What's looking Exotic in 2020

Thanks @noisette47 - as usual you are more than generous! But now I know it is scented, I will get some around here - it gives me an excuse to go to my favourite nursery!

 

@pete those pods are good - even the one I had direct from Oz wasn't much bigger!

 

Not sure I will get viable seed, I just thought it was good going for a reasonably small plant.

 

For various reasons I have not had the time to visit the forum over the last few months (other than very brief looks) so this is my first post in a goodly while. Time is short so I will have to catch up with this thread properly at a later date but I just had to show my favourite plant of the year.

I've grown Nicotiana glauca in the past but this year it has been superb! The plant was grown from seed last year and overwintered in an unheated greenhouse.

Nicotiana glauca (Tree Nicotiana) by longk48, on Flickr

Nicotiana glauca (Tree Nicotiana) by longk48, on Flickr

Nicotiana glauca (Tree Nicotiana) by longk48, on Flickr

 

Looks great! Glad to see you around again

 

Hope to see you on here more now @longk.

 

Welcome back @longk .

 

Thanks!
My (regular) return will probably be temporary but I will look in more often as autumn descends. The daily commute from London to my workshop west of Oxford and the time that I need to spend with my parents (my mother is slipping into dementia) means that time with my partner is precious especially as she prepares to return to her studies at Kings.

Anyway,............. The red form of Eccremocarpus scaber isn't strictly exotic as far as hardiness goes but it is not so common and has an exotic look as it matures and fills out. Mine is a first year plant grown from seed collected from a spot next to the Thames in Oxford last year.

Eccremocarpus scaber (red form) by longk48, on Flickr

Eccremocarpus scaber (red form) by longk48, on Flickr

 

Echinopsis oxygona was a star a few weeks ago................
Echinopsis oxygona by longk48, on Flickr

Echinopsis oxygona by longk48, on Flickr

Echinopsis oxygona by longk48, on Flickr

 

Unusual to get that many flowers to open at the same time.

 

Way back in April Canarina canariensis came into bloom.................
Canarina canariensis by longk48, on Flickr

Canarina canariensis by longk48, on Flickr

 

Yup! The downside is that it made it a bit of a one day wonder.

The Amaranthus were looking good until the strong winds a couple of weeks ago snapped the tallest one which had just hit eight feet!
Amaranthus noid by longk48, on Flickr

This was something of an accidental 'exotic'. I bought a courgette plant from a charity plant stall which turned out to be a marrow with the most massive leaves (50cm/60cm) and resulted in a very pleasing result (and some epic stuffed marrow too!)...............
Marrow! by longk48, on Flickr

 

@longk , I find if you move Echinopsis into a very shady spot when in flower they last for two days.

 

I didn't have too much choice on this as I took it into work because I didn't want to miss it bloom.

Sprekelia formosissima spent all winter outdoors at work. Doesn't seem to have done it any harm though as it was in bloom by June...............
Sprekelia formosissima by longk48, on Flickr

Sprekelia formosissima by longk48, on Flickr

Gymnocalycium stenopleurum has a strong desire to survive. It produced a few blooms over the summer..............
Gymnocalycium stenopleurum by longk48, on Flickr

............despite having a gaping hole in it as the result of frost damage last autumn..........
Gymnocalycium stenopleurum by longk48, on Flickr