Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Tacca wants to be a cat! And everyone loves cats! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Tacca wants to be a cat! And everyone loves cats!

Tacca wants to be a cat! And everyone loves cats! Tacca wants to be a cat! And everyone loves cats! Tacca wants to be a cat! And everyone loves cats!
🐈‍⬛ Tacca wants to be a cat! And everyone loves cats!

That’s probably the real evolutionary secret no botanist will admit! Those whiskers? Pure marketing genius from nature.
Cats had it figured out first — look mysterious, add long elegant whiskers, and everyone falls in love.
Tacca just took notes and said, “Alright, I can work with that!”

So now we have a tropical plant that looks half orchid, half bat, and just enough cat to make people stop, smile, and want one for their collection!

  • Tacca is also called the Bat Lily or Devil Flower. This tropical wonder grows bat-shaped wings and foot-long whiskers. The black form (Tacca chantrieri) looks straight out of a gothic dream, while the white one (Tacca nivea) is ghost-like and elegant.

  • Some of our plants are blooming right now in the nursery — true Halloween magic! Blooms are delicate and may not travel, but the plants are strong and will flower again soon in your care.

  • Tacca colors: Black, White, Green:

Tacca nivea - White Tacca
Tacca chantrieri - Black Tacca
Tacca leontopetaloides - Green Tacca

📚 Learn more:

🛒 Add Taccas - Bat Lilies to your collection

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders

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Weird cactus looks like pasta with Dragon Fruit. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Weird cactus looks like pasta with Dragon Fruit

Epiphyllum guatemalense Monstrosa - Curly Locks or Orchid Cactus

👀 Weird cactus looks like pasta with Dragon Fruit
  • ➰ Epiphyllum guatemalense Monstrosa - Curly Locks or Orchid Cactus - is one of the most unusual jungle cacti you can grow. Instead of the usual flat cactus leaves, this one grows curly, looping stems that twist and spiral in every direction. It looks like a green waterfall of botanical noodles, perfect for a hanging basket or a high shelf where its wild shape can really show off.
  • ➰Curly Locks is actually a natural mutation of a Guatemalan jungle cactus that grows high up in jungle trees, using its stems to absorb moisture and light from the air. Like many epiphytic cacti, it produces large, fragrant flowers that open at night and look strikingly similar to orchids. After blooming, it forms small, oval pink fruits that are edible and juicy - like tiny dragon fruits!
  • ➰This plant is self-pollinating, so you don’t need insects or hand pollination to get fruit. It thrives in bright, indirect light and prefers to be a bit root-bound to trigger blooming. Just water moderately, let the soil dry slightly between waterings, and avoid moving it too often once it’s happy in its spot.
  • ➰Epiphyllum Curly Locks is not your typical cactus - it’s a living sculpture, a conversation piece, and a fruiting wonder all in one.


🛒 Add Curly Locks to your rare plant collection

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Botanical bedhead: curly, crazy, and full of surprises

#Fun_Facts #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders

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Straight from the Amazon: the most beautiful ginger everyone asks about at our farm. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Straight from the Amazon: the most beautiful ginger everyone asks about at our farm

Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus)

⭐️ Straight from the Amazon: the most beautiful ginger everyone asks about at our farm
  • 🌀 Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus) is not your average ginger. Unlike the common gingers with plain green leaves and short flower spikes, this one is a real standout. Its tall spiral stems are striped with bold white variegation, creating a dramatic swirl of green and cream even before it blooms.
  • 🌀 And when it does bloom - the flowers are pure white with soft yellow centers, like porcelain sculptures nestled among the leaves. It's a tropical showpiece that turns heads wherever it grows.
  • 🌀 Originally from South America and now loved in Hawaii and Florida, this ginger thrives in moist, rich soil and loves plenty of water. It handles both sun and shade, but really shines in a bright, filtered light spot.
  • 🌀 We have one growing right by our farm office, and everyone who walks by stops, stares, and says the same thing: "I want that plant!"

Now you can have it too - straight from the Amazon forest to your garden!

🛒 Get your own Amazon Ginger

📚 Learn more:

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

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Stop watering your Monstera on a schedule - here is what it really wants! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Stop watering your Monstera on a schedule - here is what it really wants!

Stop watering your Monstera on a schedule - here is what it really wants!
💦Stop watering your Monstera on a schedule - here is what it really wants!

  • ☘️ Monstera might look like a big diva, but it's actually one of the easiest houseplants to keep happy, according to the gardening experts from Southern Living.

  • ☘️ The trick is not sticking to a strict watering schedule, but checking the soil. Water only when the top couple inches feel dry - usually every week or two in warm months and less in winter. Give it a good soak until water drains out the bottom, then let it dry again.

  • ☘️ Too much water is worse than too little – soggy soil means root rot. Signs of overwatering include yellow or droopy leaves, dark spots, or gnats buzzing around. Underwatering looks similar, but the soil will be bone dry. When in doubt, check the dirt!

  • ☘️ You can water from the top or let the pot sit in a shallow tray to soak from the bottom – just don’t let it sit in water. Bright, indirect light and a well-draining pot are your best friends. Keep that balance, and your Monstera will thrive for decades.


📸 In the photo: Rhaphidophora tetrasperma - Mini Monstera, Dwarf Monstera Ginny, a rare collectible for plant enthusiasts.

🛒 Shop Monstera plants

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#Food_Forest #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #How_to

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