Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 13 Sep 2025

🌸 Meet the Most Colorful Ground Orchids

Collage of ground orchids – Phaius tankervilleae (Nun Orchid), Spathoglottis varieties (purple, yellow, white, pink), Arundina graminifolia (Bamboo Orchid), and Epidendrum species (orange, pink, red Reed Orchids)

Ground Orchids – Spathoglottis, Phaius, Arundina, Epidendrum

  1. Chinese Nun Ground Orchid (Phaius tankervilleae)
  2. Yokohama Ground orchid Kate (Bletilla striata x formosana)
  3. Tropical Punch, Sorbet Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata)
  4. Bamboo Orchid (Arundina graminifolia)
  5. Snow Angel, Coconut Cloud Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis alba)
  6. Orange Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum radicans Sunrise)
  7. Lemon Kiss, Sorbet Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis chrysanta)
  8. Pink Reed Ground Orchid, Violet Queen (Epidendrum radicans Fuchsia)
  9. Lavender Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum elongatum x radicans)
  10. Red Raspberry Reed Ground Orchid (Epidendrum radicans Red Glow)

Orchids have a mystique that sets them apart — elegant, exotic, almost unreal in their perfection. But let’s be honest, not everyone has luck with the fancy ones that cling to trees or need greenhouse tricks.

Ground orchids are different. They grow in regular garden soil, bloom in sun or shade, and come in all sorts of shapes and colors. They’re the orchids you don’t have to fuss over.

Nun Orchid (Phaius tankervilleae) – Ever wonder why it’s called the Nun Orchid? The flowers really do look like the white veil and brown habit nuns used to wear. The plants send up spikes 3–4 ft tall with 10–20 fragrant blooms that open one after another for weeks. I like them best tucked under trees where they just keep spreading year after year.

Spathoglottis – The nonstop bloomer – If you want flowers that just don’t quit, this one’s it. Spathoglottis clumps up and throws spikes of purple, pink, or yellow that last for weeks, then keep coming back through the summer. In warm spots they’ll bloom almost year-round. Honestly, it’s one of the easiest orchids you’ll ever grow.

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Shop ground orchids

Date: 10 May 2026

🍑 Tree-Ripened Peaches Change Everything

Smokey and Sunshine relax under a peach tree in the S&S Garden, discussing low-chill peaches for Florida while enjoying peach cobbler with ice cream.
Sunshine: I love peach cobbler. Smokey, why are peaches on the tree so early?
Smokey: Low-chill peach varieties for Florida. They ripen much sooner.
Sunshine: I thought peaches were for Georgia.
Smokey: Not if you plant low-chill peaches. And speaking of peaches, do you know about donut peaches?
Sunshine: Donut peaches? Finally, horticulture I can understand.

Some fruits carry memories before you've even tasted them.

There's something about a peach still warm from the tree - the way it gives a little when you pick it, the smell that hits you before you even take a bite. It makes you slow down. It makes summer feel like it actually meant to show up.

Peach Plant Facts

Botanical name: Prunus persica, Amygdalus persica
Also known as: Peach
USDA Zone: 5 - 10
Highligths Small tree 10-20 ftFull sunWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersEdible plantDeciduous plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
Get personalized tips for your region

For Florida gardeners, that moment used to feel borrowed. Peaches were a Georgia thing, a Carolina thing. You'd admire someone else's harvest and quietly file it under not for us.

Low-chill peaches rewrote that story.

Here's the thing about regular peaches - they need cold. Not just a cool night or two, but a real winter. We're talking 600 to 1,000 hours below 45F. That's how they know to wake up in spring and actually fruit. South Florida just doesn't deliver that. The trees will grow fine, look healthy even, and then give you almost nothing come harvest time. Frustrating doesn't cover it.

Low-chill varieties are different. They were bred specifically for places like ours - warm winters, mild springs. Some only need 100 hours of chill. A hundred. That's a few cold fronts, not a season. And because they're working with our climate instead of against it, they fruit reliably. Every year.

They're not just a Florida trick either. Gardeners in coastal Texas, southern Louisiana, southern California - anywhere in that Zone 8b to 10 range - have been growing these successfully. If you've got warm winters and thought peaches weren't for you, they probably just weren't the right peaches.

🛒 Shop Low-Chill Peach trees

Several ripe flat peaches, also known as donut peaches or Saturn peaches, displayed on a white plate. Two peaches are cut open, showing the pale white flesh and small central pit with pink-red coloring around the seed area.

Flat peaches - sometimes called DONUT peaches - are known for their sweet white flesh, low acidity, and fun squashed shape.

Date: 25 Apr 2026

Ackee baked rice: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Ackee baked rice

Ackee baked rice

Ackee (Akee) - Blighia sapida - fruit

Ackee (Akee) - Blighia sapida - fruit

🍴 Ackee baked rice: quick-n-fun exotic recipes



🔴Fold cooked ackee gently into warm, seasoned rice with a pinch of salt and a little oil or butter.
🔴Spread into a baking dish and bake until the top turns lightly crisp and golden.
🔴Scoop while warm - soft inside, slightly crisp on top, simple and satisfying.

🌿 About the plant:


When properly harvested and prepared, ackee has a mild, buttery texture often compared to scrambled eggs. It contains healthy fats and is a staple ingredient in Caribbean cooking.

🏡 In the garden:


Trees require consistent warmth and do not tolerate frost. Mature trees can produce generously in suitable climates with minimal intervention.

🛒 Plant Ackee tree and harvest fruit you can't get from the store!

📚 Learn more:


Ackee (Akee) - Blighia sapida - in Plant Encyclopedia

Akee Plant Facts

Botanical name: Blighia sapida, Cupania sapida
Also known as: Akee, Ackee, Seso Vegetal, Arbre a Fricasser (Haiti)
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Large tree taller than 20 ftFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryEdible plantPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
Get personalized tips for your region

Ackee skillet scramble: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Ackee breakfast scramble with hot peppers
Banned Jamaican fruit: why you never see fresh Akee in U.S. stores
Akee taste of deliciousness
Are these new Christmas ornaments? Ackee monster fruit!
What is number one tree-grown vegetable? Akee - Jamaican fruit that is actually a vegetable growing on a tree
📱 What is Akee - Jamaica's National Fruit - and how to grow it
📱 How to cook perfect Akee?

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Date: 4 Mar 2026

The Magic Number 65: when tropicals finally wake and the 7-Day Rule you should know

Champaka tree new growth sprouts

Champaka tree new growth sprouts

A Champaka tree (Joy Perfume Tree) first fresh sprouts

A Champaka tree (Joy Perfume Tree) first fresh sprouts

The Magic Number 65: when tropicals finally wake and the 7-Day Rule you should know 🌱

Discover the "Magic 65" rule for waking up your garden and the exact time to start fertilizing for maximum growth. Learn the specific temperature threshold that signals your tropicals to wake up and how to handle spring cold snaps.

🌿 If you’ve been staring at your dormant trees and shrubs wondering if they survived the winter, you aren't alone. The most frequent question every spring is: "When will my tropical plants start sprouting?"

🌿 While the calendar might say spring, tropical plants don’t use a watch - they use a thermometer. If you want to see green shoots and active growth, there is one "Magic Number" you need to watch: 65F 🌡

🌿 The 7-Day Rule for Tropical Growth



The gold standard for the tropical world is simple: plants generally wake up when minimum nighttime temperatures remain at or above 65F for at least one full week.

🌿 Why 65°F?



Tropical species are biologically programmed to stay dormant to protect their cell structure from cold damage. A single warm day won't fool them, but seven consecutive nights of 65F+ signals that the "growing season" has officially arrived. Once you hit that 7-day mark, you’ll see buds pushing and fresh leaves finally sprouting.

🌿 Can You Force Them to Wake Up Faster?



Patience is a virtue, but if you’re looking to "push" your plants, focus on two things:
🌞 Sun Exposure: Ensure they are in the brightest spot possible to warm the soil.
♨️ Heat Retention: Use dark mulch or move potted plants onto concrete surfaces that retain daytime heat.

🌿 When to Start Fertilizing



❌ Don’t reach for the fertilizer until you see that active growth. Feeding a dormant plant can lead to root rot or wasted nutrients.
👉 The Signal: After that first week of 65F nights.
✅ The Action: Once you see green tips, start your fertilization routine. This is when the plant actually has the metabolic "engine" running to use those nutrients.

🌿 Watch Out for the "False Spring"



Before you go all-in, ensure the risk of a hard freeze has passed. A minor cold snap - a few nights in the 50s - won't kill your progress, but it will act as a "pause" button. If cool weather persists, tropicals may "lock up" and return to dormancy. If that happens, simply reset your clock and wait for the next stretch of 65F nights.

🌿 Ready for the Wake-Up Call? Fuel Your Tropical Growth!

Don’t get caught empty-handed when that 7th day of 65F hits. Stock up now so you can feed them the moment they wake up. Using the right nutrients during the active growth phase is key to lush blooms. Check out our curated selection of professional-grade fertilizers:

🛒 Get my growth boosters for every tropical type

📷 Recovery in Action: The Joy Perfume Tree - Champaka showing off its first fresh sprouts in March after a chilly Florida winter. This is exactly what happens once you hit that 7-day streak of 65F nights!

📚 Learn more:
✦ Why is my Champaka Tree dropping leaves?

#How_to #Discover

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Date: 27 Feb 2026

Grilled star fruit slices: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Grilled star fruit slices on grill pan

Grilled star fruit slices on grill pan

Averrhoa carambola - Star Fruit Carambola Tree

Averrhoa carambola - Star Fruit Carambola Tree

🍴 Grilled star fruit slices: quick-n-fun exotic recipes



Grilled Star Fruit Slices

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe star fruit (carambola)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon butter or coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Slice the star fruit crosswise into star-shaped pieces.
  2. Heat a grill pan or skillet and lightly grease with butter or coconut oil.
  3. Place the slices on the hot surface and grill briefly on each side.
  4. Drizzle lightly with honey as the edges begin to caramelize.
  5. Serve warm as a tropical side dish or dessert topping.


🌿 About the plant:


Carambola, or Star Fruit, is a small tropical tree with glossy leaves and crisp, juicy fruit that slices into perfect stars.

Carambola Plant Facts

Botanical name: Averrhoa carambola
Also known as: Carambola, Starfruit, Five-finger, Balimbing
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Small tree 10-20 ftSemi-shadeFull sunWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyEdible plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
Get personalized tips for your region


🏡 In the garden:


Thrives in zones 9-11. Likes sun, regular water, and protection from strong winds. Dwarf varieties do well in large containers.

🛒 Plant Star Fruit Carambola Tree

📚 Learn more:


✦ Averrhoa carambola in Plant Encyclopedia
✦ How to gets lots of Star Fruit Carambola
✦ Star Fruit from our garden
✦ Grow your own Carambola
✦ Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #8. Carambola - Starfruit
✦ Carambola Banana Whip
✦ Carambola Jam recipe
✦ When young Carambola trees are covered with fruit
✦ Carambola tree is the Star of the orchard

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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