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Pachira aquatica (Bombax glabra) - Malabar Peanut or Guiana Chestnut

💰 What do the blooms of Money Tree look like?
  • 💰 Pachira aquatica (Bombax glabra) - Malabar Peanut or Guiana Chestnut is in bloom right now! The flowers are exotic and eye-catching. They resemble fireworks bursting into bloom!
  • 💰 Each flower features long, thread-like stamens in shades of creamy white, pale yellow, or pinkish hues, forming a feathery, pom-pom-like structure at the center. The flowers are surrounded by greenish or reddish-brown sepals, adding to their unique look.
  • 💰 It is a beautiful, fast growing flowering tree with edible nuts.
  • 💰 It is believed to bring good luck and prosperity to those who own it, and is sometimes referred to as a "money tree"
  • 💰 While the flowers are stunning, they are usually seen in mature outdoor trees and not as commonly in indoor potted plants.


📚 Learn more from earlier post:
Good luck tree that brings money and prosperity

🛒Shop Flowering Trees

#Trees #Food_Forest

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How to care for your mango tree in winter

How to care for your mango tree in winter

  • 🥭 If you want to enjoy mangoes like ours (in the video) next summer, protecting your tree in winter is a must! Give it the care it needs now, and you'll reap sweet rewards when the warm weather returns.

  • 🥭 Keep it cozy and protected: Mango trees love warmth, so when winter comes, they need extra care to stay happy.

  • 🥭 Temperature: Mango trees are sensitive to cold. If temperatures drop below 35F, cover the tree with frost cloth or burlap to protect it. For potted mango trees, move them indoors or to a greenhouse.

  • 🥭 Watering: Reduce watering during winter. Mango trees don’t like soggy roots in cold weather. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings.

  • 🥭 Mulching: Add a thick layer of mulch around the base of the tree to insulate the roots and retain warmth. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk.

  • 🥭 No pruning: Avoid heavy pruning in winter, as it can stress the tree. Besides, pruning promotes young tender growth that may get cold damaged. Save major trimming for spring.

  • 🥭 Feeding: Stop dry fertilizer in winter. The tree slows its growth, so too much dry fertilizer can do more harm than good. You can continue using Sunshine Boosters Mango Tango year-round because it is water-soluble and natural, and the amount of food needed will adjust with reduced watering.


🛒 Shop Mango Trees

#Food_Forest #How_to #Mango

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Event mementos:
Green for the Holidays - a Blooming Good Time!

Holiday Plant Market mementos

Last Saturday Dec 14 - our Holiday Plant Market was in full bloom! The day overflowed with smiles, shared plant knowledge, and a vibrant mix of greenery. We're incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us, supported local growers, and found their new favorite leafy companions. Enjoy these special moments captured in our event photos - if you spot yourself, feel free to share with friends! Stay tuned - our next plant sale is just around the corner in March. We look forward to seeing you again!

Holiday Plant Market mementos

Holiday Plant Market mementos

Holiday Plant Market mementos

Holiday Plant Market mementos

Holiday Plant Market mementos

Holiday Plant Market mementos

We are always ready to help you grow your plant collection!
Chiane, Kristi, Onika, Mark, Damien and Jamie (behind the camera).

Date:

How to care for your mango tree in winter

Colorful Mango fruit

Q: I bought a few mango trees from you this year, and they’re doing great! So far, winter’s been pretty mild here in Florida, but I know January and February can get chilly. Is there anything special I should do to keep my trees happy so I can enjoy fruit next year?

A: If you want to enjoy mangoes like ours (in the photo) next summer, protecting your tree in winter is a must! Give it the care it needs now, and you'll reap sweet rewards when the warm weather returns.

Keep it cozy and protected: Mango trees love warmth, so when winter comes, they need extra care to stay happy.

Temperature: Mango trees are sensitive to cold. If temperatures drop below 35F, cover the tree with frost cloth or burlap to protect it. For potted mango trees, move them indoors or to a greenhouse.

Watering: Reduce watering during winter. Mango trees don’t like soggy roots in cold weather. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings.

Mulching: Add a thick layer of mulch around the base of the tree to insulate the roots and retain warmth. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk.

No pruning: Avoid heavy pruning in winter, as it can stress the tree. Besides, pruning promotes young tender growth that may get cold damaged. Save major trimming for spring.

Feeding: Stop dry fertilizer in winter. The tree slows its growth, so too much dry fertilizer can do more harm than good. You can continue using Sunshine Boosters Mango Tango year-round because it is water-soluble and natural, and the amount of food needed will adjust with reduced watering.

Mango tree with colorful fruit

Date:

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

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, tree

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, tree

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower close-up

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, flower close-up

Gustavia augusta - Heaven Lotus, fruit

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.


🛒 Enjoy your own Heaven Lotus Tree

#Container_Garden #Trees #Nature_Wonders #Perfume_Plants

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Is Sapphire Gem really a ginger?

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem

💎 Is Sapphire Gem really a ginger?
  • 💎 Despite its name, Blue Ginger is not a true ginger but a member of the Commelinaceae family, closely related to the well-known Tradescantia houseplants.
  • 💎 Dichorisandra thyrsiflora - Blue Ginger, Sapphire Gem is a clump-forming perennial enchants with its deep sapphire-blue blooms - a rare and striking color for the tropics.
  • 💎 Growing 2-5 feet tall, it features dark green stems with leopard-like spots at the leaf axils and shiny, horizontally held foliage.
  • 💎 Native to Brazil and Peru, Blue Ginger thrives in semi-shade or partial shade with moist, well-draining soil, making it an ideal addition to shade gardens, patios, or indoor collections.
  • 💎 Its vibrant blue, lavender, or purple flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, creating a lively display.
  • 💎 In warm climates it remains evergreen and can tolerate brief dips into the low 30s. In cooler regions, it grows beautifully in pots and can be overwintered indoors in a cool, bright location. For best results, keep the soil moist but not waterlogged, maintain good air circulation, and fertilize moderately during the growing season.
  • 💎 In warm environment, the plant is evergreen and doesn't go dormant (unlike true gingers). Close relative - Dichorisandra pendula - Weeping Blue Ginger


🛒 Get your own Exclusive Christmas Colorama

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

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What is the most excusive tropical Christmas flower?

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

Ruellia colorata, Colorama

🎄 What is the most excusive tropical Christmas flower?
  • 🎅 A festive showstopper, Ruellia colorata, known as Colorama, is a rare and vibrant addition to exotic container plant collection. Its brilliant scarlet bracts color up for Christmas and stay bright carmine for several months.
  • 🎅 Native to Brazil, this small plant grows 2-4 feet tall, displaying brilliant scarlet bracts and crimson flowers that stay bright for months, adding a touch of holiday cheer.
  • 🎅 One of Colorama's most striking features is its photoperiodic response: the top leaves turn crimson red around Christmas time due to changes in daylight length, much like the beloved Poinsettia. After winter, these leaves return to green, keeping the plant lively and versatile year-round.

  • Photoperiodism is the process where plants respond to the length of day and night, triggering changes such as leaf coloration or flowering.
  • 🎅 Its blooms are a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds, making it a favorite for wildlife enthusiasts.
  • 🎅 Colorama thrives in shady to semi-shady spots and requires regular watering to stay lush and healthy. It's perfect for USDA zones 9-11 but can also be grown in colder regions if protected from frost. For winter care in cooler climates, move it indoors or to a warm area to keep this stunning beauty happy and blooming.
  • 🎅 When grown in pots, ensure good drainage, use rich organic soil, and place the plant in a bright location.
  • 🎅 Prune twice a year to maintain its compact, bushy shape, and fertilize with a flowering fertilizer once established.


🛒 Get your own Exclusive Christmas Colorama

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Butterfly_Plants

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Could Mango be the secret to youthful skin?

Could Mango be the secret to youthful skin?
🥭 Could Mango be the secret to youthful skin?

🙂 Packed with anti-aging and immune-boosting benefits, could this tropical fruit be the key to your skin's natural glow?

  • 😊 Mango for Rejuvenation: Mangoes promote rejuvenation and improve skin condition, according to the research.

  • 😊 Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Aging Effects: Mango contains components with anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating properties.

  • 😊 Vitamin C Boost: Mango is rich in Vitamin C and ascorbic acid, which strengthen the immune system.

  • 😊 Better Iron Absorption: Mango fruit supports improved iron absorption in the body.

  • 😊 Collagen Support: Mango helps maintain collagen levels in connective tissues for healthy skin.


🔥 Plant a mango tree today and start growing your own path to health and vitality!

👍 What other fruit or plants are good for skin? Share in comments⬇️

🛒 Shop Mango Trees

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Mango

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The Cat in the Hat

😎 The Cat in the Hat 👣

"I know it is wet and the sun is not sunny, but we can have lots of good fun that is funny!" - From "The Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss

Share your cats in comments!
📸 🐈🐈🐈👇

🔠 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden 

#Quotes

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A treat for Avocado lovers

🐶 A treat for Avocado lovers 🐶

"Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." - Adelle Davis

🐾 More #PeopleCats in our Garden:
PeopleCats.Garden 

#Quotes

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