Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 31 Jul 2025

Anthurium Collector Set

Giant  Bird's  Nest,  Long  Leaf,  and  Black  Dragon  Anthuriums  side  by 
 side,  showcasing  their  dramatic  foliage  and  size

These aren't your typical tropicals - they're collector-grade Anthuriums grown for foliage and texture. Each one brings something different, but they all thrive in the same kind of setting: shade or filtered light, warmth, and humidity. Perfect for growing in containers indoors or out.

Anthurium Black Dragon

This is the most dramatic of the trio. Upright, leathery leaves shift from dark green to nearly black depending on light. Instead of bright flowers, it produces a dark brown spadix and glowing red berries. A hybrid not found in the wild, it's grown from seed - no two are exactly alike.

  • Best for: Indoor focal plant, shaded patio, black ceramic pot
  • Height: 2–4 ft in container
  • Texture: Thick, architectural leaves
  • Highlight: Color shifts with light intensity

Grow Your Own Black Dragon

Read more about Black Dragon Anthurium

Anthurium hookeri – Giant Bird's Nest

This one's about scale. Broad, crinkled leaves with a cardboard-like texture form a bold rosette. It can get huge with time - up to 6 feet across. Perfect for gardeners who want the "instant jungle" look.

  • Best for: Shaded garden, large pots on porches
  • Height: Up to 5 ft; width even more
  • Texture: Wrinkled and leathery
  • Highlight: Bright red berries in maturity

Buy Giant Bird's Nest Anthurium

Read more about Giant Bird's Nest Anthurium

Anthurium vittariifolium – Long Leaf Anthurium

Graceful and rare, this species sends out narrow strap-like leaves that can reach 5–6 ft long. Ideal for hanging baskets or mounting. Bonus: it produces small pink fruit against deep green foliage.

  • Best for: Hanging displays, vertical planters, bright bathrooms
  • Height: Leaf length, not upright height - up to 6 ft
  • Texture: Smooth, ribbon-like
  • Highlight: Cascading growth and color contrast

Buy Long Leaf Anthurium

Read more about Long Leaf Anthurium

✅ How to Care for Anthuriums

  • Light: Bright, indirect light is best. Avoid direct sun, especially mid-day. These plants evolved in rainforest understory - think "dappled light under trees."
  • Water: Keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy. Let the top inch dry before watering. They hate wet feet.
  • Humidity: These are tropicals - they'll do fine in 50-60% humidity, but thrive at 70%+. Use pebble trays or place near other plants. Bathrooms with windows work great.
  • Soil: Use an airy mix: orchid bark + perlite + peat or coco coir. Drainage is key. Never use plain potting soil.
  • Fertilizer: Feed with SUNSHINE Robusta every 2–4 weeks during warm seasons. It's formulated for aroids and won't burn roots.
  • Potting: Use shallow, wide containers. Repot only every 2–3 years, or when roots crowd the pot. They don't like frequent disruption.
  • Temperature: Ideal: 65–85 F. Short dips to the 30s F are tolerated by mature plants, but avoid cold drafts.

Shop All Anthuriums

Date: 6 Dec 2025

See how Golden Rain turns pink overnight!

Golden Rain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata

🌸 See how Golden Rain turns pink overnight!

  • 🌸 Golden Rain tree, Koelreuteria paniculata, is one of those plants you can drive past a hundred times without realizing you’re looking at a seasonal firework show. In early summer it loads itself with long, bright yellow flower clusters that drip from every branch. Then, just when you think the show is over, the tree shifts into its second act: paper-thin pink seed lanterns that cover the canopy through fall.
  • 🌸 It’s surprisingly tough for such a delicate-looking tree. Cold hardy, drought tolerant, and fast growing, it fits easily into Florida and other warm climates where people want a shade tree that also puts on a real spectacle. The foliage stays elegant and airy, and the lantern pods look good long after the flowers fade.
  • 🌸 If you’re into trees that change looks through the seasons and don’t need pampering, Golden Rain tree is one of the most rewarding additions you can plant.


🛒 Plant impressive Golden Rain tree - hardy and beautiful

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Koelreuteria paniculata
Golden Rain Tree, Varnish tree, Chinese Flame
USDA Zone: 9-11
Small tree 10-20 ftSemi-shadeFull sunModerate waterYellow, orange flowersPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsEthnomedical plant.
Plants marked as ethnomedical and/or described as medicinal, are not offered as medicine but rather as ornamentals or plant collectibles.
Ethnomedical statements / products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We urge all customers to consult a physician before using any supplements, herbals or medicines advertised here or elsewhere.Subtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short timeSeaside, salt tolerant plant
  • More about Golden Rain tree - Koelreuteria paniculata - from Plant Encyclopedia
  • Time to plant the Golden Rain Tree
  • #Trees

    🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

    Date: 30 Dec 2025

    Persimmon spoon pudding: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

    Persimmon spoon pudding

    Persimmon spoon pudding

    Persimmon tree (Diospyros sp)

    Persimmon tree (Diospyros sp)

    🍴 Persimmon spoon pudding


    Ingredients

    • 2 very ripe persimmons (astringent type, fully soft)
    • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
    • Optional: pinch of cinnamon

    Instructions

    1. Scoop the soft persimmon flesh into a blender and puree until smooth.
    2. Chill the puree in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.
    3. Spoon into a bowl and top with plain yogurt.
    4. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon if desired and serve.

    🍑 About the fruit:


    Persimmon (Diospyros spp.) is a graceful, cold-hardy subtropical fruit tree native to China and widely grown across temperate and warm regions. The fruit is loved for its rich sweetness, often compared to honey and apricot. Persimmons are divided into astringent types, which must soften fully before eating, and non-astringent types, which can be enjoyed firm. The fruit is nutritious and commonly eaten fresh or used in desserts.

    🌱 In the garden:


    Persimmon trees are highly ornamental, with drooping branches, lush summer foliage, and dramatic fall color. They thrive in well-drained soils, tolerate alkaline conditions, and are hardy in USDA zones 7-10. Many varieties perform well in containers, making persimmon a beautiful and productive choice for both edible landscapes and patio gardens.

    🛒 Plant Persimmon Tree for sweet fruit and deserts

    📚 Learn more:

    Plant Facts

    Diospyros blancoi, Diospyros discolor
    Velvet Apple, Mabolo
    USDA Zone: 9-11
    Large tree taller than 20 ftFull sunRegular waterEdible plant
  • Explore Persimmon trees (Diospyros spp) in Plant Encyclopedia
  • How soon will Persimmon tree fruit?
  • Why so many gardeners this year planted Native American Persimmon
  • Hardy, dramatic looking tropical fruit tree with a sweet fruit

  • #Food_Forest #Recipes

    🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

    Date: 4 Jan 2026

    Dont drink your coffee until you see this!

    Coffea arabica - Coffee tree, fruit

    ☕️ Don't drink your coffee until you see this!

    • Our coffee trees, Coffea arabica, are growing in 7-gallon pots, and after months of waiting, the cherries are fully ripe!
    • They bloomed in May, set fruit in August, and now in winter the fruit has turned red and ready to harvest.
    • Coffee is one of the easiest fruiting plants you can grow at home. It does well in containers, loves shade, and can be grown indoors or outdoors in warm climates. With regular watering and a little patience, you can grow, harvest, roast, and brew your own coffee right from your home garden.
    • We are harvesting now, and the next video will show the full roasting process step by step.

    • 👉 Coming up next: Roasting video coming soon - stay with us!


    🛒 Start your own coffee harvest

    📚 Learn more:

    Plant Facts

    Coffea arabica
    Coffee
    USDA Zone: 9-11
    Large shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftSemi-shadeShadeKeep soil moistWhite, off-white flowersEdible plantEthnomedical plant.
Plants marked as ethnomedical and/or described as medicinal, are not offered as medicine but rather as ornamentals or plant collectibles.
Ethnomedical statements / products have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. We urge all customers to consult a physician before using any supplements, herbals or medicines advertised here or elsewhere.Fragrant plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
  • Coffea arabica in Plant Encyclopedia
  • Homegrown coffee - the journey begins!
  • How to make your own coffee from homegrown beans
  • Coffee trees in bloom
  • •  Brew Your Future: Grow Your Own Coffee
  • •  What is coffee made of?
  • •  Why Coffee tree is the best gift plant
  • •  Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits: #2. Coffee Tree
  • •  What is the most popular and the easiest tropical fruit tree grown as a house plant?
    🎥

    #Food_Forest #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

    🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
  • Date: 5 Jan 2026

    ☘️ What plants are easy to ship in Winter?

    Lush  tropical  garden  with  a  bright  green  leafy  Magnolia  champaka  surrounded  by  flowering  shrubs,  such  as  Brunfelsia  grandiflora,  at  Top  Tropicals  nursery

    Ordering plants in winter is often easier than people expect - and for many plants, it is actually better. Lush foliage plants like philodendrons and medinilla, fine-leaved trees such as moringa, jacaranda, and poinciana, and even sensitive fruit trees like papaya, jackfruit or starfruit ship more safely in cool weather without overheating stress.

    Winter is also ideal for subtropical and cold-tolerant plants, dormant or deciduous plants like plumeria and adenium, orchids - including ground orchids and vanilla orchids, and winter bloomers that flower their best right now. Winter care is simple: water less, use gentle liquid amino-acid fertilizers like Sunshine Boosters, and monitor insects.

    In mild climates, many tropicals can be planted anytime, while extra-tender plants can stay potted until spring. Winter is a perfect time to bring tropical warmth indoors and enjoy greenery when you need it most.

    🌿Learn more: easy plants for Winter shipping