Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
Guava fudge: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Guava fruit
Guava fudge
🔴A tropical fudge-like sweet.
🍴 Guava fudge: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Ingredients
- 2 cups ripe guava pulp
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Cook guava pulp with sugar in a pan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly until mixture thickens and pulls away from sides.
- Pour into a greased pan and let it cool.
- Cut into small squares and enjoy your tropical fudge.
🛒 Grow your own sweet guava fruit
📚 Learn more:
- ▫️Six guava varieties that will keep you picking year-round
- ▫️How to grow a Guava Tree: Practical Guide to Growing Guava
- ▫️More about #Guava
#Food_Forest #Recipes
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Date:
Join our Sunday Garden Party Today!
Saving on your favorite plants is Easy.
Easy like Sunday Morning...
It's time for our favorite day and another Easy stroll through Top Tropicals Garden with savings of
up to 50% and MORE!
Spring into Spring Garden Party
Local or Virtual
Spring has arrived! Spring signals new beginnings and
nature's renewal and offers a ray of hope in a world that could really use some
right now.
Today is our Spring into Spring Garden Party at our TopTropicals Garden Center in
Fort Myers, Florida. Cool vendors, Live Music, Plant Clinic and 15% off all
plants. If you can't join us live, come to this virtual party and you can Save
15% too! And more...
Check our event page for the latest pictures and take advantage of our savings available to you! 15% off all orders of $100 or more. Simply use the code GARDENPARTY at checkout and save!
For 15% off use code:
GARDENPARTY
Min order $100 excluding S/H, exp. 3-21-22.
Exclusive offer for online guests only:
50% OFF 4 rare Kalanchoe species
As a special offer for online shoppers, we offer a flash deal of easy to grow, yet rare Kalanchoe varieties, with at instant 50% OFF for one day only! On top of that, use your GARDENPARTY 15% off coupon at checkout and make it a STEAL!
Kalanchoe synsepala Magnificent - Walking Cup Kalanchoe
Kalanchoe
thyrsiflora (tetraphylla ) - Flapjacks
Kalanchoe pinnata -
Hawaiian Air Plant, Bahamas Breath Plant
Kalanchoe
daigremontiana - Mother of Thousands
Remember, this Easy Sunday Deal expires on Monday, 3-21-22.
Feijoa coconut loaf: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen, Fejoa (Feijoa sellowiana)
Feijoa coconut loaf
- 🔴Mix Feijoa pulp into a coconut quick-bread batter.
- 🔴Bakes into a fragrant tropical treat.
Feijoa Coconut Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup feijoa pulp, finely chopped
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a loaf pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut, and salt.
- Mix eggs, sugar, melted butter, milk, and vanilla.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet, then stir in feijoa pulp.
- Pour batter into loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until golden and a toothpick tests clean.
- Cool before slicing.
🛒 Plant exotic fragrant Feijoa - Pineapple Guava
📚 Learn more:
- ▫️Pineapple Guava: fragrant fruit, beautiful blooms, and real health benefits
- ▫️Why is it called Pineapple Guava? It tastes just like strawberries! Feijoa Superfood.
#Food_Forest #Recipes
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Lychee sorbet: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Lychee - Litchi chinensis
Lychee sorbet
- 🔴Blend Lychee pulp with lime juice, freeze until firm.
- 🔴A refreshing tropical ice treat.
Lychee Sorbet Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh lychee flesh, peeled and seeded (or canned lychees, drained)
- 1/3 cup sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup cold water, as needed for blending
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the lychees by peeling them, removing the seeds, and collecting the white flesh. If using canned lychees, drain them well.
- Place the lychee flesh, sugar or honey, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the cold water into a blender.
- Blend until completely smooth. If the mixture is too thick to move easily, add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow freezer safe container. Cover tightly.
- Freeze for 2 to 3 hours, stirring with a fork every 30 to 45 minutes, until the sorbet is firm but scoopable.
- Scoop into bowls and garnish with fresh mint leaves and extra lychee fruit if desired. Serve immediately.
🛒 Plant your Lychee tree - Litchi chinensis
📚 Learn more:
- ▫️How long until I get fruit from my Lychee tree?
- ▫️Why I can't grow a Lychee tree from a seed?
- ▫️How to grow a Lychee tree and have a reliable crop. Practical Guide to Growing Lychee.
- ▫️What are the best varieties of Lychee Tree?
- ▫️What is the best fruit in the world? How to grow your own Lychee tree.
#Food_Forest #Recipes
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When plants cross into the Gothic: the Darker Bat Lily
Black Bat Lily (Tacca chantrieri)
- 🖤 Here’s a striking look at the Black Bat Lily (Tacca chantrieri) - its dramatic dark bracts resembling bat wings, trailing whiskers, and tropical elegance all in one. If you met its cousin, the White Bat Head Lily (Tacca nivea) in earlier video, you'll notice the family resemblance - same dramatic whiskers and wing-like bracts, but this one leans fully into the dark side.
- 🖤 The Black Bat Flower isn’t just a bloom - it's a full performance. Giant black-maroon"wings" stretch out like a bat in flight, while long, drooping filaments dangle like eerie whiskers or jungle jewelry - some over a foot long!
- 🖤 Those weird, wild whiskers aren't just for show either. They're thought to mimic the look (and no, not the smell!) of decaying matter, luring in pollinators like flies. Creepy? Yes. Clever? Absolutely.
- 🖤 The Black Bat Flower blooms best when it feels pampered: filtered light, steady warmth, and spa-level humidity. It’s a smart exotic for a greenhouse or even a bright bathroom with a skylight.
- 🖤 It grows from a rhizome, and while Tacca chantrieri is prized for its gothic looks, its green cousin Tacca leontopetaloides is actually used in the tropics to make arrowroot starch.
- 🖤 Patience is part of the package - sometimes it takes months to bloom. But when it does, it becomes the crown jewel of the collection. People will ask if it's real. You'll just smile and say, "Yes - and it lives here."
🛒 Add this gothic gem to your collection - Black Tacca
Tacca colors: Black, White, Green:
Tacca nivea - White Tacca
Tacca chantrieri - Black Tacca
Tacca leontopetaloides - Green Tacca
📚 Learn more:
- ▫️The mystery of the White Bat Lily - the plant with wings and whiskers
- ▫️ A flying bat with whiskers
- ▫️ The rarest Green Tacca - Tacca leontopetaloides
- ▫️ When Bat Head Devil Flower is in bloom
- ▫️ Bat Head - Devil Flower
#Nature_Wonders #Shade_Garden #Container_Garden
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Horny plant hanging in the air
Staghorn fern (Platycerium)
Staghorn fern (Platycerium)
Staghorn fern (Platycerium)
Staghorn fern (Platycerium)
- 👀 Staghorn fern (Platycerium) is one of those #Nature_Wonders... Everyone who sees it, wants to have one!
- 👀 Showy, tropical looking epiphyte that can be grown on a tree or in a large hanging basket.
- 👀 It is able to grow high in the trees of the rainforest, often grows in large masses.
- 👀 Long, pendulous, much bifurcated fertile fronds produce spores on special cup-shaped appendages. Basal fronds form a crown-shaped basket.
🛒 Order online - we have a few X-large plants
#Nature_Wonders #Shade_Garden #Container_Garden
🏵 TopTropicals
Date:
Guava Tree Plant Care
Tips from Top Tropicals Plant Expert - Tatiana Anderson
Where to Plant Outdoors
Guavas love full sun — aim for 6–8 hours of direct light. They’re adaptable to many soils but do best in well-drained, organic-enriched mixes. Plant them in a spot where you can water easily; guavas are thirsty trees during fruiting.
Container & Indoor Growing
Don’t have space or live in a cooler climate? Guavas thrive in large pots. Use well-drained potting mix. LINK TO OUR SOIL Keep them on a sunny patio during warm months and bring them indoors when nights dip below freezing. Compact varieties like Dwarf Hawaiian Rainbow or Tikal are especially good for pots.
Winter Care
Mature guavas can handle a light frost (down into the high 20s F), but young plants need protection. If planted outdoors, cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Container guavas can be wheeled into a garage, greenhouse, or bright indoor window until the weather warms.
Watering and Fertilizing
Water deeply once or twice a week, more often in hot weather or when fruit is developing. They don’t like soggy soil, but they won’t complain about short floods either. Fertilize 3–4 times a year during the growing season with a balanced fruit tree fertilizer. Guavas especially love potassium and phosphorus for strong flowering and heavy crops. We recommend liquid crop booster Sunshine C-Cibus and balanced controlled release fertilizer Green Magic.
Pruning
Prune after fruiting to keep them compact and open up airflow. Remove crossing or dead branches. In containers, trim back vigorous shoots regularly to manage size and encourage more fruiting wood.
Pests and Problems
Guavas are generally tough and pest-resistant. The main thing to watch for in humid or rainy climates is mealybugs - those cottony white clusters on leaves or stems. They're easy to manage with neem oil or a quick spray of horticultural soap.
Fruit time
Guavas fruit young - often within a year or two.
Pollination
Guavas are self-pollinating, so you'll get fruit even with a single tree. Planting more than one tree, however, often boosts harvests and gives you a longer fruiting season.
If you've ever wanted instant gratification from a fruit tree, guava is it.
🍴 Guava Recipes
With all that fruit, the next question is always: "What do I do with it?" Here are our favorites:
Cas Guava: Make Agua de Cas
Boil halved Cas Guava fruits with sugar, simmer, strain, and bottle. Dilute with water when serving. The concentrate keeps for months in the fridge.
Check out the recipe.-
Hawaiian Gold: Make Drinks
Perfect for Mojitos or Margaritas. Sweet, tangy juice pairs beautifully with lime and mint. Learn more
-
Araca Pera: Guava Wine
Famous in Brazil, where the fruit is turned into a vibrant rosу wine. Locals say it’s the taste of summer in a glass — and yes, you can make it at home too. Learn more...
-
Quick snack: Guava Grilled Cheese
Spread guava paste or fresh mashed fruit with cheese, grill until golden. Sweet and savory heaven. Learn more...
-
Simple Guava Juice
Blend ripe guavas with water, ice, and a little sugar if you like. Instant refreshment.
✅Ready to Grow? Whether you want fresh juice, sweet fruit, or even your own guava wine, we’ve got the best varieties in stock right now. Your future self, sipping guava juice on a hot summer afternoon, will thank you.
Date:
Event mementos: everybody had a happy time!
Our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for visiting our Plant Festival March into Spring - on Saturday. It was delightful to
see so many of you exploring the array of plants, finding ones that spoke to
you, and ultimately making purchases that brought joy and life into your homes
and gardens. The early birds received amazing Artistic Gift Bags by Onika
Amell.
Your support means the world to us! It's moments like these that remind us
of the beauty and wonder that nature brings into our lives...
Date:
From Anna Banana: Shipping and planting during hot weather
Q: I received email notification that my order was delayed due to hot weather. Why? And do I need to do anything special if I plant when it is hot?
A: When plants are shipped via FedEx Ground, it is hot in the truck! According to our FedEx area manager information, if outside temperature is 100 degrees, inside the truck it can be 130! We don't want to put your plants through that much stress. We monitor the weather at destination, and as soon as it cools down a little bit, your order will be shipped.
Planting during
hot weather:
1. For a mail-ordered plant follow planting instructions and never
plant it from the box directly into the ground. Keep it in a pot the size of a
root ball until the plant recovers from shipping stress, re-grows root system
and adjusts from several days of darkness to a bright light. Move the pot
gradually into brighter light, eventually into a spot of its permanent home. Do
not over water the pot. Once you see new growth - the plant is ready to be
transplanted into the ground.
2. Use only quality soil, containing lots of organic matter (compost, peat
moss); soil conditioner is beneficial (pine bark). Plant it on a little hill,
so growing point is elevated 1-1.5" above the rest of the surface.
3. Put a good layer of mulch around the plant, at least 1-2" thick, and not
too close to the trunk as it may cause stem rot on contact.
4. Water daily with a garden hose until the plant shows active growth -
then watering may be reduced every other day or less, or you may rely on
sprinklers and/or rains.
5. If the sun is too hot, use shade cloth (or simply a white bed sheet) to
cover the plant for the first few days (use bamboo sticks for support). It
will help the plant to establish without heat stress. If leaves start dropping
- this may be a sign of excessive light and heat. Shading is the way to
reduce it.
6. Use SUNSHINE booster to help plants overcome heat stress, and shipping
stress. It really works!
Remember that a plant has a very slow nature, unlike creatures from animal world. Give it some time and never rush it into new conditions. Go slowly and patiently - this is the only way to get a reward of a fruit crop or a beautiful flower.
Tropical almond brittle: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Tropical Almond (Terminalia catappa)
Tropical almond brittle
- 🟢Caramelize sugar, stir in roasted tropical almonds (Terminalia catappa), spread thin.
- 🟢Let cool, harden, and break into crunchy, nutty shards.
- 2 cups roasted tropical almonds (Terminalia catappa)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp butter
- Pinch of salt
- Combine sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until sugar caramelizes to a golden amber color.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in roasted tropical almonds.
- Pour onto parchment paper and spread into a thin layer.
- Let cool completely, then break into brittle shards.
Tropical Almond Brittle
Ingredients
Instructions
🛒 Grow your own almonds
📚 Learn more:
▫️Where do almonds come from?
#Food_Forest #Recipes
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