Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 15 Oct 2025

You wont believe this red orchid tree exists!

Bauhinia galpinii (punctata) - Pride of De Kaap, Nasturtium Orchid tree

☄️ You won’t believe this red orchid tree exists!

  • 💥 Bauhinia galpinii (punctata) - Pride of De Kaap or Nasturtium Orchid tree - has the most unusual color for Bauhinias. It went bold with bright scarlet flowers that look like little flames!
  • 💥Native to South Africa, it’s a woody shrub you can shape into a small tree about 6-10 feet tall.
  • 💥It blooms almost year-round, covering itself with clusters of fiery red blooms that butterflies can't resist. The flowers resembling those of nasturtiums, coming in clusters.
  • 💥 As all orchid trees, it has deep green, bilobed leaves are resembling butterfly wings. Tough, sun-loving, and low-maintenance - this beauty brings a touch of Africa right into your garden.


🛒 Plant beautiful Pride of De Kaap

📚 Learn more:
• Why red flowers are so attractive?

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_plants

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 4 Jul 2025

Happy Independence Day!
4th of July Sale

Independent  cat  on  Independence  Day  opening  a  can

"Independence is happiness." - Susan B. Anthony

Happy 4th of July from the tropics! Whether you're staying local or escaping for the long weekend, it's the perfect time to enjoy your garden, start something new, or grab that plant you've been eyeing. Red Desert Roses, white fragrant Gardenias and Jasmines, rare Blue Ginger - tropical blooms are showing off right now, and we are celebrating with a hot summer sale: 20% off everything with code HAPPY4TH25, plus extra savings on combined DEALS and BOGO! Add some color to your summer and let your garden do the fireworks!

Use the code below to save 20% on your entire order:

HAPPY4TH25

Min order $200. Excluding S/H. Exp. 7-7-25

Reminder: use our FREE and DISCOUNTED SHIPPING for qualified orders

Shop Now Bauhinia  madagascariensis,  Red  Butterfly  Orchid  Tree

In the photo above: Bauhinia madagascariensis, Red Butterfly Orchid Tree - dazzles with bright red flowers striped in gold. A rare, fast-growing tropical that brings serious color to your garden, it is one of the most striking Orchid trees you can grow. It thrives in sun and rewards with nonstop color.

Date: 21 Apr 2026

13 tropical flowers to plant in spring to attract pollinators year around

13 tropical flowers to plant in spring to attract pollinators year around: Abutilon Fireball (Abutilon darwinii x striatum), Almond Bush (Aloysia virgata), Calico Flower (Aristolochia littoralis), Pride of De Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii), Mexican Bird of Par

13 tropical flowers to plant in spring to attract pollinators year around: Abutilon Fireball (Abutilon darwinii x striatum), Almond Bush (Aloysia virgata), Calico Flower (Aristolochia littoralis), Pride of De Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii), Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana), Red Tassel Flower (Calliandra tweedii With Love), Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea), Blue Butterfly (Clerodendrum ugandense), Tropical Hydrangea (Dombeya wallichii), Fire Bush (Hamelia patens), Butterfly Orchid

13 tropical flowers to plant in spring to attract pollinators year around



Spring is when everything wakes up - and if you plant smart now, your garden can stay alive with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds all year long. The key is mixing tropical bloomers that flower in waves, not all at once. These plants don’t just look good - they keep pollinators coming back season after season, turning your yard into a living, moving ecosystem.
  • 1. Abutilon Fireball (Abutilon darwinii x striatum)


    Bell-shaped flowers in warm red and orange tones hang like little lanterns. Very cold hardy, blooms on and off through the year, especially in mild climates. A steady nectar source for hummingbirds. More 👉
  • 2. Almond Bush (Aloysia virgata)


    Light, airy clusters of tiny white flowers with a strong almond scent. Bees absolutely cover this plant when it’s in bloom. Flowers repeatedly through warm months. More 👉
  • 3. Calico Flower (Aristolochia littoralis)


    One of the most unusual flowers you can grow - patterned like fabric. More importantly, it’s a host plant for butterflies, giving them a place to lay eggs. More 👉
  • 4. Pride of De Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii)


    Bright orange-red blooms cover this shrub for months. Tough, fast-growing, and constantly visited by butterflies and bees. More 👉
  • 5. Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana)


    Sunny yellow flowers with a light fragrance. Handles heat, freeze, and poor soil easily. A reliable nectar plant for bees and butterflies. More 👉
  • 6. Red Tassel Flower (Calliandra tweedii With Love)


    Very showy red-flowered powderpuff, fast-growing and spacey shrub. Cold tolerant to hard freeze, making it a strong choice for subtropical gardens. Forms a dense, many-stemmed plant with fine, feathery foliage that folds at night or by touch. Large scarlet tassel flowers bloom from spring to autumn and attract pollinators nonstop. More 👉
  • 7. Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea)


    A bold plant with thick leaves and waxy flowers. Important host plant for butterflies, especially monarchs. Handles heat and drought well. More 👉
  • 8. Blue Butterfly (Clerodendrum ugandense)


    Flowers really do look like little blue butterflies. Blooms frequently and attracts actual butterflies along with bees. More 👉
  • 9. Tropical Hydrangea (Dombeya wallichii)


    Large clusters of soft pink flowers appear in cooler months when little else is blooming. A major nectar source in winter. More 👉
  • 10. Fire Bush (Hamelia patens)


    One of the best all-around pollinator plants and a tough bush - takes both cold and heat. Tubular orange-red flowers attract hummingbirds nonstop, plus butterflies and bees. More 👉
  • 11. Butterfly Orchid Vine (Mascagnia macroptera)


    A climbing, cold hardy vine covered in bright yellow flowers and butterfly-like seeds. Great for fences or trellises, adding vertical color and feeding pollinators. More 👉
  • 12. Mexican Flame Vine (Senecio confusus)


    Fast-growing, hardy vine with intense red blooms. Flowers heavily and brings in butterflies quickly. More 👉
  • 13. Yellow Elder (Tecoma stans)


    Bright yellow trumpet flowers that bloom over a long season. A dependable plant for both bees and hummingbirds. More 👉


✔️ Planting a mix of these gives you something in bloom almost every month.
That’s the real trick - not just planting for spring, but building a rotation of flowers that keeps pollinators fed all year long.

🛒 Transform your yard into a Butterfly Haven with exotic plants

📚 Learn more:


#Butterfly_Plants
Butterfly Haven or a Heaven on Earth?
Top 20 plants for a Butterfly Haven
Five best butterfly attractors for a Southern garden
Top Eight irresistible vines for a hummingbird haven: Part 1 - Part 2

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants #How_to #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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 Aug 2020

PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of The Month: Greenhouse King

King continues being on top of the poll... thanks to his adventurous nature. This Purrrson just loves to travel! He likes driving and biking. How many times we pulled him out of customer's car or delivery truck!
Sure thing, he just did it again, joining contractor's team. Luckily he was noticed hiding in the back of the truck before the driver hit the highway!

ATTENTION VISITORS!

We are reminding you, please check your vehicles for cats before you leave!

On a bright side, King has been very helpful, helping to plant newly arrived plant shipment from Thailand.
For those of you who has been waiting for rare plants, after a long delay due to airlines lockdown, we finally got lots of rare stuff and it will be ready for shipping soon.
Please make sure to add to your wish-list these coming-soon rare plants, this is the only way we can ensure you will get notified when they are available for sale, on first come first serve basis.
These are limited quantities, high demand plants!
Don't miss your dream plant! Just click on "Notify me when available" and add your email to waiting list.

Limited quantities - will be ready soon
(planted with King's help)

- Amherstia nobilis - Pride of Burma
- Artabotrys siamensis - Climbing Ylang-Ylang
- Barringtonia acutangula - Indian Putat
- Barringtonia asiatica - Fish Poison Tree
- Bauhinia aureifolia - Fragrant Gold Leaf Orchid Vine
- Brownea ariza - Rose of Venezuela
- Brownea grandiceps - Scarlet Flame Bean
- Cananga fruticosa - Dwarf Ylang-Ylang
- Couroupita guianensis - Cannonball Tree
- Cyrtostachys lakka - Lipstick Palm, Red Sealing Wax
- Desmos chinensis - Ylang Ylang Shrub
- Dillenia philippinensis - Katmon, Philippines Elephant Apple
- Garcinia mangostana - Mangosteen
- Ixora congesta Thai Flame
- Melodorum fruticosum - Hot Lips Ylang-Ylang
- Monstera variegata Thai Constellation (available now for pick up only)
- Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus
- Posoqueria longiflora - Needle Flower Tree
- Rauwenhoffia, Melodorum siamensis
- Saraca declinata - Red Saraca
- Terminalia catappa - Tropical Almond
- Vallaris glabra - Bread Flower
- Wrightia vietnamensis - Dwarf

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