Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date:

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

📚 Learn more:
Botanical bedhead: curly, crazy, and full of surprises

#Fun_Facts #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What spice comes from the small dried flower buds of a tropical tree? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What spice comes from the small dried flower buds of a tropical tree?

Clove - Syzygium aromaticum

Clove - Syzygium aromaticum

Clove - Syzygium aromaticum

Clove - Syzygium aromaticum

Clove - Syzygium aromaticum

Clove - Syzygium aromaticum

Allspice - Pimenta dioica, Jamaica pepper tree

Allspice - Pimenta dioica, Jamaica pepper tree

Allspice - Pimenta dioica, Jamaica pepper tree

Allspice - Pimenta dioica, Jamaica pepper tree

🌿 What spice comes from the small dried flower buds of a tropical tree?
  • 🌿 That would be Clove, from the tropical tree Syzygium aromaticum. The spice is actually the dried, unopened flower buds. They turn from pink to brown as they dry and release that powerful, warm aroma we associate with baking and holiday dishes. Cloves are native to the Moluccas, or Spice Islands of Indonesia, and are still grown widely across the tropics. The clove tree is ultra-tropical and very challenging to grow outside the true tropics, which is why it’s so rare in plant collections.

📸 Photos 1-3.

🌿 Another spice with a similar story is Allspice, from Pimenta dioica, also known as the Jamaica pepper tree. Unlike clove, it comes from dried unripe berries, not flower buds, but it earned its name because its flavor tastes like a mix of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg all in one! The Allspice tree is much easier to grow, as it isn’t as fussy as the clove tree - though still frost-sensitive. It's compact and easy to keep in a container. This tree brings joy to your life and spice to your kitchen right away, so you don’t need to wait for years for the fruit of your labor!
📸 Photos 4-5.

🛒 Explore tropical spice trees and edibles

#Food_Forest #Fun_facts

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What's inside the Napoleons Hat? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Whats inside the Napoleons Hat?

Napoleon's Hat - Napoleonaea imperialis

🎩 What's inside the Napoleons Hat? False Kola experience!
  • 🎩 Napoleon's Hat (Napoleonaea imperialis), lives up to its name with large, saucer-shaped flowers that bloom straight from the leaf axils or even directly from the trunk!
  • 🎩 The hat-shaped, brightly colored flowers smell like butterscotch!
  • 🎩 The reddish seeds resemble kola nuts and even have a similar taste, giving you a fun, "false kola" experience.
  • 🎩 An instant conversation starter, Napoleon's Hat is a quirky, fragrant addition to your garden - perfect for those looking for something a little different.


🛒 Experience Napoleon's Hat - the most bizarre flower with benefits!

📚 Learn more:
A French Emperor's Hat Blooming in Your Garden
Napoleons Hat - Endangered species from the outgone era of the Napoleon's War

#Fun_facts #Trees #Nature_Wonders

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Heavenly Lotus in bloom - Bua Sawan Adenium. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Heavenly Lotus in bloom - Bua Sawan Adenium

Adenium Bua Sawan pink double flower

Adenium Bua Sawan pink double flower

🌸 Heavenly Lotus in bloom - Bua Sawan Adenium

🌸 Adenium (Desert Rose) Bua Sawan features vibrant double blooms with crisp red edges on soft pink petals, creating a striking and elegant contrast. The name Bua Sawan translates from Thai as "Heavenly Lotus," perfectly capturing the flower's bright, uplifting presence and graceful beauty.

🛒 Add a touch of paradise to your garden with Adenium Bua Sawan

📚 More adeniums

#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden #Fun_Facts #Adenium

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals