...Champaka, or Joy Perfume Tree, is regarded as one of the most sacred
trees of India and tropical Asia. Its flowers exude a divine fragrance that
is exceedingly pleasing to the Gods... and women!..
...The tree was traditionally used to make fragrant hair and massage oils.
Jean Patou’s famous perfume, 'Joy', the second bestselling perfume in the world after Chanel No. 5, (but definitely the most expensive number one!) is derived from the essential oils of champaka flowers. The plant common name "Joy Perfume Tree" comes from this perfume. Many niche perfumers are now once again using Champaka Absolute as single note fragrances...
Planting a Golden Champaka really makes your home a sweet home. Also you
can take the flower into your car, office, restroom, and anywhere you want to
create fragrant atmosphere. It emits a unique warm fragrance which promotes a
peaceful state of mind, reduces stress and helps you to relax and breathe
easily. Looks like it is specially designed for moments of tranquil
contemplation. It’s the nature of Champaka - to remind us of the Divine in all
things...
Q: I am interested in your Tahitian Gardenia and I would love to try and grow this plant in a
large container/fabric pot. The soil here where I live is terrible as it's hard rock, clay, and sand! So I'm not sure if amending the soil would help to plant in the ground? Can you tell me if this will do okay in a container or best in ground? I live here in Las Vegas, NV (zone 9a). Any information would be great to help me make a this decision, I love the selection of cool tropical plants you offer! Also my daughter does Tahitian/Polynesian dance and this would be a cool "topping on the cake" if she could have a live Tiare flower in her performances.
A:Tahitian Gardenia will be doing best if grown in container in your
area. In its natural habitat, it grows full sun but also it enjoys mild weather
conditions and high air humidity. All gardenias prefer acidic soils. In your
area, if planted in the ground, it may be exposed to some harsh conditions:
too high temperatures, too hot sun, dry air, and as you mentioned - heavy clay
and sandy soil. You can enjoy this plant grown in container, which can be
moved as needed away from too much sun during summer months. Use well-drained potting mix. Use plastic pot, do not use fabric or clay
pots - soil will dry out too quickly.
Also remember to fertilize this plant on regular basis with a liquid
fertilizer SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Flower Booster.
Grow gardenia in full sun or semi-shade during the hottest months. You may
spray it with pure water if the air too dry and hot. Enjoy your Tropical
Beauty and good luck!
Q: I purchased a heliconia from you a couple months ago. The new
growth seems to be doing fairly well, however some of the larger leaves are
discoloring around the edges then drying up. It's potted in a large pot with potting soil with 3 holes in the bottom to help with drainage in partial sun under a Royal Palm facing northwest. I'm here in Ft Myers. I was previously watering it every other day with your rapid growth fertilizer 1 tbsp per gallon but I have cut that back to once or twice a week. Please let me know your thoughts.
A:Heliconias and Gingers tend to develop dry leaves if grown in pots,
especially ceramic or clay pots, because soil in such pots dries out too fast.
These dry leaves are not caused by fertilizer, and you can see lots of new
healthy green growth. The plant overall seem to be healthy. Continue fertilizing
it with liquid Sunshine Robusta that is great for all wide-leaf tropical species,
promotes green, lush foliage, and do not use any additional dry fertilizers!
Another suggestion, try to move the plant in more shady spot. Right now it
sits in pretty bright light, this may be OK for established plants in the
ground, but potted heliconias are very sensitive to hot sun. They get leaf burn
easily.
Since the demand in rare tropical plants increased dramatically, we had
to extend our nursery so we can satisfy all our customers' plant needs. So we
started a new grow farm!
Our new, second location: Top Tropicals B-Farm in Sebring, FL (Highlands
County), is still under construction, but we already grow a huge selection of
rare flowering and fruiting plants for you. And of course Mr B is the supervisor of his own B-Farm!
Those who live in Central Florida, are welcomed to pick up their orders
from B-Farm, save on shipping cost, and eliminate shipping stress for your
plants. Please contact our Customer Service to make an appointment for picking up your order in
Sebring. At B-Farm, our office is still under construction so we do not have
regular hours open for public yet. For now, please shop online and you may pick
up your plants either from our Ft Myers Garden Center, or from B-Farm in Sebring. Please note: Due to 2 locations, some plants may or may not be
available at one of the locations, please verify over the phone first, before
planning your pick up trip!
Q: Can you suggest tropical fruit that can be grown (cold hardy)
in Zone 9?
A: There are quite a few tropical/subtropical trees that will
grow well in zone 9. Our favorites are:
Figs - very cold hardy and drought tolerant. Loquats - grafted trees that start fruiting right away, reliable
producers. Tropical Mulberry - very fast growing trees that can take freeze, heavy
producers. Macadamia - these trees are of a compact nature, very easy to grow and
start producing nuts right away.
Many different varieties of Eugenias - tropical cherries - all-time favorites. Another tropical cherry - Malpighia, or Barbados cherry - starts fruiting in small size under one food tall! Great for containers.
Tropical (Low Chill) Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums. See full list of low-chill, relatively cold hardy fruit
trees.
And of course -
Bananas!
Don't forget to fertilize your
fruit trees to improve their cold hardiness!
...If you are looing for a low-growing tropical fruit tree that's quite
colorful in fruit and starts fruiting right away - plant Barbados Cherry...
...Small, bright red, berry-sized fruit has a vitamin C content up to 65
times that of an orange! A single fruit contains the minimum daily recommended
vitamin C requirements...
...Barbados Cherry is very easy to grow and is generally free of pests,
diseases, and any problems. It is drought tolerant and requires very little
care. And the best part is, it will fruit for you right away! As small as 2" tiny
plant can bear fruit!..
Q: Recently I started working remotely and I kinda like it, no
need to commute, it saves me so much time so I can have life now! My friend got
me involved into growing some small houseplants but I really want to take
advantage of our Florida climate and sun. I want to plant some cool fruit trees
since I have a decent size yard. But I live in Florida Panhandle and we do
have some occasional freeze in winter, although not for too long. But it gets
very hot in summer! Are there any tropical fruit trees that will be happy
here? Or should I keep everything in pots? I am excited to have my own tropical
plant collection!
A: There is a perfect plant for everyone, and a perfect tree for
every climate. Many tropical and especially subtropical plants can be much
hardier than they are believed to be, both flowering and fruiting trees among
them. You may keep the most sensitive species in pots and bring them inside
for winter, while there are so many trees that will be happy in your area.
Start with these that are perfect for climates with hot summers and cool winters:
1. Peaches and Plums
Low-chill, Heat-tolerant Peaches, Nectarines, Plums are especially
selected for Florida hot summers. They produce well and do not require many
"chill" hours like temperate fruit trees. They only need 150 chill hours and grow
well in even in Arizona, so you know they are taking the heat.
2. Figs
2) Fig trees - they are easy to grow, heat- and drought- resistant trees.
They are prized for their delicious fruit, which can be one to three inches
in length, violet, brown or black. There are even varieties with yellow fruit.
Most fruits are borne from early summer to late fall on new growth, and the
fruits generally mature very quickly. These trees are sensitive to frost only
when actively growing, but can withstand 10F when dormant.
Read more about Fig trees.
NEW INTRODUCTION:
Little Duke - new variety of Jasmine Sambac
We are exited to introduce to the world of tropical plant lovers a new
hybrid of Jasmine sambac Grand Duke Supreme - Little Duke!
This new variety combines benefits of 1-1.5" large, triple flowers with a
compact, bushy growth habit. What an amazing gift for every jasmine lover!
Unlike regular Grand Duke that tends to be leggy, this variety branches out much
more and stays short with minimal pruning. Leaves are similar to Grand Duke
Supreme - elongated and come in swirls of 3's and 4's. It is a fast grower,
reaching mature size in no time, but the plant stays compact, producing
multiple flowers on every branch.
Little Duke, or Baby Duke, is a profuse bloomer, providing lots of sun,
warmth, and moderate water.
It is a perfect houseplant with the strongest jasmine fragrance in the
world. A must have for every jasmine collector!
The plants we currently have in stock are very large and developed, with
multiple stems, some are full of buds and ready to flower for you. They are
in 1 gal pots, ready to be stepped up soon. But hurry up! We have limited
stock that will be sold FAST! Don't wait and get this gem today for your fragrant plant collection, before they all
sold out! The next batch won't be coming until a few months later and the
plants will be much smaller...
PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Month: Sonya growing indoors
Sonya, the Co-Author of our columnist Alex Butova, this year can't wait for the Spring to begin. Sonya is a
True Tropical Cat, enjoying sunny hot days, and she hates cold and snow in
spite of her beautiful fluffy coat. Together with Alex, she grows tropical
flowers in their apartment in Riga, Latvia. The countdown to True Spring has just
begun, and Sonya promises warm weather to start by hers and Alex's birthday
on March 16.
Aren't we lucky to live in Tropics!
TopTropicals PeopleCat Club and Zoo
Thank you for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community! Make
your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us! Every little
bit helps. Thank you and God bless you and your pets!
Q: I purchased two sweet red pitayas, that arrived and were
planted on May 28, 2020, they were damaged but not serious. my question is this
one pitaya is a beautiful green, and has grown 6or 8 " already, the other is
bigger and is a grayish green and has not shown any sign of growth at all in
six weeks, how long do I wait before I throw it out and buy another?
A: Being a cactus, sometimes Pitaya slows down its growth waiting
for more favorable conditions. If one of your plants doesn't show any new
growth, just give a it some more time and make sure the plant stays happy. To
make pitaya happy, provide the following: - Water. Unlike most cacti, Pitaya prefers regular watering (but not
a wet soil). Make sure it is planted in well-drained media. Do not water
again if soil remains moist, wait until it dries out on the surface. During hot
weather, Pitaya enjoys light daily watering. - Light. Unlike most cacti, Pitaya benefits from a filtered light
especially while establishing. Try to create a temporary shade over the plant
until it starts active growth (if grown in the ground), or move the pot in
filtered light. Dull color or dry spots are signs of sun burn. Once the plant
shows new growth, you may remove sun protection, or move the pot gradually into
the full sun. - Food. Pitayas are heavy feeders. Use the following fertilizer: SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster
Q: I've been growing dragon fruit cuttings from Okinawa, Thailand
and Vietnam for several years in pots and cannot get them to fruit. Any
fertilizer suggestions? I live in Northern Virginia so I bring the massive pots
in the garage under lights and a heater for the winter but back outside once
the temperature warms up.
A: There is a little trick to get Dragon fruit to flowering and
fruiting. This plant likes flowering when it is attached to a strong support.
In commercial plantations, they use special trellises/frames made out of
logs, but you can make one yourself using simple materials.
See article: Do-It-Yourself Support Structure for Dragon Fruit.
And of course, don't forget a special plant food for tropical fruit - Sunshine C-Cibus.
You can successfully get your Dragon fruits to fruit in pots, providing
bright light in Summer. In Winter, keep the plants on a dry side to give them
some rest and a chance to hibernate before the next fruiting season.
