Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 1 Jul 2025

Napoleons Plume - Orchid Tree that blooms in a pot

Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume Orchid Tree in bloom

🌸 Napoleons Plume - Orchid Tree that blooms in a pot
  • Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume Orchid Tree - is a breathtaking tropical tree with flowers that truly resemble delicate orchids, and leaves folding like butterfly wings. It is one of he most impressive varieties of orchid trees.
  • Each blossom starts off pale yellow and transforms to soft pink by the next day, with the center petal beautifully streaked in magenta - a unique color shift that makes the tree look like it's blooming in multiple shades at once. When in bloom, it's covered in these showy flowers, creating a dazzling display.
  • Despite its exotic look, this tree is surprisingly well-suited for containers. It can be easily kept trimmed and compact, with seedlings often blooming when just 2 feet tall. While it's sensitive to cold, growing it in a container makes it easy to move indoors during chilly weather. This makes Bauhinia monandra the perfect choice for gardeners who want a tropical tree that delivers nonstop visual impact in a manageable size.
  • How to enjoy the orchid flowers and butterfly foliage of Bauhinia right on your patio or balcony? Choose the right variety. More bauhinia species suitable for containers: B. galpinii, B. madagascariensis, B. monandra, B. alba (candida), B. acuminata, B. bidentata, B. blakeana, B. grandidieri and many others.


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📚 Learn more about Orchid trees:

#Container_Garden #How_to #Trees

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Date: 21 Jun 2025

Flowers never seen before: Adenium Rainbow, Part 2

Adenium Rainbow, Part 2

Adenium Rainbow, Part 2 🌈

Continued from the previous post ⤴️

📚 More about #Adenium

🛒 Shop Adenium colors and hybrids

#Container_Garden #How_to #Shade_Garden #Adenium

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Date: 20 Jun 2025

Ten common greenhouse mistakes and how to avoid them

Greenhouse with tropical plants

Greenhouse with tropical plants

🏠 Ten common greenhouse mistakes and how to avoid them
  • 1. Overwatering

  • It's easy to overwater in a controlled environment. Many greenhouse plants need less water than you think. Overwatering can lead to root rot, yellowing leaves, and fungal issues. Monitor soil moisture regularly and adjust watering based on the plant type, season, and current weather conditions.
  • 2. Not enough light

  • Don’t block too much light - plants need full-spectrum light to thrive. Most greenhouse plants require as much light as possible to ensure healthy, vigorous growth. Lack of light causes leggy, weak plants and increases the risk of disease, pests, and fungal problems.
  • 3. Too much of sun and heat

  • Greenhouses with plastic covers can trap intense heat, and during sunny afternoons, plants may get “cooked”. Direct sunlight can quickly overheat and damage foliage. Use shade cloth during the hottest months or to protect light-sensitive plants and prevent heat stress.
  • 4. Overcrowding plants

  • Packing in too many plants reduces airflow, creating ideal conditions for disease and pest outbreaks. Give each plant enough space to breathe, grow, and receive light. Proper spacing also makes pest control and maintenance easier.
  • 5. Poor ventilation

  • Lack of airflow leads to overheating, humidity buildup, fungal disease, and weak growth. Use fans, roof vents, or roll-up sides to improve circulation and maintain healthy growing conditions.
  • 6. Skipping pest inspections

  • Greenhouses can trap pests in an ideal environment. Check plants regularly for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and fungus. Use systemic insecticides or organic treatments like neem oil at the first sign of trouble.
  • 7. No consistent schedule

  • Inconsistent watering, feeding, and lighting can stress your plants and reduce productivity. Set a simple routine, and monitor conditions daily - even a quick walkthrough helps catch problems early.
  • 8. Neglecting temperature and humidity control

  • Temperature and humidity can fluctuate dramatically between day and night. Use a thermometer (preferably with max/min memory) and a hygrometer to track conditions. Install heaters, shade cloth, misting systems, or dehumidifiers as needed.
    Modern WiFi-based sensors that monitor temperature and humidity 24/7 are convenient tools - you can keep tabs on your greenhouse right from your smartphone.
  • 9. Recycling old soil

  • Avoid reusing soil from plants that died, as it may harbor root diseases or pests. Always use fresh, high-quality soil for new plantings. Don't cut corners - healthy soil is key to healthy plants.
  • 10. Dirty tools, containers, and covers

Reusing dirty pots or tools spreads disease. Clean and disinfect containers, trays, and tools regularly. Use a diluted bleach solution to clean clear plastic or ground covers if they show mold or algae buildup.

#How_to

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Date: 20 Jun 2025

Adenium Rainbow, Part 1

Adenium varieties

Adenium Rainbow, Part 1 🌈
  • 🌸 Our Desert roses at Top Tropicals - Adeniums - were planted in March - and the first video posted in April.

  • Now, in June, they have more and more blooms! We are sharing these amazing colors with you.
    To be continued, check back soon!⤵️
  • 🌸 Check out the varieties still in stock and grab yours before they’re gone. Some are already sold out, but you still have a chance to score amazing blooms!
  • 🌸 Why Collect Adeniums?

· Easy to grow indoors or out
  • · Thrive in sun, shade, and low humidity
  • · Drought-tolerant, low maintenance
  • · Not picky about soil
  • · Stunning blooms and unique caudex shapes

  • 🌸 How Many Varieties Exist?

· Over 200 hybrids at Top Tropicals
  • · 100+ varieties in stock now
  • · From doubles to red, purple, yellow, striped, dotted, rainbow, even black flowers - you'll want them all!


🌸 How to Grow a Big, Swollen Caudex - a simple trick with big results:
Each time you repot, raise the plant slightly to expose more of the upper roots. This encourages new root growth downward and helps form a thicker, more dramatic caudex.
  • · Use a well-draining mix
  • · Water only when dry - Adeniums love dry conditions
  • · Feed with Sunshine Megaflor Booster that supports both caudex and blooms
  • · Grow best in filtered bright light


📚 More about Adeniums:

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#Container_Garden #How_to #Shade_Garden #Adenium

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Date: 16 Jun 2025

Why is my palm tree turning yellow?

Green and yellow palm

Green and yellow palm

🌴 Why is my palm tree turning yellow?

Yellowing leaves are a common concern with palms and can be a sign of several issues, most commonly: nutrient deficiency and pests or disease. Additionally, leaf yellowing may be a sign off overwatering or poor drainage, underwatering, or cold damage.
  • ✔️Nutrient deficiency

  • Nutrient deficiency is the most frequent cause of palm issues. Palms are heavy feeders, and even a slight imbalance can lead to yellowing. Lack of nitrogen, magnesium, iron, or potassium is the leading cause.
  • ✔️Signs of nutrient deficiencies:

▫️Magnesium and Iron deficiency is one of the top culprits, especially in sandy soils. It causes older fronds to turn yellow with green veins.
  • ▫️Potassium deficiency causes yellow or orange spots on older fronds.
  • ▫️Nitrogen deficiency leads to overall pale yellowing, especially in new growth.

  • ✔️How to fix?

  • Use a slow-release fertilizer with high Nitrogen content, like Green Magic, that includes all these elements; with 16-6-11 grade and 6 months release, it turns plants green very quickly! You can also use a balanced liquid fertilizer like Sunshine Robusta. Additionally, a supplement of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) and micro-element supplement containing chelated Iron can help, like Sunshine Superfood (amino-acid based natural product).
  • ✔️Pests and Diseases

  • Pests and fungal diseases can lead to yellowing. Check for signs of scale, mites, or fungal and bacterial problems, especially if yellowing is uneven or spotted.
  • ✔️Signs of pests:

▫️Thrips cause silvery-yellow streaks or mottling
  • ▫️Spider mites, especially in dry conditions, cause yellow speckling
  • ▫️Scale insects can suck sap and weaken fronds
  • ▫️Mealybugs often found in leaf bases and crowns

  • ✔️How to fix?

  • Inspect your palm regularly and treat pests early with neem oil, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil.
  • ✔️Lethal yellowing

  • Lethal yellowing is a serious disease caused by a phytoplasma, a type of bacteria-like organism. It affecting mostly Coconut palms and some other species like Phoenix (Date) palms. It causes premature fruit drop, yellowing of fronds starting from the lower ones, and eventual death of the tree.
  • ✔️How to fix?

  • Unfortunately, there's no cure, but early removal of infected trees can slow the spread. Disease-resistant coconut varieties are available.
  • ✔️Other causes

▫️Overwatering or Poor Drainage: Too much water can suffocate roots and lead to yellowing. Make sure the soil drains well and let it dry slightly between waterings.
  • ▫️Underwatering: Dry soil for too long will stress the palm. Water deeply but infrequently.
  • ▫️Cold Damage: Exposure to cold temperatures can turn fronds yellow or brown, especially in tropical varieties.


✔️In most cases, leaf yellowing isn't fatal, but it's a sign your palm needs attention. Focus on balanced feeding, proper watering, and pest checks to keep your palm healthy and green. Trim only fully dead fronds - yellow ones still provide nutrients to the palm. With proper care, your palm should green up again.

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