Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 8 Dec 2024

How to get an unusual showy foliage plant for tropical look

Osmoxylon lineare, or variegated Miagos bush (Golden Feather)

🌴 How to get an unusual showy foliage plant for tropical look

  • 🍀 Osmoxylon lineare, or variegated Miagos bush (Golden Feather), is a small, ornamental shrub native to Southeast Asia and the Philippines.
  • 🍀 This rare variegated variety from Thailand has beautiful unusual foliage: dark green variegated with gold.
  • 🍀 Growing to about 2-4 feet tall, it features striking foliage with an exotic, bamboo-like appearance, making it an eye-catching addition to a Southern garden or indoor space.
  • 🍀 This hardy plant requires little care but thrives with regular moisture and warmth. It tolerates a range of light conditions from full sun to semi-shade and prefers frost-free temperatures. Although frost may cause some damage, it can tolerate brief exposures to temperatures in the 30s F.


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#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

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Date: 29 Dec 2024

What is the best fruit for summer drinks and wine?

🍸 What is the best fruit for summer drinks and wine?


  • 🍋 Hands, down, Costa Rican Guava, or Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum) takes the crown! This tropical gem from Central America is known for its intense flavor, making it perfect for refreshing beverages and creative drinks. The tree is incredibly productive - even young ones yield abundant fruit!

  • 🍋 We discovered this fruit last Summer. The tree was so productive (on the second year!), we didn't know what to do with so much fruit! So we made a concentrated drink and have been drinking it since then. It looks like the juice has antibacterial properties so it doesn't need to be canned, it stores for months in refrigerator.

  • 🍋 Plans for 2025 season crop: Homemade Cas Guava wine!
Next summer, we are going to try making wine with Cas Guava. Its bold, tangy flavor is sure to produce a delicious, unique brew!

💯 Why choose Cas Guava?


  • • Packed with vitamin C - four times more than lemons - for a powerful immune boost.
  • • Rich in antioxidants to combat stress and inflammation.
  • • Hardy and low-maintenance, thriving in poor soils and resisting pests.


🍸 Recipe: Cas Guava Juice Concentrate



Ingredients:
  • •  Fresh Cas Guavas
  • •  Sugar (to taste)

  • Instructions:
  • • Wash the guavas, cut in half and place them in a large pot with enough water to cover.
  • • Add sugar to taste and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 min until the fruit softens.
  • • Let sit for a few hours so the fruit softens more.
  • • Strain the liquid through a colander to remove the pulp.
  • • Bottle the concentrate and refrigerate.
  • • To serve, dilute with water to your liking for a flavorful, tangy drink!

This concentrate doesn’t need sterilizing/canning and stays fresh for months, thanks to Cas Guava’s natural antibacterial properties.

🍸 Traditional Favorite: Agua de Cas



Cas Guava is the key ingredient in Costa Rica's famous Agua de Cas, a blend of cas juice, water, and sugar. It's a refreshing, slightly acidic drink that's perfect for hot days.

With its vibrant taste, rich nutrients, and endless possibilities, Cas Guava is a must-have for gardeners and culinary adventurers alike!

📚 Learn more:

🛒 Order Cas Guava

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Guava

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Date: 26 Aug 2024

What fruit is more sour and has more vitamin C than a lemon

Costa Rican Guava, Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum)

🍋 What fruit is more sour and has more vitamin C than a lemon

  • 🍸Costa Rican Guava, Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum) is native to Central America and known for its intensely sour taste, which makes it perfect for flavorful juices and beverages rather than eating fresh.
  • 🍸Cas Guava fruit is used in traditional Costa Rican drink "Agua de Cas," a refreshing blend of cas juice, water, and sugar.
  • 🍸Cas Guava fruit is packed with vitamin C: about four times more vitamin C than a lemon, making it an excellent immune booster. It's also rich in antioxidants, which help combat oxidative stress and reduce inflammation.
  • 🍸Cas guava tree is pretty hardy, thriving in poor soils and resisting pests and diseases.


📚 Learn more:

🛒 Order online

#Food_Forest #Guava

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Date: 5 Feb 2025

What flower smells like warm chocolate?

Portlandia - Glorious Flower of Cuba

🍭 What flower smells like warm chocolate?

  • 🎂 Portlandia - Glorious Flower of Cuba is a rare treasure, boasting bell-shaped blossoms that exude a luscious perfume reminiscent of warm, creamy chocolate.
  • 🎂 Even better, it's one of the few tropical plants that can handle alkaline soils, making it a true gem for any collector seeking a fragrant and hardy addition to their garden.


🛒 Order Portlandia

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits #Trees

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Date: 8 Feb 2025

Can you grow plums in Florida?

Plum tree fruiting in Florida

💝 Can you grow plums in Florida?



💕
Yes, absolutely! This year, starting end of January, we are harvesting our first Plums... Sweet!

🎥 Scarlet Beauty Plum. Hypoluxo variety just started flowering, fruit coming soon!

📚 Learn more from previous post:


The most rewarding hardy fruit tree suitable for hot climate: peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums

🛒 Shop Low Chill Peaches, Nectsrunes, and Plums

#Food_Forest

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