Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 28 Sep 2025

Guava: The Healthiest Fruit You Can Grow

Collage of guava varieties: pink, white, Cas, red Cattley, and golden Cattley guavas, shown as whole fruits, cut sections, and clusters on the tree.

Guava varieties: Pink flesh (upper left quarter), White flesh and Cas (upper right quarter), Red Cattley Guava (bottom left quarter) and Golden Cattley (bottom right quarter).

Let’s talk Guava. Few fruits check as many boxes: flavor, productivity, health, and adaptability. We’ve grown guava trees at Top Tropicals for years here in Florida, and it never fails to surprise people with how easy it is — and how quickly it rewards you.

🌿 Health Benefits

We know the first question:"Why guava in addition to all the other fruit trees I could plant?"Because guava is one of the healthiest tropical fruits you can eat and grow — and it produces faster than almost anything else.

  • Vitamin C powerhouse — guava has four times more vitamin C than oranges. One fruit covers your daily needs and then some.
  • Potassium and fiber — good for balancing blood pressure and keeping your heart strong.
  • Antioxidants like lycopene and vitamin C — these keep your skin glowing and help protect your cells from damage.
  • Dietary fiber — aids digestion and helps keep blood sugar steady.
  • Guava is a true"food as medicine"tree you can plant right in your backyard or in pot.

♥️ Our Favorite Varieties are Available Now

We currently have a DOZEN excellent guava varieties in stock selected by our plant expert Tatiana Anderson — something special for every garden. Our top picks are:

Pink Guavas

  • Barbie Pink – Yellow pear-shaped fruit with thick pink flesh, sweet and juicy. Cold hardy for a tropical fruit. The best seller.
  • Hong Kong – Large, round, smooth pink fruit. Sweet flavor, very few seeds, and very productive.
  • Tikal – Our top pick. Fast-growing, disease-resistant, and produces the sweetest pink guavas with very few seeds.

White Guavas

  • Indonesian White – Aromatic, classic white-fleshed guava with an excellent tropical flavor.
  • Kilo White – Giant fruit up to 2 lbs (1 kilo) each! Few seeds, creamy white flesh, and fruits even in containers.

Compact/Dwarf

Dwarf Guava Hawaiian Rainbow tree with dense green foliage, inset showing pink-fleshed guava fruit with seeds.

Dwarf Guava Hawaiian Rainbow

Specialty Varieties

Cas Guava fruits on tree, with ripe yellow and unripe green fruit, one cut open to show pale flesh. Traditional Costa Rican Agua de Cas fruit.

Cas Guava with zero sugar for Costa Rican Agua de Cas drink

  • Cas Guava – Bold, tangy, almost zero sugar. The traditional Costa Rican Agua de Cas drink comes from this fruit. Cold hardy.
  • Hawaiian Gold, Yellow Strawberry Guava – The sweetest Strawberry Guava, golden fruit, great for fresh eating and drinks.
  • Brazilian Araca Pera – Rare hybrid used for Guava Wine in Brazil. Tart, concentrated juice makes excellent wine, sorbet, or jelly. Learn more...
  • Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen – Feijoa sellowiana. Strongly perfumed fruit, best enjoyed when the pulp is mixed with sugar – like forest strawberries. Cold-hardy, tolerates freeze, and doubles as a great windbreak. Learn more...

Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana) fruit and flowers. Green oval fruit with soft aromatic flesh, and white-red blossoms with long stamens

Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen – Feijoa sellowiana

Every one of these thrives here in Florida or in warm climate. Some are better in pots, some as landscape trees, but all produce generously.

🎥 Watch short videos about Guava:

💲 Special Offer – 20% off Guava Fruit Plants!

Get 20% OFF already discounted Guava plants with code

GUAVA2025

Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only, cannot be combined with other offers.

Hurry, offer expires October 02, 2025!

Explore Guava Fruit Plants

Date: 22 Oct 2025

💞 Cassia or Bauhinia?

Collage of Cassia and Senna flowering trees: 1 – Cassia bicapsularis (Butterfly Bush), 2 – Cassia x natalensis (Rainbow Cassia), 3 – Cassia grandis (Red Cassia), 4 – Cassia didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia), similar to Senna alata (Empress Candles), 5 – Cassia javanica (Apple Blossom Tree), 6 – Cassia roxburghii (Ceylon Senna), 7 – Cassia fistula (Golden Shower Tree), 8 – Cassia x nodosa (Pink Shower).

Looking for a small tree that blooms like fireworks but still fits on your patio? We hear this question all the time at Top Tropicals: Cassia or Bauhinia? Both are tropical showstoppers, but they shine in very different ways.

🌞 Cassias: Sunshine Fireworks

Cassia trees are some of the most rewarding tropical bloomers you can grow. Fast-growing, free-flowering, and surprisingly cold-tolerant, they thrive in full sun and summer heat. Their bright clusters come in shades of yellow, orange, pink, red, and even multicolor blends. The famous Rainbow Cassias show swirls of coral, gold, and rose on the same tree, creating a living fireworks display.

For gardeners in warm regions, these trees become spectacular focal points in the landscape. In containers, compact yellow forms like Cassia didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia) and Senna alata (Empress Candles) stay manageable and bloom freely through summer.

Cassias can also be grown in pots with pruning and patience. Once mature, they reward you with breathtaking color that turns any patio or pool deck into a tropical show. Most showy cassias (numbers correspond to the photos in the collage above):

  1. Cassia bicapsularis (Butterfly Bush) - is a fast-growing, low-maintenance shrub covered in bright yellow, butterfly-like blooms from fall through winter.
  2. Cassia x natalensis (Rainbow Cassia)
  3. Cassia grandis (Red cassia) - a medium size tree having profuse blooms of dark pink to crimson flowers throughout the Spring.
  4. Cassia didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia), small tree producing golden-yellow flowers with a distinct scent of peanut butter that open from brown buds in late summer and autumn. Similar to Senna alata (Empress Candles)
  5. Cassia roxburghii (Ceylon Senna) - graceful tree with spreading, drooping branches appearing to be overweighed by its wealth of clustering red blossoms.
  6. Cassia x nodosa (Pink Shower) - is a spectacular medium-sized, fast-growing tree with cascading clusters of fragrant pink-and-white appleblossom blooms in spring and summer.
  7. Cassia fistula (Golden Shower) - to many tropical gardeners, the most beautiful of cassias with masses of bright gold flower clusters appear on almost every branch.
  8. Cassia javanica (Apple Blossom) - dazzles with dense clusters of pink-to-white blossoms that change shades as they bloom, creating a spectacular display that lasts for months.
"Cassias love the heat and sunshine," says Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert. "They are perfect for anyone who wants big bursts of color and doesn’t mind giving them space and light to grow."

👉 Explore Cassia Trees

Bauhinia Magic: Orchid-Like Blooms in a Compact Size

Collage of Bauhinia orchid trees: top left – Bauhinia acuminata (Dwarf White Orchid Tree), middle left – Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree), bottom left – Bauhinia monandra (Napoleon’s Plume Orchid Tree), top right – Bauhinia madagascariensis (Red Dwarf Orchid Tree), and bottom right – Bauhinia tomentosa (Yellow Orchid Tree)

Bauhinia orchid trees: top left – Bauhinia acuminata (Dwarf White Orchid Tree), middle left – Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong Orchid Tree), bottom left – Bauhinia monandra (Napoleon’s Plume Orchid Tree), top right – Bauhinia madagascariensis (Red Dwarf Orchid Tree), and bottom right – Bauhinia tomentosa (Yellow Orchid Tree)

Bauhinia trees known as Orchid Trees, bring a touch of tropical luxury to any space. Their butterfly-shaped leaves and orchid-like blossoms appear in shades of red, pink, purple, white, and yellow, often lasting up to ten months a year. Bauhinias are ideal for gardeners who want nonstop color in a manageable size. Most species grow well in large pots and bloom young, often within the first season.

The following compact varieties stay neat and flower almost continuously in warm weather:

The Hong Kong Orchid Tree is especially prized because it is sterile and produces no messy seed pods, keeping patios clean. Grafted Buhinia blakeana trees begin blooming while still small, making them perfect for containers or tight spaces.

"Bauhinias are generous bloomers," Tatiana explains. "They respond beautifully to regular feeding and full sun. If nights turn too cold, just move the pot to a sunny porch - they’ll keep their tropical charm most of the year."

Give them full sun, regular fertilizer, and a well-drained mix such as Sunshine Abundance, and they will reward you with months of vivid blooms. When nights turn too cold, simply move the pot to a sunny porch or bright window. Bauhinias adjust beautifully and keep their tropical grace year after year.

🎥 Watch Short Videos:

💲 Special Offer – 20% off Cassias and Bauhinias!

Get 20% OFF Cassias and Bauhinias with code

RAINBOW2025

Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only, cannot be combined with other offers.

Hurry, offer expires October 30, 2025!

👉 Explore Bauhinias - Orchid Trees

Date: 8 Apr 2026

Adenium rainbow - warm, bright, and full of energy

Adenium Phoenix

Adenium Phoenix

Adenium rainbow - warm, bright, and full of energy 🌈

Some adeniums feel calm. And some feel like sunshine!
This set is all about warm orange tones - bright, happy, and hard to overlook. These are the ones that light up a bench even on a cloudy day.

💡 Rainy summer tip


In places like Florida, summer rain can be too much for adeniums.
They are succulents - Desert Roses they are! - and don’t like staying wet for long periods. Constant rain keeps the soil saturated, which can lead to root rot and weak growth.
If you have a rainy season, it’s best to keep them under a roof or covered area.
This helps control watering, keeps the soil from staying soggy, and protects the caudex and roots.
They still need bright light - just not endless rain.

🌸 Today's featured adeniums

  •  ✦ Phoenix: Color-changing blooms that shift from soft yellow to pink and coral - looks like a living sunset on one plant.
  •  ✦ Pra Rod Mary: Warm orange shades with a soft, rounded bloom.
  •  ✦ Pratum Thong: Golden-orange color with a rich, glowing look.
  •  ✦ Som Term Sab: Bright, lively tones - name tied to wealth and good fortune.
  •  ✦ One Heart: Balanced form with warm color and a clean structure.
  •  ✦ Thong Nuekao: Golden shades with a slightly deeper, more refined tone.

Orange adeniums bring a different kind of energy - warm, glowing, and full of life.
And once you add a few - your collection starts to feel a lot brighter!

🛒 Explore Exotic Thai Adeniums

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Adenium sp.
Adenium, Desert Rose, Impala Lily
USDA Zone: 9-11
Plant with caudexLarge shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunDry conditionsModerate waterYellow, orange flowersRed, crimson, vinous flowersUnusual colorBlue, lavender, purple flowersWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersToxic or Poisonous

#Container_Garden #Adeniums #How_to #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 27 Sep 2024

How to protect Mango Trees from Cold Weather

How to protect Mango Trees from Cold Weather



🌞 Mango trees love warm weather. They grow best in temperatures between 70F to 100F.

📍 Cold weather can be harmful to mango trees: when the temperature drops below freezing, trees can get damaged. Frost can hurt young leaves and flowers, reducing the amount of fruit.

💬 Ways to protect mango trees from cold


  • 🔹 Right location: Plant in sunny areas with protection from cold winds.

  • 🔹 Cover them up: Use blankets or frost cloth to protect young trees.

  • 🔹 Add mulch: Helps keep the roots warm during cold weather.

  • 🔹 Move potted trees: Bring them inside when it gets too cold.

  • 🔹 Use Sunshine Boosters to improve tree hardiness


➡ Fertilized mango trees are stronger and more resilient.
  • ➡ They grow faster and have better root systems, making them more hardy against cold weather.
  • ➡ Sunshine Boosters provide the essential nutrients needed for strength and vigor, helping plants recover faster from cold damage.


🥭 Sunshine Boosters "Mango Tango" makes mango trees stronger and more resistant to cold. A well-fed tree can survive cold better and produce more fruit. With Sunshine Boosters, you ensure your mango trees stay healthy, even in chilly weather!

📚 Learn more from the articles:


Mango trees and how to deal with cold weather
How to fertilize your Mango trees

📸 See photo in the next post👇

🛒 Shop Sunshine Boosters

#Fertilizers #Mango

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 15 May 2020

Harvesting from a young mango tree

Q: About a year ago we bought a mango tree from you folks and planted it in our backyard in Estero. It has done well. It now has several mangoes and I am wondering if the tree is strong enough to support the fruit or if I should just cut off the fruit and wait until next year when the tree is a bit stronger. I am attaching some pictures. I am most concerned about the branch on the right which seems to be sagging. If you do not suggest that I cut off the fruit, can I wait until they ripen on the tree and eat them. They seem to be a bit on the small side for eating.

A: Your mango tree looks very healthy and happy, congratulation with a great job! For young mango trees, it is always recommended to minimize a number of fruit to 2-3 so the tree has enough energy for vegetative growth rather than fruiting. In your case, as we can see from the pictures, your tree is very well established, has a strong root system, nice symmetrical shape, and vigorous new growth. In our opinion, you can save all these fruit and let them ripen on the tree. To support the plant's energy, make sure to fertilize it during summer with slow-release Mango Food, and year around - with Mango Tango booster. Use Sunshine Honey supplement for sweeter fruit.
Secure the heavy fruit branch with a v-shape stake (a big branch may work), it can definitely use the support otherwise may break under strong Florida winds. You are all set to enjoy your first crop and be rewarded with fruit of your excellent work!

In the photo above: Mr B is harvesting Mango Pim Seng Mun after his successful Sunshine Boosters fertilizing program.
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