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Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?

Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?
🥑 Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?

👍 Yes - with the right variety and care.
While avocados love tropical and subtropical climates, certain cold hardy Avocados types - especially Mexican varieties - can survive outside the tropics, even in USDA Zone 8b (like San Antonio, TX). Once established, some can handle short freezes down to 15F, even as low as 10F in dry climates.

Key Factors for Cold Hardiness:

  • 🔤 Plant Size: Young trees are tender. Protect with mulch, blankets, and even Christmas lights during freezes. Mature trees are tougher.

  • 🔤 Wind Protection: Wind chills do more damage than cold air alone. Plant near a south-facing wall or sheltered spot.

  • 🔤 Tree Health: Healthy trees handle cold better. Fertilize regularly during the growing season.

  • 🔤 Water & Humidity: Water less in winter. Avoid soggy soil - good drainage is a must. Trees in dry winter climates tolerate more cold than those in humid areas.


✏️ Tip: Always check the hardiness rating for your avocado variety. Protection matters most during the first 1-2 winters.

📚More about Avocado:
Posts about #Avocado
Avocado Variety Guide


🛒 Shop cold hardy Avocados and grow your own guacamole

#Food_Forest #Discover #Avocado

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What makes Lolita so special and different from regular Surinam Cherry?

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora)

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora)

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) fruit

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) fruit

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) fruit

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) fruit

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) fruit

Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) fruit

🫦 What makes Lolita so special and different from regular Surinam Cherry? 💋
  • ❣️ Black Surinam Cherry cv. Lolita (Eugenia uniflora) is Sweet, Juicy, and Cold-Hardy!
  • ❣️ Lolita Cherry is the cultivar you've been waiting for - also known as Black Star or Pitanga var. Black. This rare variety starts red and ripens to a rich black color, with a flavor tha'’s incredibly sweet, juicy, and free of the typical aftertaste found in regular Surinam cherries.
  • ❣️ The fruit is large (1-1.2 inches), packed with juice, and produced by a vigorous, upright, freely branching plant that often fruits in its first year. A reliable and heavy producer, this cherry tree is both ornamental and productive.
  • ❣️ Why grow Lolita?

💋 Delicious, black-colored cherries with exceptional sweetness
  • 💋 Fast to fruit, even in the first year. Seedlings grow true to type - a rare trait!
  • 💋 Cold hardy to the upper 20s F once established. Thrives in USDA zones 9–11 or in containers with winter protection
  • 💋 Upright, bushy habit makes it perfect for edible hedge or small garden spaces
  • 💋 Hard to find and easy to love, Lolita Black Surinam Cherry is a must-have for tropical fruit collectors.


🛒 Plant a Lolita Cherry and have lots of delicious fruit and juice

📚 More about Lolita Cherry from previous posts:

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

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Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 3

Dragon Fruit varieties collage

Dragon Fruit varieties collage

🐲 Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 3

Continued from previous post ⤴️

🛍 Limited-Time Offer:

This week only, enjoy an instant 5% discount on all dragon fruit plants, no code needed! Hurry - some varieties are in limited supply and highly sought after!​

🎮 Explore Our Unique Varieties:
  • 💋David Bowie - Red-skinned with white flesh, offering a sweet, tangy, lemon-like flavor. Self-pollinating and best enjoyed fresh.
  • 💋 Delight - Pink-skinned with light pink flesh, this variety is exceptionally fertile and produces large, flavorful fruits.
  • 💋 Eureka Red - Large, red-skinned fruit with red flesh, known for its sweet and tangy flavor. Self-pollinating and originally from Nicaragua.
  • 💋 Halleys Comet - A hybrid with pink skin and purple flesh, producing impressively large fruits up to 2 pounds. The flesh is sweet, and the plant features large, striking flowers. ​
  • 💋 Lake Atitlan - Named after the Guatemalan lake, this variety has pinkish-red skin with white flesh, offering a sweet and tangy taste. Fruits typically weigh between 0.75 to 1.5 pounds.
  • 💋 Palora (Ecuador, Columbian) - Yellow-skinned with white flesh, Palora is renowned for being the sweetest dragon fruit variety. It originates from Ecuador and is self-fertile.
  • 💋 Seoul Kitchen - This variety produces medium to large red-skinned fruits with white flesh. The pulp is smooth and sweet, excellent when chilled and eaten fresh. Self-pollinating.
  • 💋 Thai Gold - A rare yellow-skinned variety with white flesh, known for its sweet flavor with a hint of tartness. ​
  • 💋 Vietnamese Jaina - Pink-skinned with white flesh, this variety is among the most common and is known for its mild, sweet flavor with a hint of Strawberry.


📚 Learn more about Dragon fruit:

🛒 Start your dragon fruit journey today and savor the unmatched flavors of homegrown, exotic fruits!

#Food_Forest #Discover

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Date:

Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 2

10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRAGON FRUIT

10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRAGON FRUIT

🐲 Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 2

Continued from previous post ⤴️

10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRAGON FRUIT
  • 💚 BONES AND TEETH

  • Great source of calcium & phosphorous which work together to improve bone mass and prevent osteoporosis.
  • 💚 NERVOUS SYSTEM

  • High in B Vitamins which aid in the formation of nerve cells and healthy fats for proper conductive signalling.
  • 💚 EYE SUPPORT

  • Contains Vitamin A in the form of carotene needed for proper colour vision and prevention of night blindness.
  • 💚 DIGESTION / METABOLISM

  • Incredibly high in fibre for optimal digestive health. Aids in weight loss via improvement of metabolic rate.
  • 💚 CARDIOVASCULAR

  • Prevents cardiovascular disease, lowers cholesterol & reduces high blood pressure.
  • 💚 ANTI-AGING

  • Antioxidants work against free radicals and make your skin tighter & younger looking!
  • 💚 GLOWING SKIN

  • Antioxidants and essential fatty acids for blemish-free, softer, tighter, younger looking skin!
  • 💚 IMMUNITY

  • High vitamin & mineral content to improve immunity and prevent disease & illness.
  • 💚 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

  • Provides alkalinity due to high vitamin & mineral content, helping to reduce inflammation and irritation in joints, and nourish healing wounds, cuts, bruises and scrapes (as well as prevent disease).
  • 💚 CANCER PREVENTION

Loaded with phytoalbumins, an antioxidant that prevents cancer-causing free radicals and blocks tumour cell growth. Also rids the body of toxic heavy metals.

Continued in next post ⤵️

🛒 Start your dragon fruit journey today and savor the unmatched flavors of homegrown, exotic fruits!

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 1

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Sunshine C-Cibus fertilizer for Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

Sunshine C-Cibus fertilizer for Dragon Fruit - Pitaya

🐲 Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 1

🐉 WHY GROW YOUR OWN DRAGON FRUIT?

Dragon fruit isn't just a stunning addition to your garden - it's a nutritional powerhouse. Rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, this low-calorie fruit supports digestion, boosts immunity, and promotes overall wellness. While store-bought dragon fruit can be bland, homegrown varieties offer a spectrum of sweet, vibrant flavors you won't find on supermarket shelves.​
  • 🍓 Unparalleled Flavor: Experience the true taste of dragon fruit with homegrown varieties known for their sweetness and rich flavors - far superior to the often bland, commercially grown ones.​
  • 🍓 Stunning Variety: Choose from a range of types featuring white, pink, red, or purple flesh, each with unique flavors and appearances.​
  • 🍓 Easy and Rewarding: Dragon fruit cacti are low-maintenance, thriving in containers or in the ground, with minimal water needs. They're perfect for both novice and experienced gardeners.​


🥗 HEALTH BENEFITS:
  • 🍓 Digestive Health: High fiber content aids digestion and promotes gut health.​
  • 🍓 Weight Management: Low in calories yet nutrient-dense, making it an excellent choice for a healthy diet. More health benefits in next post ⤵️


🌵 EASY GROWING TIPS:
  • 🍓 Adaptable: This cactus plant thrives in both sun and partial shade and enjoys humid rainy summers unlike most cacti.​
  • 🍓 Container-Friendly: Ideal for pots with a sturdy trellis, making it suitable for small spaces.​
  • 🍓 Low Maintenance: Drought-tolerant and forgiving, perfect for those who occasionally forget to water.​


‼️ Want more fruit? Enhance growth and fruit production with Sunshine Boosters C-Cibus fertilizer, ensuring a bountiful harvest of this exotic fruit.

Continued in next post ⤵️

🛒 Start your dragon fruit journey today and savor the unmatched flavors of homegrown, exotic fruits!

#Food_Forest #Discover

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What is the best plant for a carefree flower border

Dietes - African Iris

🔤 What is the best plant for a carefree flower border
  • 🪷 How to add effortless elegance in your garden?

  • Dietes - African Iris - is a stunning, exotic beauty with delicate pale yellow flowers and bold maroon markings. It blooms in cycles throughout the warm months, giving your garden a fresh, elegant look time and time again. With its graceful, clumping sword-like foliage, it adds texture year-round. Plus, it thrives on neglect!
  • 🪷 What makes African Iris a must-have?

Tough, drought-tolerant, flood-tolerant, and cold-tolerant, African Iris is perfect for virtually any type of landscape. It handles heat, sun, and even partial shade like a champ, and it's perfect for xeriscaping, borders, or mass plantings.

🛒 Get African Iris for a low-maintenance, always-blooming showstopper

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #How_to #Discover

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Why grow Grumichama? Benefits of Brazilian Eugenia Tree - Cherry of the Tropics

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, fruit

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, fruit

 Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, flowers

Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), Brazilian Cherry, flowers

🍒 Why grow Grumichama? Benefits of Brazilian Eugenia Tree - Cherry of the Tropics
  • 🍒 Did you know you can grow a tropical cherry right in your backyard? Grumichama (Eugenia brasiliensis), also known as the Brazilian Cherry, is a compact, evergreen fruit tree that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
  • 🍒 With glossy green leaves and reddish new growth, it’s an ornamental gem. In spring, it produces white flowers that quickly turn into dark purple, cherry-like fruits - ready to harvest just four weeks after flowering!
  • 🍒 The fruits have soft, melting flesh with a flavor similar to northern cherries. Enjoy them fresh, dried, made into jams, or even in baked goods and herbal teas. This is our favorite fresh cherry @TopTropicals!
  • 🍒 Grumichama plant grows into a small tree or bush in tropical and subtropical climates. It tolerates light frost.
  • 🍒 Fruits in small spaces or containers (5–10 gallon pots)
  • 🍒 Perfect for edible landscaping and home orchards. Loaded with fiber and antioxidants.
  • 🍒 Whether in the ground or in a pot, Grumichama is easy to grow, stunning year-round, and gives you a sweet, juicy reward.


📚Learn more about Eugenia cherries:
Ten best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes. # 3: Tropical Cherries: Eugenias.

🛒 Plant Grumichama and bring a little bit of Brazil to your garden

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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We didnt know if this hairy thing was a fern or a cactus

Rhipsalis x pilocarpa - the Hairy Stemmed Jungle Cactus

🙄 We didn't know if this hairy thing was a fern or a cactus... But everyone wanted it
  • 🌿 Looking for something unique? Rhipsalis x pilocarpa - the Hairy Stemmed Jungle Cactus - is an incredibly rare, "hairy-fruited wickerware cactus" from Brazil that's bound to wow any plant lover.
  • 🌿 With its spidery, fuzzy stems reaching up to 20 inches and delicate white to peach-colored flowers, this plant is bound to wow anyone who sees it. After blooming, it even produces pink or red berries covered in fine bristles, adding to its charm.
  • 🌿 What makes the Hairy Stemmed Jungle Cactus a must-have? It's easy to grow, thriving in warm, humid conditions with minimal watering. Perfect for USDA Zones 9-11, it makes an exotic addition to your garden or home.
  • 🌿 But be quick – this rare beauty is vulnerable in the wild, making it even more special in your collection!


🛒 Add this special to your collection

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders #Discover

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10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) fruit on a tree

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) fruit on a tree

 Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) tree in a pot

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) tree in a pot

 Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) opened fruit with cacao beans

Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) opened fruit with cacao beans

💩 10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own
  • ☕️ That's right - the source of your favorite sweet treat, the Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) we introduced in earlier post, produces cocoa that's packed with powerful health benefits. Growing your own chocolate tree isn't just fun and rewarding - it's a way to bring a superfood right into your backyard!
  • ☕️ Here are 10 reasons why cocoa is a health hero:

  • 🍫 Loaded with Antioxidants - Fights free radicals and supports overall cell health.
  • 🍫 Heart Healthy - Helps lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
  • 🍫 Mood Booster - Promotes feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins.
  • 🍫 Brain Power - Flavanols support memory, focus, and cognitive function.
  • 🍫 Fights Inflammation - Natural compounds help reduce chronic inflammation.
  • 🍫 Supports Blood Sugar Balance - May improve insulin sensitivity.
  • 🍫 Glowing Skin - Boosts hydration and protects against UV damage.
  • 🍫 Aids in Weight Management - May reduce cravings and support metabolism.
  • 🍫 Rich in Minerals - Packed with magnesium, iron, copper, and more.
  • 🍫 Good for Gut Health - Acts as a prebiotic to feed good bacteria.


☕️ With all these benefits, why not grow your own source of chocolate? Plant a Theobroma cacao tree and enjoy the magic of harvesting your very own cocoa pods. It's not just a tree - it's a conversation starter, a wellness booster, and your personal chocolate factory in the making.

🛒 Get your Chocolate Tree today and grow your own goodness

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover

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What will Tree Calliandra bring into your garden?

Calliandra houstoniana - Tree Calliandra

🎶 What will Tree Calliandra bring into your garden?
  • 🐾 Calliandra houstoniana - Tree Calliandra - is a stunning, bushy tree with vibrant pink blooms.
  • 🐾 Why every garden needs a Calliandra tree? It effortlessly adds charm in your garden and attracts wildlife: fluffy pink flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies year around.
  • 🐾 How big and fast does it grow? This is the only tree form of Powderpuff. It quickly grows into a bushy beautiful tree under 20 ft - in just one season.


📚 More prom previous post:
Calliandra Tree everyone should have: how big and fast does it grow?
What Tree Calliandra brings into your garden

🛒 Order Tree Calliandra to create an impressive butterfly paradise in no time

#Trees #Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants #Discover

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