What's looking Exotic 2024

That's the problem with the banksias. They seem to need generous pots to do well and I'm running out of space. I've got 2 B. seminuda that have gone through into the greenhouse soil so I can't move them

 

Just one single flower on the Tillandsia usneiodes so far, last year none at all.

 

Mine hasn't flowered at all.

 

@pete This is a fairly new piece of Tillandsia which I salvaged from a pile that the gardeners at the Botanical Gardens in Puerto De La Cruz last January had dumped on the ground and looks a lot fresher than my 6 year old pieces.

 

Calliandra surinamensis.


The first ever Butia capitata flower spike has just opened today .

 

My calliandra hasn't flowered this year, but last year it was flowering on and off all summer.

Its strange you Butia flower has opened in an upright position as mine are flopped over and one is now touching the ground but as yet unopened.

 

Hibiscus, the flower only lasts for one day.

 

I got a plug of Calliandra and couldn't keep it alive in this heat! Grrr!

Lovely flower @Cordy.

 

I assume it originates in Surinam judging by the name.

 

I agree so I looked it up and found this ...

Climate
Lying two to five degrees north of the equator, Suriname has a very hot and wet tropical climate, and temperatures do not vary much throughout the year. Average relative humidity is between 80% and 90%. Its average temperature ranges from 29 to 34 °C (84 to 93 °F). Due to the high humidity, actual temperatures are distorted and may therefore feel up to 6 °C (11 °F) hotter than the recorded temperature.

The year has two wet seasons, from April to August and from November to February. It also has two dry seasons, from August to November and February to April.

It obviously prefers the UK's wet climate to my dry climate. I was watered daily but died.

 

It survives in my frost free greenhouse over winter so about 2c on cold nights.

I can imagine it probably likes more humidity with its heat than you probably get.

 

I keep mine out until there are signs of frost coming then ii goes in the greenhouse until May.
Like the Tillandsia it sometimes goes down to 1/2c in the greenhouse but they survive.

 

@pete, my second Butia spike has yet to open and is still upright.

 

First of my Butia flowers was open this morning, I'm still not sure if hanging down or standing upright is normal as my other two are both now starting to lean outwards.
I'm guessing if the plant was taller the flowers would be hanging down.

 

My one looks very stunted and nothing like yours, it will be interesting to see what the other one is like.

The cuttings taken last summer of the variegated, double flowered, scented Oleanders have really grown well and are now flowering.