Kennedia Rubicunda

Hi all, I growing some of these from seed this year (they are about 1" at present); the seed is from a plant I grew 10 years ago and saved !!!.

The original seed came in a mixed tree and shrub seed packet.

The original plant grew well in a large pot (each stem grew to about 8-10ft in length) and flowered within its second year in a cold greenhouse.

Just wondered if anyone else has grown this plant out of interest; it's a shrubby twining climber with red pea like flowers originally from Australia i believe..

 

Hi Bilbo. I admire and applaud you for having grown such for so long in the UK.

I attempted to grow Kennedia beckxiana a couple of years ago from seeds I got from Chiltern but had absolutely no success whatsoever. Then again, I am pretty useless with seeds anyway, be they exotic or common.

 

Hi Bilbo!

I've sown four of the seeds that you've sent me and had 100% germination!
They're coming along nicely now - just got to work out how to over-winter them now. Cool greenhouse ok?

 

I had a kennedia rubicunda plant some years ago, from RHS seed distribution, I think, might have been Chiltern's, though. It was easy to raise and grow and lasted a few years in the greenhouse until a hard winter polished it off.

I quite liked it, but found the foliage a bit leathery and the flowers rather an insipid pink so I haven't bothered since.

I'm going to have a crack at Cobaea scandens (again) and lapageria (again) this year.

 

Madahhlia - Lapageria seed needs to be fresh, so buy carefully! Keep an eye on Strangewonderfulthings (http://www.strangewonderfulthings.com/List.htm#L) for seed.

 

Victoria - one of my favourite sites too!
I've never used him, although I now know three people who have and are all very satisfied. Some of his text is a little over the top, and the use of the word rare rather prolific, but good reports and (what appears to be) seasonal availability make up for that.

 

Hi Keith, glad you got germination

I overwintered them in a cool conservatory that was frost free in the winter, for them to be truely happy I think they like a minimum of 5 degrees but as long as its above 0 they should get through ok.