Tropical Plants, Native plants, Variety of trees and shrubs grown and propagated in Garden Imperfect.
Most plants have been grown from seeds and are growing in plastic containers. In a climate like Southern California, you will successfully get rid of your plants if you put them in fabric pots. This rule especially applies to all if the Tropicals.
Do not plant any of the below listed plants in compost/commercial shredded wood chip mix.
Most Tropicals prefer Slightly acidic soil with maintained moisture levels at all times, especially during the hot weather.
Any composted material may be used ONLY on top of the soil.
Arabica Coffee Plant
Young plants do best in semi shade.
Do not let to dry out
Slightly acidic soil
Stay away from composted soil. Best not to use wood chip in the soil mix.
Plants will do exceptionally well in Gary’s Best Acid Mix at Laguna Hills Nursery.
Dwarf Cavendish Banana plant
Fast grower, given the right conditions:
Full Sun, plenty of water, especially if potted like this one.
Be careful separating the pops, use hands rather than garden tools.
Cacao. Chocolate Tree
Do not plant in compost.
Acidic well draining soil. Peat Moss mixed with sand and pumice.
Delicate Tree.
Best kept in semi shade while young and still developing.
Do not plants in a spot with no shade in Southern California.
Mango Plants
Somewhat tricky to grow from seed BUT
You will get a stronger Mango Tree if you grow it from seed.
Acidic soil, compost/mulch only on top, maintain moist soil.
Pomegranates
Plant on the left in August-September 2022. Young Plant pictures below.
From Seed to harvest.
Fantastic Plants to grow from seed.
Best grown in moist slightly acidic soil, mulch on top.
It’s a cold hardy Mediterranean shrub.
Deciduous, shedding leaves every year.
Can be shaped as a tree.
Avocados
The less attention the better
Let it be. You can plant Avocados in pure sand and it will grow as long as you water it every day.
DO NOT plant in composted soil, wood chips etc. Instead add some moss and pumice to your sand mixture.
Or plant directly in native soil.
It will fruit in a pot as well.
Somewhat hard to attract pollinators to flowers. That it why you want to create a good eco-system in your yard.
To sprout the seed:
Fill in the pot with native soil, or sandy loam, no compost. Place the seed on top of the soil or bury a couple inches below. Give it a couple weeks. It won’t let you down.
I have to admit it’s a rocky road, growing Avocado Plants. Ironically, imperfect garden idea started with an avocado seed, which had sprouted inside a rotted fruit. I threw it away. Subsequently, I regretted every second of me throwing it away. Because most of the attempts to purposefully sprout them weren’t successful. That’s when I realized,
YOU LET THEM BE…THEY WON’T GIVE UP.
See when you intervene, they get offended.
Loquat
When mature produces orange fruits. Native to South Asian Climates but certainly adopted well in California.
Lives well in a variety of soils.
I grew it in composted soil for a period of time and it did well. Moderate sun.
Leaves will burn if moved from shade to a sunny spot suddenly.
Beautiful ornamental. Leaves may be used to make tea.
Lychee Trees
Start Lychee seeds in tall rather than wide containers.
They have a long tap root, which will reach the bottom very quickly.
Lychee Trees considered a slow growing tree.
Young plants grow fast, especially during warm weather, with good watering and high moisture.
Place against a wall, to protect from the winds.
Acidic, well drained soil (sandy enough).
Can be planted in Clay soil.
I will talk more about clay soil in my Blog.
Aloe
You don’t need patience with this one.
If planted outside in California, make sure it’s in semi shade/shade.
You will be surprised to learn it prefers shade. Don’t treat it like a succulent.
It’s a very delicate plant.
Olive Tree
If you have cats, they love rubbing against the trunk of an Olive Tree.
If your tree is infested with white flies, NO PANIC.
Create an eco system for the beneficial bugs to exist and thrive.
Lady bugs can consume large amounts of White flies, and their larva in day.
You may also choose to spray your tree with soapy water, add a few drops of olive oil and soda.
Shape your olive trees into medium size Bonsai. Where you can easily reach the top with a step ladder.
The pictured tree is potted and haven’t flowered yet.
Silk Floss Tree
People love this tree.
It steals the show with it’s spiked trunk and gorgeous pale pink colored flowers.
Easily propagated by cuttings or by seeds.
A must have in your yard.
Fast growing. Adaptable to various soil conditions.
Can be shaped and trained as medium size Bonsai.
White Sapote, Mexican Apple.
The most delicious “apple” you will ever try.
It’s known to relieve pain.
The fruit is vermifugal. Meaning it contains an agent that prevents, destroys and expels parasitic worms.
The seeds contain a number of alkaloids.
Unripe fruits are hard.
Soft ripe fruits melt in your mouth and taste of fresh ice cream.
These trees are easily grown and propagated from seeds.
Black Mission Fig
The under-leaf pattern is a work of art.
Fast Growing Tree with the most delicious fruit.
Best planted in Full Sun, for the sweetest fruit.
Eucalyptus Tree
Exceptionally Fast growers.
Gopher proof Trees.
The tree on the left was grown from seed, gathered on a trail.
Can be shaped into a medium sized Bonsai. Requires space if planted directly.
Garden Imperfect Plants 
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