Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Improve your intellect with Ashoka,
the tree of Happiness
(Saraca indica, the Sorrowless Tree)

By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist

Q: I have recently visited India and saw the most beautiful Ashoka trees at the entrance to a temple. The flowers were simply show stopping, growing directly on the trunk and branches. I would love to grow one. I have been told it has significant medicinal properties. I am delighted to see you have them in your inventory. And they are on sale too! Are they easy to grow?

A: Ashoka or Saraca indica is one of the most exotic flowering trees of the Indian subcontinent. Without a doubt it is one of the most stunning Indian flowering trees. Buddhists, Jains and Hindus all hold this tree in extremely high esteem and it is considered a sacred tree. Ashoka is extremely highly valued for nutritional value as well as its beautiful appearance. No surprise then that they are often found in royal palace grounds and gardens as well as around temples throughout India. Young leaves are a stunning deep pink color and emerge at the end of branches like hanging tassels. This tree will typically grow to around 20 feet and is a brilliant bloomer. It will wow you with large, round clusters of fragrant flowers throughout the year. Almost all parts of this tree are widely used for different medicinal purpose. It reportedly even helps to improve intellect! Simply amazing...

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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Independent Paisley

Paisley is an independent cat that prefers to spend her time alone. She is Snitch's sister, both of them came to us two years ago from our co-worker Cindy (Purry's Mom). Even though Paisley is the smallest of Kristi's inside PeopleCats, she will make sure no food is wasted and finishes the other cats' food after they leave their bowls. She enjoys catching lizards when she gets outside time on the porch. Her excellent hunting skills would make her a great outdoor cat, but we are afraid she will become bird prey due to her small size.

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Paisley likes hanging with the other cats if there's a rug involved!

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Ever heard of Chupa-Chupa?

By Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc

...I wonder how many knowledgeable people here have even heard of the national fruit of Brazil? Ever heard of the chupa-chupa tree? Almost no-one in this country has, unless they are either Brazilian by birth, or perhaps visit there regularly, exploring the abundant fresh-fruit markets. It is a magnificent fruit tree, and deserves to be better known here...
The flesh inside is bright orange, very sweet, and especially juicy! ...Something you might imagine as an unlikely cross of cantaloupe and pineapple, and that it is especially juicy similar to a good pineapple...

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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Field Grown Marco

Marco loves growing plants and be involved in different projects outside. He is good at finding spots either on top, or inside some inappropriate objects. Yet simple boxes, that most cats find super comfy, do not interest him. Is has to be a plant container, saucer, or even a charcoal grill full of ash... He can sit in some weird places for hours like on top of a fence pole, or lay in the middle of a busy walking traffic while everybody have to step over or walk around him... We have quite a collection of Marco's special places and will be sharing with you!

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