Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
Did you know that Lipstick plant has pretty flowers?
Bixa orellana - Lipstick Tree, Annatto, Achiote Bixa, flowers
- 🌸 Bixa orellana - Lipstick Tree, Annatto, Achiote Bixa flowers are special not just for their beauty but for what comes next - annatto!
- 🌸 These delicate, pinkish-white blooms with soft petals give way to spiky seed pods filled with bright red seeds, which are the source of the natural dye and spice known as annatto.
- 🌸 Often called the “lipstick tree,” Bixa is celebrated for these seeds, used to color and flavor foods and even in cosmetics. So, those pretty flowers aren’t just decorative - they are the start of something vibrant and useful!
📚 Check out Lipstick Plant spectacular seeds
🛒 Order Lipstick Plant
#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Trees
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The secret of a happy marriage
“The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret.” - Henny Youngman
Share your cats in comments!
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🔠 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden
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What is your favorite Pineapple variety?
Pineapple Florida Special
- 🍍 One of our favorites here in Sunshine State is Pineapple Florida Special
- 🍍 Bred by the Libby fruit company for Florida's unique climate, the Florida Special Pineapple once thrived across 240 acres in Immokalee before Libby sold to Nestle.
- 🍍 This variety produces medium to large, golden-yellow fruits with a perfect balance of sweetness and tang. Known for its resilience, it can withstand temperatures down to the mid-30s without internal damage, making it a great choice for subtropical gardeners.
- 🍍The plant's compact size, reaching 2-3 feet, makes it perfect for containers, patios, or garden beds. Its spiny green leaves form a striking rosette, adding tropical flair to any space. Whether grown for its juicy fruit or ornamental appeal, the Florida Special brings a slice of paradise to your garden!
- 🍍 Enjoy it fresh, in smoothies, or as a tasty addition to tropical dishes.
📚 Learn more about pineapples from previous posts:
Three must-have fruit for every tropical garden
The most luscious Hospitality Fruit
🛒 Order Pineapple Florida Special
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What flower is perfect for coastal gardens
Iris Neomarica caerulea
- 💙 Neomarica caerulea - Iris is a graceful gem with a royal twist!
- 💙 The variety Regina, discovered in Brazil lounging by the ocean, was introduced by plant enthusiast Sid Gardino, who named it after his wife, Regina - talk about romance!
- 💙 This beauty thrives in shady spots and sandy soil, making it perfect for gardens near the coast, thanks to its salt tolerance.
- 💙 With its elegant blue-violet blooms and sword-like leaves, Iris Regina adds a splash of tropical charm to your garden, all while asking for very little in return. It's the kind of plant that makes your garden look fabulous without breaking a sweat!
🛒 Plant your own beautiful Iris
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How much water is too much?
"Always over-water your plants: just improve their soil drainage!" - Murray Corman, horticulturist, rare tropical fruit tree expert.
Q: I always tend to overwater my plants. How often should I water container plants and how to determine if it's too much water?
A: One of the most common challenges in tropical plant care, including houseplants, is overwatering, particularly in container gardening. So, how much water is too much?
The rule of thumb: let the soil dry out a bit before watering again, and never water if the soil feels wet to the touch. For indoor plants with saucers underneath, ensure they don't sit in standing water by removing any excess from the saucer after watering. However, remember that the watering schedule alone isn't the only key to success!
Improve drainage. Surprisingly, water itself isn't harmful to plants, no matter how generous your watering is. The real issue is poor drainage, which leads to stagnation and bacterial buildup, ultimately causing root rot.
In the nature. If you've traveled to places like Hawaii or explored tropical jungles, you might have noticed plants thriving between rocks with minimal soil, receiving a near-constant fine mist of rain. Conversely, swamps support very few trees - only bog or water plants adapted to wet conditions can survive there. The lesson? It's not the water, it's the growing medium!
The Soil Solution: for potted plants, always use a high-quality potting mix with excellent drainage properties. This should include ample "soil conditioners" such as perlite, vermiculite, and pine bark. At our nursery, we use a professional soil mix called Abundance. Learn more about potting soil.
Pot size matters. And the last but not least: if you tend to overwater your potted plants, consider using the smallest container size that comfortably fits the root system. A pot that's too large can mean excess wet soil, increasing the risk of root rot. With proper fertilizer program, container plants don't need to much soil to thrive.
Photo above: Datura Metel - Horn-of-Plenty - doesn't need a large container for happy blooming indoors!
