hardy tropical plants

The single ones are hardier, I have my mine, one pink and one white in pots, outside and unprotected for over two years now and flower late summer. The have not been touched by the weather, fortunately but it is milder here in winter than Kent although they have taken -4c. I have Vanilla a semi double which will not flower outside.
There are a few very healthy ones around here planted in the ground, about 2 metres high but they flower poorly.
They really do need a warm spring, as in the Med, to encourage flower buds.

 

Ooh - my first post with the new skin!!

Forgive me for re-awakening an old thread, but better that starting another; the voodoo lily mentioned a few pages back, look fantastic, but everyone always talks about the smell. Does anyone know how powerful it is? For example, will it ruin a summer's day sat on the patio if it is neraby? Is it a long lasting pong or a short lived smell? :D

 

Dave it has been described as the 'smell of a dead horse' and I agree with that. I have a couple in my garden but a good distance from the house although the first one Boss lady asked me to put under the front window. We soon moved it. The smell is not long lived however, it's simply to attract insects, not for food, that's my beloved sarracenias, but for pollination purposes. Filthy habits these plants have. :D

 

Hi John, thanks for the reply. I am tempted to try one. However, is "not long lived" a day, a week or a month? :D

 

My fairly young plants only managed stinky flowers for a few days. The leaves are stunning though. I have had a couple in the ground for 3 years now, and they are starting to get going now that spring is (finally) here.

 

As Gaz says. A few (3 at the most) days.

 

Well, 3 days for a summer full of crazy looking plants sounds like a fair trade! Wonder if I can time it with when I am away!?

 

Stink aside, they are wonderful plants! The leaves do need some support though.There are several different varieties or you could try arisaemas which also look quite weird!
This year I am trying colocasia esculenta or elephant ears plant. They do love heat and moisture so I am going to plant it in my bog garden and pray for a hot summer! ....then bring it in in the winter.