WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2015

The last Hedychiums to flower this year...coronarium and 'Elisabeth' and Ipomoea indica

 

Lovely Armandii - It looks to be outside, but I suspect it must be inside.

Noisette - how cold does it get for you over the winter? That Ipomea looks really healthy. Mine, inside has lost nearly all its leaves and ceased flowering. I think you generously offered me a cutting (or seed) of your's some time ago, but I had already commited myself to buying one from Charlie Pridham at Roseland House Nursery. All the same thank you again for the offer. I have 9 climbers along the back wall on my garden room, and its about the only one that isn't evergreen - I wasn't sure when I bought it.


Justicia rizzinii - its always nice to see something coming into flower over the winter.


Spanish Moss, Tilandsia usenoides. You see this around quite a lot at flower shows, but it was only this year that I acquired some for myself. I find air plants quite weird and I still don't know how it grows. Also I assume it should flower, like all other plants - but I have never seen or heard of a flower. Having said that, I have just had a Google - and it produces seed as well, of course. By hanging from the roof it fills an empty space.


About the last flower from Aeschnanthus lobbianus.


There are still one or two Brugmansia in flower - this is Hurstwood Elinor


Cobaea scandens from seed this year. This has only recently come into flower, at the same time that it's loosing its lower leaves. I am not sure how this overwinter at 10C - anyone know?

I saw an incredible one recently at Wentworth Castle's conservatory. It was over 30 feet in length, having grown to the conservatory roof and then hung down till it almost reached the ground. It was covered in bloom. Wentworth Castle conservatory is really worth a visit, even now. It has just been rebuilt at a cost of £3.75M and I have never seen planting looking so good, or so healthy. I only wish it was a bit closer to me.


Canarina canariensis. This was grown from seed about 4 years ago and it has now reached maturity. Its such a beautiful delicate plant. The stems, leaves and flowers are all immaculate, without a single blemish or hole. It looks as if the whole thing is made of wax, I would have said plastic - but that would be to cheapen it.

 

Hiya Peter, hope you are well.

My Cobaea scandens is flowering periodically but to be honest not a lot this year. We have been very dry with almost five months of no rain then torrential rain so I don't know what to think!

I have put a picture up in the December flowering of my wonderful Poinsettia. I will put another up tomorrow there.

 

Very well, thank you Vicky. Lovely to hear from you - you who live in the land of the exotic.

Do show us your Poinsettia. Its a wonderful plant and a good reminder of how far nursery plants have moved away from those in the wild. I went on holiday recently to northern Italy and saw Mandevilla, Oleander and other exotics all obviously surviving their winter outdoors. Do you have those round you. - and what about Bananas?

 

You have some interesting things there Peter.
I like the Canarina.

I had loads of Spanish moss some years ago, I used to hang it from a pole, and dunk it in the water but once a day in summer when it was outside.
Then one year the blackbirds nicked it all, over the space of a couple of days, for their nests.

I tend to think Ipomoea indica is evergreen, mine is.

 

Hi Pete - that's interesting that Ipomea is evergreen. Mine hasn't totally died back - but it has lost most of its leaves - though I can see tiny shoots in a number of places. I just wonder if I let it get too dry, which causesd a partial shut down. I found it needed a lot of water over the summer compared to plants of the same size either side.

I am trying hard not to laugh.

 

Mine has its first buds! Even out of bloom I agree that it is a lovely plant. My seed was sown autumn 2012 which means that it's blooming in its third season.

Sorry - I did laugh

 

My seed was sown in 2010. It had its first flower in 2012, did very little last year, but suddenly this year it has matured and grown to 5 feet or more - I can't be sure because its on a bench and has reached the roof and grown sideways - it could be 6 feet. This is the first time I can say it a really good do'er.

They had some even better ones at Wentworth Castle with stems the thickness of my thumb. The size clearly depends on the size of the tuber. Which reminds me I should be feeding it.

 

Hi, new boy Bill here. My ground cover roses, Kent and Northampton look great with loads of pink and white flowers. Also my standard roses Bonica still look great. best wishes Bill

 

Peter, Tillandsia usnoides does flower, I posted a pic earlier in the year somewhere. They are sparse, yellow and tiny, I mean minute.

 

Thanks Strongy - I assumed they must be minute as I have seen it many times at shows but never seen a flower let alone seed. Do you have to feed it with foliar feed? Though I doubt that anyone feeds it in its natural environment. I would love to see a link to your picture if you can find it.

 

Found it Peter. No, I've never fed it, just drizzle rain water over it in summer and hardly any water in winter.

 

Excellent - thanks Strongy - its something to look out for.

 

Might need a magnifying glass.