Date: 28 Sep 2025
Guava: The Healthiest Fruit You Can Grow
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
- Dwarf Hawaiian Rainbow – Stays under 6 ft, perfect for patios and pots, yet produces full-sized fruit.
Specialty Varieties
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, 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!
Date: 22 Sep 2025
Dragon Fruit Plant Care – Tips
from the Garden Expert
Dragon fruit is one of those plants that look exotic but are surprisingly easy once you know the basics. Here is what works best in the garden:
- Soil: They hate wet feet. A sandy, fast-draining soilless-mix is your friend. If water sits around the roots, rot comes fast.
- Watering: Deep watering is better than frequent sips. Let the soil dry between waterings. In rainy season they cope well, but in pots you need to be careful.
- Sunlight: Full sun is great, but in very hot places a touch of afternoon shade keeps them happy.
- Support: They are natural climbers. A wooden post, concrete pole, or trellis will give them something to grab and makes harvest easier.
- Fertilizer: Feed lightly but often. A gentle liquid like Sunshine C-Cibus liquid booster with every watering, or Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 5-6 months. It encourages strong roots, lush growth, and lots of flowers.
- Pruning: Trim off tangled or weak stems. This guides energy into strong branches that will flower and fruit.
Think of it as training a cactus vine into a small tree. Once it settles in, it almost takes care of itself — and pays back with fruit you can’t buy in stores.
🌱 Dragon Fruit Plant Care – Outdoors and Indoors
Outdoors: Dragon fruit thrives in USDA Zones 10–11 year-round. In warm regions like Florida, Texas, California, and Hawaii, you can grow it outside in the ground. Give it fast-draining soil, full sun with a little afternoon shade in the hottest months, and a sturdy trellis or post to climb. Deep watering with drying periods in between keeps roots healthy. A yearly pruning shapes the plant and boosts flowering.
Indoors or Patio Pots: Gardeners in cooler zones can still enjoy dragon fruit in containers. Use a large pot with sandy, well-draining mix or soilless-mix and a pole for support. Place the pot in the brightest spot — a greenhouse, sunroom, or patio that gets 6+ hours of light daily. Move pots inside when temperatures drop below 40F. Even indoors, a healthy plant can bloom and fruit if it has enough light and warmth.
❓ Dragon Fruit FAQ
How soon will a dragon fruit start producing?
Cuttings can flower and fruit in as little as 2–3 years. Seed-grown plants take longer, often 4–6 years. Large developed specimens can start flowering and fruiting within a year or even the same season.
Do I need more than one plant for pollination?
Some varieties are self-fertile, others need a second plant for cross-pollination. Even self-fertile types usually set more fruit with a partner nearby.
How big do they get?
In the ground, dragon fruit can climb 15–20 ft if you let it. With pruning and a trellis, you can keep it shaped like a small tree, 6–8 ft tall.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. A large container with sandy mix or soilless-mix and a pole for climbing works well. Indoors it will need bright light or a grow lamp.
What does a dragon fruit taste like?
Sweet and juicy, like a blend of blackberry and raspberry. Varieties differ: flesh can be white, pink, deep red, or purple, wrapped in skins of red, pink, or yellow. White flesh is mild and refreshing, red flesh is sweeter, and yellow flesh is the sweetest with a honey-pineapple flavor.
What zones can I grow dragon fruit outside?
USDA Zones 10–11 are best for year-round outdoor planting. In cooler areas, grow it in containers and bring inside for winter.
How often should I water?
Deep water, then let the soil dry. Too much water causes root rot. Think “desert cactus with a taste for rain.”
Is dragon fruit easy to grow?
Yes. Pitayas grow like cactus trees on strong supports, but they are easy to care for — little water, sun or semi-shade, and they thrive.
How long do they live?
A healthy dragon fruit cactus can produce for 10 years or more with proper care.
What are the health benefits?
Dragon fruit is high in fiber, supports digestion, and is low in calories. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, making it good for immunity and overall wellness. Many gardeners enjoy it as a healthy snack or in smoothies.
Date: 22 Sep 2025
🐲 The taste you will never forget
If you only know dragon fruit from the grocery store, you probably think it looks pretty but tastes bland. That is because most commercial fruit is picked early, shipped far, and loses its sweetness. The truth? Homegrown dragon fruit is juicy, sweet, and full of flavor. The best of all is the yellow variety, Palora (Selenicereus megalanthus), a cactus fruit from Ecuador that bursts with tropical taste.
🌵 Pitaya or Dragon fruit – what is the difference?
Both names describe the same climbing cactus. In Latin America it is called Pitaya, while Asia and English speakers say Dragon fruit. There are three main kinds:
- Red skin, white flesh (Hylocereus undatus)
- Red skin, red flesh (Hylocereus costaricensis)
- Red skin, purple or pink flesh (Hylocereus x costaricensis hybrids)
- Yellow skin, white flesh (Selenicereus megalanthus)
Some hybrids give purple or magenta flesh. All are beautiful, all are easy to grow at home.
⚡️ Do red, white, and yellow taste different?
Yes. White types are mild and refreshing. Reds are sweeter and juicier. Yellows are the sweetest of all.
⚡️ Flowers from a fairy tale
Dragon fruit flowers are among the most spectacular in the plant world. They open at night, glowing under moonlight, with pale petals and a sweet fragrance. Each flower can be a foot wide. Seeing one bloom feels like stepping into another world.
⚡️ Top Dragon Fruit Health Benefits
- High in fiber for digestion and gut health
- Low in calories but full of vitamins
- Great for weight management
- Adds color and freshness to smoothies and salads
🍹 Dragon Fruit Smoothie recipe
Blend together:
- 2 dragon fruits, peeled
- 1/2 cup mango pulp
- 1 banana
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp lime juice
- Ice cubes to taste
Top with mint for a refreshing tropical treat.
Watch Dragon Fruit short videos:
💲 Special Offer – 25% off Dragon Fruit Pitaya Plants!
Get 25% OFF Pitaya plants with code
DRAGON2025
Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only, cannot be combined with other offers.
Hurry, offer expires September 29, 2025!
Date: 17 Sep 2025
Mulberry Care and Growing Tips
Mulberries are tough, low-maintenance fruit trees that adapt to many conditions.
- Climate: Hardy from USDA zone 5 to 10.
- Soil: Grow well in almost any soil; prefer good drainage.
- Watering: Regular watering during dry spells; drought tolerant once etablished.
- Growth: 3–5 feet per year, producing fruit early.
- Pruning: Annual pruning controls size and improves branching.
- Pot culture: Dwarf types thrive in containers, staying 6–7 feet tall. Use a large pot, water consistently, and prune lightly. Use Abundance potting mix for best results.
- Fertilizer: For reliable production, fertilizer regularly. Apply Sunshine C-Cibus liquid booster with every watering, or Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 5-6 months.
❓ Mulberry FAQ
How soon will a mulberry fruit?
One to two years, sometimes the very first season.
What climates are suitable?
USDA zones 5–10, from -20F winters to hot summers.
How tall do they get?
Standard trees 20–30 ft; dwarfs 6–10 ft in pots.
Do I need more than one tree?
No, they are self-pollinating.
What do they taste like?
Sweet and juicy, like a blend of blackberry and raspberry.
How long is the harvest?
Everbearing types ripen gradually from summer into fall.
Do birds eat them?
Yes, but trees are so productive there’s plenty to share.
Are they messy?
Dark-fruited varieties can stain; white mulberries do not.
Can I grow them in containers?
Yes, dwarf types (Dwarf Everbearing, Issai) fruit well in pots.
How long do they live?
Many live for decades; Illinois Everbearing can endure for generations.
What are the health benefits?
Mulberries are low-glycemic, support healthy blood sugar, improve heart health, and are rich in antioxidants.
Date: 17 Sep 2025
🍇Mulberries – the hidden gems of every garden
Picture this: it’s July, the sun is warm, and you step outside to a tree dripping with berries. You reach up, and your fingers come away stained purple. The taste? Like blackberries kissed with raspberry — sweet, juicy, unforgettable.
That’s what a Mulberry gives you. And the best part? You don’t wait years. Many trees fruit the very next season. Dwarf types can even fruit nearly year-round in pots — fresh berries on your patio, without leaving home.
🌟 Varieties gardeners swear by:
In the photo above: mulberry varieties - Illinois Everbearing, Dwarf Everbearing, Shangri-LA, White Mulberry, Pakistani Giant, Issai, Florida Giant
- Illinois Everbearing – legendary flavor, harvests all summer.
- Dwarf Everbearing & Issai – perfect for patios, nonstop fruit.
- Florida Giant – big tree, big berries, big flavor.
- Shangri-La – thrives in heat, huge leaves, steady crops.
- Pakistani Giant – 2-3"long fruit, very juicy.
- Tise – sweet, large flavorful fruit, early season.
- White Mulberry – sweet and clean, no stains.
Mulberries aren’t just delicious — they’re loaded with antioxidants, help balance blood sugar, and make your garden come alive with birds and shade. Don’t wait another season. Plant your Mulberry now and taste the difference by next summer.
Watch short videos:
💲 Special Offer – 20% off Mulberry Trees!
Get 20% OFF already discounted Mulberry Trees with code
MULBERRY2025
Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only, cannot be combined with other offers.
Hurry, offer expires September 23, 2025!