up to 4-5 ft.

Easy plants that can stay compact and short!

Q: I am looking for a few compact plants that I don't need to trim all the time. Can you recommend some low-growing pretty shrub to plant along my driveway (sun) and under an oak tree (shade)?

A: Here are a few most popular showy shrubs for you that can stay compact and require minimal if any pruning or maintenance!

Osmoxylon  lineare  (variegated)  -  Miagos  bush,  Golden  Feather

Osmoxylon lineare - variegated Miagos bush, Golden Feather - is a compact and striking shrub perfect for adding an exotic touch to a small garden or indoor space. Its hardiness and low-maintenance nature, combined with its tolerance for various light conditions, make it an ideal choice for a small, visually appealing addition to your garden. Full sun or light shade.

Capsicum  annuum  x  chinense  -  Biquinho  Pepper

Capsicum annuum x chinense - Biquinho Pepper - amazing showy pepper, both ornamental and useful! Vibrant, compact plant that combines ornamental beauty with culinary use. Its small, bright fruits offer a burst of fruity, habanero-like flavor, making it a unique addition to any garden or kitchen, with little to no heat. Full sun: the more sun - the more peppers!

Lippia  dulcis  -  Aztec  Sweet  Herb,  Sweetleaf

Lippia dulcis - Aztec Sweet Herb, Sweetleaf - not only showy, but also scented leaves and useful herb right at your doorstep! This fragrant, compact elegant plant adds both beauty and function to your garden. Its sweet-tasting leaves are perfect for snacking or enhancing fruit salads, while also serving as a natural remedy for colds and coughs.

Justicia  carnea  Alba  -  White  Brazilian  Plume  Flower

Justicia carnea Alba - White Brazilian Plume Flower is a compact, tropical beauty that thrives in full to partial sun and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Its stunning white flowers and lush green foliage make it a perfect choice for adding a tropical touch to your garden, and its relatively cold hardy!

Pedilanthus  tithymaloides  -  Devils  Backbone

Pedilanthus tithymaloides - Devils Backbone - thrives in toughest spots! Hardy, low-maintenance plant, offering striking pink flowers and showy, unique ziz-zag foliage. Easy care requirements, full sun and minimal watering.

Ground  Orchids

Ground orchids are a fantastic choice for exotic flower beds and colorful borders, growing just 2-3 feet tall and blooming year-round. They offer a wide selection of colors and bloom year-round. Sun or shade, they thrive in both! And yes, they grow in regular garden soil, which is why they are also called Terrestrial Orchids.