Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes

Guava Tree (Psidium sp.)

Guava Tree (Psidium sp.)

🏆 Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes.
# 8: Guava Tree.
  • 🍉 Guava Tree (Psidium sp.) - Guava trees are beloved for their flavorful fruit, commonly used in juices, drinks, and desserts.
  • 🍉 Popular Varieties: include Psidium guajava (Tropical Guava), Psidium littorale (Cattley Guava), Psidium friedrichsthalianum (Cas guava), and Feijoa sellowiana (Pineapple Guava).
  • 🍉 Cold Hardy: Despite its "Tropical" name, the Tropical Guava is relatively cold-hardy, and other varieties are even hardier, suitable for cooler climates with occasional frost.
  • 🍉 Water Needs: Guava trees like water and can tolerate some flooding.
  • 🍉 Compact Growth: Guavas are medium size bushes or trees that can be easily maintained at any height and shape.
  • 🍉 Fast Fruiting: Guava trees are quick to fruit, often within a year of planting, and some start fruiting in containers as small as 1 gallon.
  • 🍉 Dwarf Variety: The Nana variety is perfect for container culture, producing full-sized fruit in a compact form.
  • 🍉 Pest Control: In humid areas with rainy seasons, check for mealybugs, which can be controlled with neem oil as needed.
  • 🍉 Endless Supply: Planting multiple guava trees ensures a constant supply of fresh, juicy fruit and flavorful guava juice loved by kids and adults.


📚 Learn more from previous posts:

🛒 Shop Guava varieties

#Food_Forest #Guava

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Why Rosita de Cacao is called the Funeral Tree? For how long does its fragrance last? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why Rosita de Cacao is called the Funeral Tree? For how long does its fragrance last?

Funeral Tree - Quararibea funebris (Rosita de Cacao, Flor de Cacao) - Flower

Funeral Tree - Quararibea funebris (Rosita de Cacao, Flor de Cacao) - Flower

Funeral Tree - Quararibea funebris (Rosita de Cacao, Flor de Cacao) - tree

Funeral Tree - Quararibea funebris (Rosita de Cacao, Flor de Cacao) - tree

Why Rosita de Cacao is called the Funeral Tree? For how long does its fragrance last?
  • 😇 The Legendary Funeral Tree - Quararibea funebris (also called Rosita de Cacao, Flor de Cacao) got its name from the flower's extraordinary ability to retain its spicy, sweet fragrance for centuries.
  • 😇 These flowers were used in ancient funeral ceremonies, placed in crypts to preserve their aroma for generations. Even today, dried Rosita de Cacao flowers can hold their scent for decades, a testament to their remarkable endurance.


    • History and Legends

    Aztec names: Poyomatli, Xochicacaohuatl, Flor Cacahuaxochitl, Cacaoxochitl.
  • 😇 The species was at one time widespread and growing wild throughout the Oaxaca region of Mexico known for plants used in Shamanism.
  • 😇 Cherished by the Aztecs, the Rosita de Cacao was deeply intertwined with their rituals and daily life.
  • 😇 The flowers, known as Cacaoxochitl or "cacao flower," were blended with chocolate drinks like Tejate, a sacred, energy-rich beverage reserved for royalty and religious ceremonies. This frothy drink combined Cacaoxochitl with other ingredients like cacao, vanilla, and chili peppers to create what the Aztecs called the "drink of the gods."
  • 😇 Legend has it that Emperor Montezuma consumed up to 50 cups of xocolatl daily, infused with Rosita de Cacao, to fuel his energy and passion.


    • Medicinal and Spiritual Uses
  • 😇 The flowers of this tree were not just for flavor - they were also prized for their calming and medicinal properties. Natives used them to treat anxiety, fevers, and coughs, often mixing them with cacao for enhanced effects.
  • 😇 Modern studies suggest the flowers contain lactone alkaloids like funebradiol, which are known for their relaxing properties and are now being investigated for potential medicinal applications.
  • 😇 Beyond its rich history, Rosita de Cacao is an evergreen beauty with creamy white, aromatic flowers and large, leathery leaves. It's a perfect addition to any garden for those who want a piece of history, an enduring fragrance, and a touch of ancient legend.


📚 Learn more from previous posts:
Fruit of Money and Love
Fun Facts: Cacao beans

🛒 Shop Tropical Fruit Trees

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Cat Yoga. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cat Yoga

🙇‍♂️ Cat Yoga

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

🔠 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats

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Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes

Papaya fruit (Carica papaya)

Papaya fruit (Carica papaya)

🏆 Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes.
# 7: Papaya Tree.
  • 🍊 Papaya Trees (Carica papaya) - are resilient, easy to grow, and deliver year-round fruit.
  • 🍊 Superfood Benefits: Rich in papain, a digestive enzyme that promotes gut health.
  • 🍊 Fast Fruiting: Papayas often start producing the same year they're planted, offering quick rewards for gardeners seeking quick rewards.
  • 🍊 Space-Efficient: Many varieties, especially dwarfs, reach only 6-8 feet tall yet produce large crops, ideal for small gardens.
  • 🍊 Cold and Wind Resistant: Papayas can withstand light freezes and strong winds, making them surprisingly hardy for a tropical plant.
  • 🍊 Self-Fertile, but Better with Multiple Trees: Planting 2-3 different cultivars ensures better pollination and higher yields.
  • 🍊 Solo Cultivars: Smaller, round or oval papayas are sweet and less susceptible to fruit flies.


📚 Learn more from previous posts:

🛒 Shop Papaya Trees

#Food_Forest #Papaya

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