Date: 12 Apr 2019
Dwarf Red Ginger - more than just a pretty face
Q: I've just recently moved to Florida from North Carolina. I don't know much about tropical plants. Can you perhaps suggest an easy and pretty flowering plant for a beginner which I can plant around my garden pond for a tropical feeling?
A: For adding that tropical look to your garden, few plants beat
beautiful ginger! Alpinia purpurata, the Dwarf Red Cone Ginger with its bright red floral
spikes and lush, lance-shaped foliage is no exception. This striking
perennial will add a tropical effect to your garden that will definitely take your
breath away.
The Dwarf Red Cone grows between 3 and 4 feet tall and blooms 8-9
months of the year! The blooms will hold on the plant for up to 3 weeks! It makes
a very attractive and distinctive backdrop for other plants.
Red Cone Ginger likes partial shade and moist, humid conditions, but
will tolerate full sun. It is fast growing, easy to grow and resistant to
disease, heat, and insects. The plant is a wonderful accent in a garden and works
well as a focal point specimen, show-stopping when planted around garden
ponds or near entryways. This ginger also works very well in containers and
planters. Either in mass plantings or smaller groups, all gingers add tropical flair which never disappoints.
In addition, the beautiful flower spikes make for great, long-lasting
cut flowers and is an interesting addition to bouquets.
An added bonus? Dwarf Red Ginger is super easy to propagate. If stems
are cut at the base and placed in water, they will generally root within a few
weeks. Eventually, you can make a whole flowering hedge just from one
plant!
Who does not like a plant that is non-fussy and not only beautiful but easy to grow? Dwarf Red Ginger is more than just a pretty face!
To keep this plant happy and blooming, give it some food: Broad Leaf Plus - Ginger-Heliconia-Banana Booster
Date: 28 Mar 2019
Hawaiian Dwarf is a True Star!
By Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc
Q: I live in Southern Ohio and love growing lots of tropical plants.
In the warm months, they all go outside under the protection of tall trees,
but in the cold months, they all come inside in a snug but very brightly lit
sun-room. For many years I have successfully kept a dwarf Meyer's lemon which
amazes my friends, and I am wondering if you could suggest some other dwarf
tropical fruit tree which I might be able to grow that would amaze them even
more?
A: Without hesitation, I would strongly suggest a particular variety of carambola (star-fruit) called Dwarf Hawaiian, as it is truly special as tropical fruit trees go. First and foremost, they begin fruiting at a very young age, often while only in a one-gallon pot, and even less than a couple of feet tall with a very little trimming. Better even is that they are perfectly happy living perpetually in a pot. I have one myself which is content in a 12 inch pot and which fruits freely throughout the year. Also, even though it should be too much to be expected, the fruits are of the highest quality and are as sweet as candy. I also like the fact that the fruits hang decoratively on the tiny tree for quite some time before finally ripening, rather like ornaments. One of these little trees in-fruit is an amazing sight and ought to make anyone take notice, especially in a sun-room in Ohio! They really are very easy to grow, and if you have a Meyer's lemon which does well, you'll certainly have no particular issues with a Dwarf Hawaiian carambola.
However, I have found that in order for them to remain extra dwarf and fruit especially precociously, this variety needs to be grafted and not cutting grown. Fortunately, Top Tropicals has recently obtained a number of these extra wonderful grafted trees which are of the highest quality I have seen in some time, all of which will likely begin fruiting very shortly. They simply are wonderful little trees! Check them out...
Date: 17 Oct 2024
Five Extraordinary, Show-Stopping Flowering Shrubs
Q: I'm looking for something fresh and exciting - something my neighbors won't have! I have both sunny and shady spots in my garden. What unique flowering shrubs would you recommend?
A: Why settle for ordinary when your garden can be extraordinary? Here are five fabulous flowering shrubs that will set your landscape apart. Whether you're dealing with sizzling sun or cool shade, these beauties will add color, character, and charm year-round. Let's dive in!
1. Lobster Claw - Simply Spectacular!
Heliconia rostrata - Lobster Claw. This exotic plant makes a bold statement with its parrot-like blooms. The colorful, dangling flowers last long and are perfect for bouquets. Growing up to 7 feet tall, it thrives in large pots or tropical landscapes, handling temperatures in the high 20s. Just give it room to stretch those stalks!
2. Bat Head Lily - Perfect for Shade
Tacca chantrieri - Bat Head Lily, Black Tacca. Looking for something mysterious? This plant's dark, bat-shaped flowers and trailing "whiskers" will intrigue everyone. It prefers filtered light and high humidity, making it a great pick for shaded areas or a greenhouse. Available in striking colors like black, white, and green, it's a conversation starter in any garden.
3. Ball of Fire - Made for the Sun
Combretum constrictum from Thailand, called Ball of Fire - is one of our favorite tropical flowering shrubs that is constantly in bloom and is so much different from anythings else. With constant blooms and fiery red flowers, this tropical shrub shines bright. Though it might fool you from a distance as a Powderpuff plant, it's a whole different species! It can be shaped into a small tree, handles pruning well, and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Easy to grow, it only needs regular water to get established.
4. Blue Sage - the Bluest in the Tropics
Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage, or Lead Flower. This winter heavy bloomer thrives in shady spots with its vibrant gentian-blue flowers, a rare color in the tropics. It's compact, easygoing, and the more you prune it, the bushier it gets. When other plants are napping, Blue Sage adds a splash of cool blue, making it perfect for carefree gardeners who want a touch of magic.
5. Candelabra Plant - Massive Gold
Senna alata - Empress Candle, Candelabra Plant - is a fast-growing shrub that brings sunny, candle-like flowers and massive leaves to your garden. It's a weed-fighting hero, shading out invaders with its wide canopy. Butterflies and bees love its golden blooms, and the plant can grow 10 feet wide in just one season! If you want beauty and function, the Candelabra Plant is your golden ticket. Watch the .
Date: 24 Nov 2024
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Photo above: Pseudorhipsalis amazonica - Blue Flame Cactus - Spectacular bloomer! A rare, spineless, epiphytic cactus from the rainforests of the Amazon jungle. Flowers emerge along the leaf edges from late spring through early summer, with a distinctive blue tip on the magenta flower.
Date: 18 Apr 2025
Want Constant Blooms? Plant Clerodendrums
Your Shortcut to a Colorful Garden
Q: Q: I live in Florida, and while everything is green, I want more color in my garden and patio. What low-maintenance perennials can add nonstop blooms without constant care? I'm tired of annuals that don't last. Do such plants even exist?
A: Yes, they do - and your perfect solution is Clerodendrums. These colorful tropical perennials grow fast, bloom for most of the year, and thrive in both sun and shade. They're easy to care for, relatively cold-tolerant, and come in many shapes: shrubs, vines, and even small trees. Ideal for both garden beds and containers.
Why Grow Clerodendrums?
Clerodendrums are tough, reliable, and visually striking plants:
- Fast-growing with a compact habit
- Available in many forms: shrubs, vines, and small trees
- Colorful flowers, many of them are sweetly fragrant!
- Thrive in sun or shade; cold tolerant; not picky about soil
- Bloom repeatedly or continuously
- Excellent for pots, patios, or indoors
Clerodendrums as Shrubs
- Clerodendrum
bungei - Glory Bower: fragrant pink blooms, spreads quickly
- Clerodendrum
incisum - Musical Note: unique buds shaped like musical notes
- Clerodendrum
inerme - Wild Jasmine: salt-tolerant, good for seaside areas
- Clerodendrum
mastacanthum - Pink Butterfly Bush: long-blooming, eye-catching pink
- Clerodendrum
paniculatum - Pagoda Flower: layered red-orange towers of flowers
- Clerodendrum
philippinum - Cashmere Bouquet: double fragrant flowers, shade-tolerant
- Clerodendrum
ugandense - Blue Butterfly: delicate blue blooms that attract pollinators
Clerodendrums as Vines
- Clerodendrum
thomsoniae - Bleeding Heart: classic red-and-white contrast, climbs
easily
- Clerodendrum
speciosum - Red Bleeding Heart: vivid magenta blooms, great on trellises
Clerodendrums as Small Trees
- Clerodendrum minahassae - Fountain Clerodendrum: upright, white flower
sprays
- Clerodendrum
sahelangii - Champagne Clerodendrum: cascading white blooms
- Clerodendrum
quadriloculare - Winter Starburst: purple leaves, late winter blooms
- Clerodendrum
schmitii - Chains of Glory: dangling flower clusters, unusual look
- Clerodendrum
wallichii - Bridal Veil: long white flowers, graceful arching branches
