"/>
Newsletter sign up Call Us: 1-866-897-7957
Select FREE SHIPPING
Cart
Index > Garden Blog

Date:

Why is it called Star Apple?

Star Apple - Chrysophyllum cainito

Star Apple - Chrysophyllum cainito

🌟 Why is it called Star Apple?
  • ⭐️ Caimito Tree, or Star Apple - Chrysophyllum cainito - is a rare and exotic gem of tropical fruit world, related to Sapote and Sapodilla.
  • ⭐️ Exotic & Rare: Hard to find, this tree is a favorite in the Caribbean, Central America, and Southeast Asia.
  • ⭐️ Unique Fruit: The fruit has a mild, grape-like flavor and is best enjoyed fresh. When cut, the inside reveals a star-shaped pattern.
  • ⭐️ Attractive & Delicious: A great addition to your garden with both aesthetic and edible benefits!


🛍 Shop Caimito trees

#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Have you ever seen a pink gardenia?

Kopsia fruticosa - Pink Gardenia

🥰 Have you ever seen a pink gardenia?
  • 🌸 Kopsia fruticosa also called "Pink Gardenia", is one of nature's most exquisite and elusive treasures. Technically not a Gardenia, this beauty is a close relative of Plumeria and Adenium as well as Tabernaemontana (also often confused with Gardenia). All these beauties belong to the esteemed plant family Apocynaceae.
  • 🌸 This bush has been in bloom for us for many months, since Fall, through Winter, and and is still flowering!


📚 Learn more about this elusive treasure:
 What is pink gardenia? Does it exist?

🛍 Get your own Pink Gardenia

#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What is the longest Anthurium?

Anthurium vittarifolium - Long Leaf Anthurium

🕯 What is the longest Anthurium?
  • 👀 Anthurium vittarifolium - Long Leaf Anthurium - is the definitive strap-leaf variety that’s sure to steal the show in any collection. Native to the South American rainforest, this rare gem is truly a sight to behold with its incredibly long, narrow leaves that can reach up to an impressive 6 feet in length yet remain a mere 2 inches wide.
  • 👀 The dramatic, cascading effect it creates when grown in hanging baskets is nothing short of stunning.
  • 👀 Adding even more charm, this rare beauty surprises with bright pink, showy fruits that pop against its lush, green foliage, providing a vibrant contrast.
  • 👀 Ideal for adding an exotic touch to your home or garden, the Long Leaf Anthurium's pendant growth and striking leaves make it a standout in any space. If you're looking for something truly unique and eye-catching, this plant is a must-have!


📚 Learn more from previous post:
Long Leaf Anthurium

🛍 Order online

#Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals🙂

Date:

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

#Food_Forest #Fun_facts #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What is the most rare and unique plant of your collection?

Anthurium Black Dragon

🍸 What is the most rare and unique plant of your collection?

😈 Anthurium Black Dragon is a super exotic gem that brings a dash of dramatic flair to your rare plant collection!
  • 🖖Under bright filtered light, its bold, upright leaves turn a stunning black, while in shadier spots, they shift to a sultry dark-green with a reddish-black tint. With more light, they transform back to black, creating an ever-changing display.
  • 🖖This rare, herbaceous rosette also sports a brown spadix and dark-brown spathe, making it an unforgettable centerpiece and add a little magic to your indoor jungle.


🤡 What rare plants do you have in your collection? Share pictures with us!

🛒 Get your own Black Dragon

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

The first pictures ever! The rarest Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

☄️ The first pictures ever! The rarest Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

👆 For the previous post: more pictures of the rarest ginger - Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

🔥 This variety is virtually unknown in mainstream horticulture, making it a prized collector's item. Any plants in cultivation likely come from very limited nursery sources or specialty plant imports.

🛒 Only a few plants available: Coral Ginger Borneo Pink

#Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Finally - the first image on Internet: rare ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)

😱 Finally - the first image on Internet: rare ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)
  • ❤️ Riedelia coralina - Coral Ginger Borneo Pink (New Guinea)
  • ❤️ This super rare ginger finally bloomed for us! We grew this rare specimen from seeds form the collection of Mark Hooten, S. Florida horticulturist. The species close related to Burbidgea. Riedelia coralina is so rare that published information about this exact species is extremely hard to find. Most references to it appear in specialized collector circles rather than in widely available horticultural or botanical literature.
  • ❤️ We have only a few plants, ginger collectors, hurry up!

It is so rare you can't even find images on Internet. This will be the first one!

📚 Learn more about gingers from previous posts:

🛒 Get collectible Coral Ginger Borneo Pink

#Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders #Container_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What is the miracle behind the Miracle fruit?

Miracle Fruit, synsepalum dulcificum

🥰 What is the miracle behind the Miracle fruit?
  • 🍭 Miracle Fruit, synsepalum dulcificum is a small, red berry that can temporarily make sour foods taste sweet. The berry contains a protein called miraculin, which binds to taste buds and alters the way sour foods are perceived. Sour turns into sweet!
  • 🍭 Native to West Africa, this fruit has been used for centuries as a natural sweetener and is often enjoyed at "flavor-tripping" parties.
  • 🍭 It's also used by chemotherapy patients to help improve their sense of taste, as it can make bitter or metallic-tasting foods more palatable.


📚 Learn more from earlier posts:
How to make sour taste sweet and what causes the miracle?
Everyday Miracle - Grow the Dream!

🛒 Plant your own Miracle Fruit

#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Remedies #Fun_Facts

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Are these new Christmas ornaments?

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, fruit

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, fruit

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, tree

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, tree

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, fruit

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, fruit

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, fruit

Akee, Ackee - Blighia sapida, fruit

Are these new Christmas ornaments? Ackee monster fruit!
  • ⛔️ Ackee (Akee) is the national fruit of Jamaica and is known for its unique bizarre shape, resembling giant red pear.
  • ⛔️ When properly prepared, its soft, creamy flesh is a key ingredient in the popular Jamaican dish, "ackee and saltfish." The fruit makes a delicious nutritious meal tasting like eggs and potatoes.
  • ⛔️ The fruit is native to West Africa, but it was introduced to the Caribbean in the 18th century and has since become a symbol of Jamaican cuisine.
  • ⛔️ Akee is actually a vegetable growing on a tree! Akee tree is easy to grow, undemanding, fast growing, and fruits right away. Sometimes it fruits twice a year!


📚 More prom previous posts:
Akee deliciousness
What is number one tree-grown vegetable
Grow Your Own Food: Akee
📱 How to cook perfect Akee

🛒 Order Akee tree

#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Recipes

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Why this Hibiscus is changing color?

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus

🌸 Why this Hibiscus is changing color?
  • 🌸 Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus - is an amazing winter bloomer that chances flower color! It opens pure white than gradually shifts to baby pink to dark pink over three days, much like the Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow plant (Brunfelsia).
  • 🌸 As the blooms age, they take on a rich, deep pink hue, creating a stunning rainbow of colors on the bush all at once.
  • 🌸 Blossoms reach up to 5 inches across!


📚 From previous posts:
How hibiscus plant acts like a chameleon
How to make your Hibiscus plants thrive and bloom

🛒 Order Cotton Candy Hibiscus

#Hedges_with_benefits #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Next page >Most recent entryBlog table of contents