Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 4 Jul 2025

Happy Independence Day!
4th of July Sale

Independent cat on Independence Day opening a can

"Independence is happiness." - Susan B. Anthony

Happy 4th of July from the tropics! Whether you're staying local or escaping for the long weekend, it's the perfect time to enjoy your garden, start something new, or grab that plant you've been eyeing. Red Desert Roses, white fragrant Gardenias and Jasmines, rare Blue Ginger - tropical blooms are showing off right now, and we are celebrating with a hot summer sale: 20% off everything with code HAPPY4TH25, plus extra savings on combined DEALS and BOGO! Add some color to your summer and let your garden do the fireworks!

Use the code below to save 20% on your entire order:

HAPPY4TH25

Min order $200. Excluding S/H. Exp. 7-7-25

Reminder: use our FREE and DISCOUNTED SHIPPING for qualified orders

Shop Now Bauhinia madagascariensis, Red Butterfly Orchid Tree

In the photo above: Bauhinia madagascariensis, Red Butterfly Orchid Tree - dazzles with bright red flowers striped in gold. A rare, fast-growing tropical that brings serious color to your garden, it is one of the most striking Orchid trees you can grow. It thrives in sun and rewards with nonstop color.

Date: 27 Nov 2025

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Top Tropicals!

Smokey the tuxedo cat holding a Thanksgiving sign while Sunshine the ginger tabby smiles beside him on a potting table.

Smokey: "We made a list of everything we are thankful for this year."
Sunshine: "I helped. Mostly by napping next to it."
Smokey: "And that is exactly why sunshine naps are on the list."

Smokey and Sunshine wanted to share a short Gardener Thanksgiving Message about what they are thankful for this year:

"We are thankful for warm laps during cold mornings.
Thankful for every gardener who stopped to scratch our heads between loading carts.
Thankful for the smell of fresh soil, new plants, and boxes that make perfect cat forts.
Thankful for mango season (even though humans never let us eat the fruit).
Thankful for sunshine naps on potting tables and shade naps under benches.
Thankful for all the tiny moments when gardens and people slow down together.
And thankful that we get to share this tropical adventure with you."

From the whole Top Tropicals Team and PeopleCats, we wish you a warm, peaceful, plant-filled Thanksgiving 🙏 ♥️

🛒 Shop Tropical plants

Date: 17 May 2026

9 awesome accent plants and vines that love heat and dry conditions

9 awesome accent plants and vines that love heat and dry conditions 9 awesome accent plants and vines that love heat and dry conditions 9 awesome accent plants and vines that love heat and dry conditions 9 awesome accent plants and vines that love heat and dry conditions 9 awesome accent plants and vines that love heat and dry conditions

☀️ 9 awesome accent plants and vines that love heat and dry conditions



The hardest spots aren’t for trees - they’re for everything else. The toughest areas are often smaller spaces - along walls, patios, containers, or rocky patches where soil dries out fast. This is where most plants fail quickly.
These picks don’t just survive - they stand out. They bring texture, color, and structure - without needing constant watering or perfect soil.

Why containers are the toughest of all in heat



Growing in pots in hot, dry conditions is a different game. The soil heats up fast, roots can literally overheat, and moisture disappears much quicker than in the ground. If you’re using containers, protect the root zone - group pots together, tuck them into partial shade, or shield the container itself from direct sun. Choosing drought-tolerant plants helps, but don’t assume they can go totally without water - even tough plants in pots can dry out quickly, so check regularly and don’t let them go bone dry.

🔥 9 best smaller plants and vines for hot, dry spots


  1. ☀️ 1. Adenium - Desert Rose 📸
    Stores water in its caudex and thrives in heat - one of the best flowering plants for dry conditions.

    Adenium Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Adenium sp.
    Also known as: Adenium, Desert Rose, Impala Lily
    USDA Zone: 9 - 10
    Highligths Plant with caudexLarge shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunWater Requirement: Low. Allow soil to dry out between wateringsWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryYellow, orange flowersRed, crimson, vinous flowersUnusual colorBlue, lavender, purple flowersWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersToxic or Poisonous
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  2. ☀️ 2. Stapelia gigantea - Starfish Flower 📸
    Unusual and tough - thrives in dry soil and produces massive, eye-catching blooms.

    Zulu Giant Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Stapelia gigantea
    Also known as: Zulu Giant, Carrion Plant, Starfish Flower
    USDA Zone: 9 - 10
    Highligths Small plant 2-5 ftFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryUnusual colorPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirds
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  3. ☀️ 3. Cissus quadrangularis - Veld Grape Vine 📸
    A succulent vine that handles heat and drought while adding a unique structural look.

    Veld grape Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Cissus quadrangularis, Vitis quadrangularis
    Also known as: Veld grape
    USDA Zone: 9 - 11
    Highligths Groundcover and low-growing 2ft plantVine or creeper plantSemi-shadeFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryOrnamental foliageEthnomedical 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 time
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  4. ☀️ 4. Jatropha podagrica - Gout Plant 📸
    Thick stems store water, making it surprisingly drought tolerant with a bold tropical look.

    Gout Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Jatropha podagrica
    Also known as: Gout Plant, Gout Stick, Buddha Belly, Guatemala Rhubarb, Tartogo
    USDA Zone: 9 - 11
    Highligths Plant with caudexPlant used for bonsaiSmall plant 2-5 ftSemi-shadeShadeFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryYellow, orange flowersRed, crimson, vinous flowersOrnamental foliageToxic or PoisonousPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short timeSeaside, salt tolerant plant
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  5. ☀️ 5. Pedilanthus tithymaloides - Devil's Backbone 📸
    Extremely forgiving - thrives on neglect, heat, and dry soil.

    Devil's backbone Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Euphorbia tithymaloides, Pedilanthus tithymaloides
    Also known as: Devil's backbone, Zigzag plant, Jacob's ladder
    USDA Zone: 9 - 11
    Highligths Large shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall plant 2-5 ftSemi-shadeFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryOrnamental foliagePink flowersIrritating plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  6. ☀️ 6. Agave species - Tequila Agave, Century Plant
    Classic drought plants - architectural, extremely tough, and almost maintenance-free.

    Century plant Facts

    Botanical name: Agave americana
    Also known as: Century plant
    USDA Zone: 8 - 11
    Highligths Large shrub 5-10 ft tallFull sunWater Requirement: Low. Allow soil to dry out between wateringsWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryThorny or spinySubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  7. ☀️ 7. Crocosmia species - Coppertips / Falling Stars
    Handles heat well once established and adds bright seasonal color with minimal care.

    Coppertips Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Crocosmia sp.
    Also known as: Coppertips, Falling Stars, Montbretia
    USDA Zone: 8 - 11
    Highligths Small plant 2-5 ftSemi-shadeFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyYellow, orange flowersRed, crimson, vinous flowersPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  8. ☀️ 8. Ipomoea platensis - Caudiciform Morning Glory
    A rare vine with a swollen base - built to handle dry cycles and intense sun.

    Plata Ipomoea Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Ipomoea platensis, Ipomoea platense, Ipomoea lineariloba
    Also known as: Plata Ipomoea, Caudiciform Morning Glory
    USDA Zone: 9 - 11
    Highligths Plant with caudexVine or creeper plantSemi-shadeWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyPink flowersSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details
  9. ☀️ 9. Plectranthus hadiensis tomentosus - Camphor Basil
    Soft, aromatic foliage that tolerates dry conditions better than most leafy plants.

    Camphor Plant Facts

    Botanical name: Plectranthus tomentosus, Plectranthus hadiensis var. tomentosus
    Also known as: Camphor Plant, Camphor Basil, Vicks Plant, Succulent Coleus
    USDA Zone: 9 - 10
    Highligths Groundcover and low-growing 2ft plantSmall plant 2-5 ftSemi-shadeFull sunWater Requirement: Low. Allow soil to dry out between wateringsWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryOrnamental foliageBlue, lavender, purple flowersPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsSpice or herb 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 plant
    Get personalized tips for your region
    More details


🛒 Shop drought tolerant plants - for hot and dry spots

📚Learn more:
Jatropha podagrica - in Plant Encyclopedia
7 tough shrubs that handle heat and dry soil
9 tough trees for hot, dry spots that actually thrive
9 best tropical shrubs that bloom all summer long or year around
The bizarre bloom you cant stop staring at
Coral-blooming bonsai with a bottle-shaped trunk - perfect container plant
Caudiciform Morning Glory
Grows in neglect: tough plant for tough spots

#Discover #Hedges_with_benefits #How_to

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 15 May 2026

Smokey and Sunshine HIRING NOW: Customer service / sales in garden center

👨‍� Smokey and Sunshine HIRING NOW: Customer service / sales in garden center

Sunshine: Smokey, we need plant people.
Smokey: Does your girlfriend know plants?
Sunshine: Of course. She fertilized my donuts so they would grow larger.
Smokey: Did it work?
Sunshine: Kind of. I gained three pounds.

TopTropicals.com is looking for a part-time customer service and sales team member for our Ft Myers Garden Center.

If you genuinely love plants, enjoy helping people, and don't mind getting your hands dirty in a tropical nursery environment – then working with rare tropical plants, fruit trees, and fellow plant lovers can be fun and rewarding!

💼 Responsibilities



· Help walk-in customers select plants and check out
· Answer customer questions by phone, email, social media, and message board
· Open and close office, operate cash register
· General customer service and sales support

📚 Requirements



· Genuine love for plants and willingness to learn. We will train
· Friendly, patient, and polite with customers
· Strong work ethic and reliability; punctuality is essential
· Ability to follow instructions and work efficiently
· Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs and comfortable working outdoors in Florida heat and weather
· Drug-free - background check and drug test upon employment
· Valid Florida driver's license and reliable transportation
· Must love cats - our famous "PeopleCats" helpers patrol the gardens daily

‍� Preferred qualifications



· Basic computer skills (email, office, internet). We will train
· Previous plant knowledge or nursery experience
· Sales or customer service experience

💰 Pay



· Starting pay: $18/hour depending on experience and performance
· Opportunity for growth based on performance

📅 Schedule



· Part-time to start, potential for full-time later
· Friday and Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm

📍 Location:



Top Tropicals Garden Center
13890 Orange River Blvd
Ft Myers, FL 33905

✍️ How to apply:



Please email a brief resume and a short paragraph explaining why you'd like this job.

Resume guidelines:
· Keep it brief; include job history and education
· Please avoid long descriptions of unrelated experience
· Tell us why working with plants and people interests you

🚶‍➡️ To apply in person:



You are welcome to visit our Garden Center during business hours:
Monday-Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm
To apply in person, ask for Kristi - our manager.
No phone calls please.

Thanks for applying - we hope to see you working alongside our plants, #PeopleCats, and fellow plant lovers soon.


🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 16 May 2026

🔮 When the World Around Becomes Too Gray: Plant a Tree. Eat a Donut. Keep going.

When the world feels gray, plant another tree. Smokey brings the jaboticaba. Sunshine brings donuts and encouragement.
Sunshine: Smokey, what do we do when the world around becomes too gray?
Smokey: Plant a tree.
Sunshine: And if that does not help?
Smokey: Plant another one.
Sunshine: And eat a donut.
Smokey: Not strictly necessary, but statistically beneficial.

If you have been feeling a little worn down lately, you are not alone.

You already know about the headlines. We do not need to list them. You have probably seen them today before breakfast.

We are not here to pretend that is not happening. It is happening. And it is a lot. But here is the thing we keep coming back to, the thing that has been true for as long as people have had hands and a patch of ground: when the world feels out of control, you can still plant something.

Gardening is not an escape. It is an answer. When you put a tree in the ground, you are making a quiet statement. You are saying that you expect there to be a future. That you intend to be in it. That shade and fruit and flowers still matter, and you are going to make sure they exist in your corner of the world.

That is not naive. That is courageous in the most ordinary and underrated way.

One tree, planted this season, might give you fruit in a few years. It might give butterflies somewhere to stop. It might give a bird a place to nest. It will almost certainly give you something to look at on a hard day that reminds you the world still contains beauty, and that you put some of it there. And if one tree does not quite do it? Plant another one.

Dostoevsky said beauty will save the world. We think a mango fruiting in your backyard counts. So does a Magnolia opening on a quiet morning.

Do not skip the donut.

A donut is a small, simple, completely unnecessary thing. That is exactly the point. It is not productive. It does not solve anything. It is just good, and sometimes that is the whole reason. In a world that constantly demands you be useful and informed and concerned, eating a donut is a quiet act of being human. You are allowed to enjoy a small thing on a hard day. You do not have to earn it.

Rest a little. Then go put something in the ground. Anything that will grow and flower and remind you that beautiful things are still happening whether the headlines mention them or not.

We have the plants. You bring the donuts.

🛒 Plant a sweeter world: grow color and flavor

Tray filled with freshly harvested tropical plums in shades of red, orange, and yellow resting on green grass, with a few leafy branches placed on top of the fruit.

We just finished harvesting loquats and mulberries, and now another wave is coming in - low chill plums, peaches, and nectarines fresh from the garden. This is one of the most rewarding times of the year, when every season brings the fruit of your labor and all that work finally turns into something sweet.

📚 Learn more from our garden Blog

◂ Previous pageNext page ▸Most recent entry ▴Blog table of contents