Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

This is why its called Heaven Lotus Tree - fragrant and edible!

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, tree

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower close-up

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, fruit

💐 This is why it's called Heaven Lotus Tree - fragrant and edible!

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus - is a stunning, small tropical tree from Brazil that looks like it stepped right out of a tropical paradise. The spectacular, perfumed flowers resembling Lotus are as beautiful as they are unique.
These large, striking blooms with white-and pink petals and a magic sweet fragrance are so eye-catching that the central crown almost looks good enough to eat!
Straight, often unbranched trunk, with a single cluster of leaves at the top, gives it a palm-like vibe. As it grows older, it may sprout a few large branches, each with its own leafy crown. The leaves are huge - no other tree around has leaves quite as big, except maybe a palm. They're long, narrow at the base, and broad at the top, making them a real showstopper.
The rounded, pear-shaped fruit grow directly on the trunk (a trait called cauliflory, see earlier post) and contains delicious yellowish-orange pulp that can be boiled and resemble meat in taste. The leaves, when boiled into a decoction, are said to cure intoxication.
Truly an exciting, one-of-a-kind tree, a gem for collectors! Can be grown in containers.

Cup-of-Gold, Butter Cup or Chalice Vine (Solandra)

Fragrant Butter Cup of Gold with Coconut fragrance

🏆 Butter Cup is again in full bloom and aroma!

🎥 Cup-of-Gold, Butter Cup or Chalice Vine (Solandra) - is a large, stunning, vigorous vine with huge fragrant flowers shaped like chalices.

📚 Learn more from previous post:
How to cover a fence quickly with a large impressive vine?

🛒 Shop Solandra varieties

#Perfume_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Pimenta racemosa, Bay Rum Tree

The mystery of a Bay Rum Tree - the aromatic gem with a rich history

🍷 The Pimenta racemosa, or Bay Rum Tree, is a charming small tree closely related to Allspice that we mentioned earlier.
🍷 Known for its aromatic leaves, this tree produces a natural essential oil that has a warm, clove-like fragrance.
🍷 Historically, this oil was distilled with rum and water to create a popular cologne known as "Bay Rum", lending the plant its common name.
🍷 The scent of Bay Rum is captivating and present year-round, with no need to wait for flowers or fruit to enjoy its fragrance!
🍷 The Bay Rum Tree is not just aromatic; its leaves can be used in cooking and tea, adding a unique, spicy note to culinary creations. It’s also valued in folk medicine, making it a multipurpose addition to any herb or indoor plant collection.
🍷 An especially rare and intriguing variety, the rare variety "Citrifolia" - Lemon Bay Rum Tree, also known as Citrus Bay, has all plant parts infused with a refreshing, lemony scent that's both calming and energizing. Cuttings of this variety are challenging to root, making it a unique and sought-after plant for collectors and aromatherapy enthusiasts alike.

Tabernaemontana australis, Australian Pinwheel

💌 What Pinwheel flower is fragrant?

🌸 Tabernaemontana australis, or Australian Pinwheel, is a stunning plant that makes an exceptional addition to any rare fragrant plant collection.
🌸 With beautifully shaped, white pinwheel-like flowers and strikingly dark, glossy leaves that are elongated and pointed, this plant is a feast for the eyes and a treat for the senses.
🌸 Ideal for adding interest to landscape understories, Australian Pinwheel is a slow-growing, low shrub that can be maintained at a manageable 3-4 feet, or allowed to reach up to 5-6 feet, forming a dense, bushy specimen. This versatility makes it an excellent choice as an accent plant, specimen, or container plant.
🌸 Though it shares similarities with other species like Tabernaemontana divaricata (Pinwheel Jasmine) and T. orientalis (Banana Bush), this Australian native has its own unique character. Its blooms resemble those of T. africana but are smaller, at about 1 inch in diameter.
🌸 If you're looking to add an exotic, fragrant, and eye-catching plant to your collection, the Australian Pinwheel brings elegance and distinction, standing out with its lush foliage and starry, white blossoms!