Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

🎨 Did you know that Lipstick plant has pretty 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

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🌈 Why some cassias are called "Rainbow"?

Cassias, besides yellow, can be pink, red, or with a multi-color flower combination.

Rainbow cassias are hybrids between yellow and pink or red cassias.

Some of the most showy cassias are:
Cassia grandis - Red Cassia
Cassia javanica - Apple Blossom Tree
Cassia marginata - Rainbow Shower Tree
Cassia roxburghii - Ceylon Senna
Cassia x nodosa - Pink Shower, Appleblossom.

♦️ Cassia trees are compact, fast growing, tolerant to drought and poor soils, free-flowering and relatively cold hardy. Always a great choice!

❓ What cassias do you have in your garden?
Share photos in comments👇

📚 More about cassias from previous posts:
How to add color to your yard
Rainbow Cassias

🎥 Rainbow cassia - Cassia Marginata.

🛒 Shop showy Cassia trees

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Ponytail Palm - The Quirky Plant with a Big Personality!

• 🌴 Beaucarnea recurvata, also known as the Ponytail Palm, Elephant-Foot Tree, or Nolina, is the ultimate low-maintenance showstopper!
• 🌴 With its swollen, bottle-like base (for storing water) and long, flowing, ribbon-like leaves, it looks like a palm but behaves like a succulent.
• 🌴 This adorable plant thrives on neglect, tolerating drought and even a bit of frost - making it a carefree plant.
• 🌴 Cute or quirky, it can be grown in a pot as a showy bonsai with a large caudex.

Put ❤️ for cute and 🔥 for quirky!

🐴 Share your ponytails in pots👇

🛒 Plant the Ponytail

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🟢 What is camphor made of?

• 
  🌱 Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) - is your aromatic ally in the garden!
• 
  🌱 This charming relative of the cinnamon tree is known for its glossy oval leaves that can grow up to 5 inches long.
• 
  🌱 Not only does it boast a lovely canopy, but it’s also the source of camphor, a fragrant compound used in medicines and mothballs.
• 
  🌱 The leaves and branches can be used to create aromatic saunas and medicinal baths, filling your space with a soothing scent.
• 
  🌱 This cold-hardy, slow-growing tree is tough enough to withstand various conditions while developing a dense canopy that provides excellent shade.
• 
  🌱 Camphor Tree is a delightful addition that brings a touch of nature's fragrance to your home. While it's little known among gardeners, this underappreciated gem deserves a spot in every landscape for its unique qualities and benefits!

🛒 Plant your own Camphor tree

#Nature_Wonders #Perfume_Plants #Trees

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🟢 What is camphor made of?

• 🌱 Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) - is your aromatic ally in the garden!
• 🌱 This charming relative of the cinnamon tree is known for its glossy oval leaves that can grow up to 5 inches long.
• 🌱 Not only does it boast a lovely canopy, but it’s also the source of camphor, a fragrant compound used in medicines and mothballs.
• 🌱 The leaves and branches can be used to create aromatic saunas and medicinal baths, filling your space with a soothing scent.
• 🌱 This cold-hardy, slow-growing tree is tough enough to withstand various conditions while developing a dense canopy that provides excellent shade.
• 🌱 Camphor Tree is a delightful addition that brings a touch of nature's fragrance to your home. While it's little known among gardeners, this underappreciated gem deserves a spot in every landscape for its unique qualities and benefits!

🛒 Plant your own Camphor tree

#Nature_Wonders #Perfume_Plants #Trees

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

🍀 What is Cinnamon made of?

• Cinnamon tree, or Cassia Cinnamon, Cinnamomum aromaticum - this tree is the source of the famous Cinnamon! Cinnamon is a very popular culinary spice and is also used in candy, gum, incense, toothpaste and perfumes. The oil is used in medicine. Leaves are very fragrant and used as tea.
• Ancient Origins: Cinnamon has been used for over 4,000 years, with its earliest references found in ancient Egyptian texts, where it was used in embalming practices.
• Spice of Kings: In ancient Rome, cinnamon was so valuable that it was worth more than gold, and emperors like Nero famously burned large quantities at funerals to showcase their wealth.
• Medicinal: Cinnamon is known for its health benefits, including its ability to lower blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation, and fight bacteria and fungi.
• Culinary: This aromatic spice is not just for sweet dishes; it enhances savory dishes, stews, and even some meats, bridging sweet and savory flavors.
• Two Main Varieties: There are two primary types of cinnamon - Ceylon Cinnamon (true Cinnamon) and Cassia Cinnamon. Ceylon has a sweeter, more delicate flavor, while Cassia is more robust and commonly found in supermarkets.
• Aroma Activation: The distinct aroma of cinnamon comes from a compound called cinnamaldehyde, which not only provides flavor but also has potential antimicrobial properties.
• Historical Trade Routes: The demand for cinnamon spurred exploration and trade routes, leading to significant historical events like the Age of Discovery and conflicts over spice control.
• The Spice of Life: Cinnamon is believed to improve brain function and memory, making it a popular choice for students and those looking to boost cognitive performance.

❗️ And the most importantly - you can grow your own Cinnamon Tree right now!

🛒Grow your own Cinnamon tree

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🕊 Do you have a spot for pure white and elegant?

• 
  Bauhinia acuminata - Dwarf White Orchid Tree - is a true gem for any garden! This charming small tree flaunts pure white, orchid-like flowers that bring a delicate beauty to sunny or semi-shaded spaces.
• 
  Despite its smaller size, it's a standout with its lovely, five-petaled blooms and graceful, rounded leaves.
• 
  Ideal for compact gardens or even containers, the Dwarf White Orchid Tree creates a tropical, elegant atmosphere while being easy to care for.
• 
  With its bright, long-lasting blooms, this tree is sure to capture your heart!

📚 Learn more about Orchid trees from previous posts:

• 💋The most beautiful of all orchid trees - Hong Kong
• 💋Orchid tree with stunning red-and-yellow flowers
• 💋How to grow Orchid Trees in pots
• 💋Pride of De Kaap or Nasturtium Bauhinia
• 💋What is the best shade tree that is fast growing and beautiful?
• 💋Why Bauhinias are called Orchid Trees: orchid flowers with butterfly wings

🛒 Shop Orchid Trees

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Butterfly_Plants

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🕊 Do you have a spot for pure white and elegant?

• Bauhinia acuminata - Dwarf White Orchid Tree - is a true gem for any garden! This charming small tree flaunts pure white, orchid-like flowers that bring a delicate beauty to sunny or semi-shaded spaces.
• Despite its smaller size, it's a standout with its lovely, five-petaled blooms and graceful, rounded leaves.
• Ideal for compact gardens or even containers, the Dwarf White Orchid Tree creates a tropical, elegant atmosphere while being easy to care for.
• With its bright, long-lasting blooms, this tree is sure to capture your heart!

📚 Learn more about Orchid trees from previous posts:

• 💋The most beautiful of all orchid trees - Hong Kong
• 💋Orchid tree with stunning red-and-yellow flowers
• 💋How to grow Orchid Trees in pots
• 💋Pride of De Kaap or Nasturtium Bauhinia
• 💋What is the best shade tree that is fast growing and beautiful?
• 💋Why Bauhinias are called Orchid Trees: orchid flowers with butterfly wings

🛒 Shop Orchid Trees

#Hedges_with_benefits #Trees #Butterfly_Plants

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☀️ When does Champaka tree start blooming?

• 🏵 Champaka, or Joy Perfume tree (Magnolia champaca) blooms in and off year around. This year it's the third time we see our trees with flowers.
• 🏵 The flowers are used to make the world's most expensive perfume 'Joy' and smell like fruity bubble gum... you can't stop sticking your nose in this flower!

🎥 Yellow Champaka in bloom. This tree is 3 years old.

📚 Learn more from previous posts:

• 🟡Why Champaka is such a popular perfume tree
• 🟡Flower of the most expensive perfume
• 🟡White Champaka
• 🟡Article about Champaka

🛒 Shop Champaka - Joy Perfume Tree

#Perfume_Plants #Container_Garden #Trees

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🌺 The most beautiful of all orchid trees

Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree:
"...Edging the golf course of the club was a glorious sweep of glowing purple. Even before I was near enough to identify the trees, the rich, heady perfume which filled the air told me they were Bauhinias. The sight left me breathless and it was then I realised how difficult was the attempt I was making to describe in mere words the trees I know better how to paint..." (D. Cowen, "Flowering trees and shrubs of India")

🛒 Order online

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📱 Watch the video about Hong Kong Orchid Tree:

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