What's looking Exotic 2025

Callistemon viminalis starting to bloom ...


Iochroma still giving the occasional blooms ...


BoP ...


Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ...

 

The only thing I've got is kennedya prostrate giving a valiant bloom! It did produce plenty of seed this autumn so deserves a break

 

Kunzea baxterei is flowering for the first time after. From a packet of seeds bought in Sydney Botanical Garden shop six years ago along with Calothamnus, Mellauca and Hakea (which has not flowered yet. It is not planted as it may not take temps below zero.

 

Nice @strongylodon ! Yes, I'd doubt it would be hardy in UK. I feel I'm risking it with some hybrid callistemon in cold section of greenhouse.

 

@CarolineL I am hoping there won't be any temperatures below -3c as last Winter -6/7c saw damage on some Callistemons. The Banksia and Hakea are in the greenhouse while there are very cold nights and/or strong winds.

 

First time with a double Strelitzia ...

 

The Callistemon has a burst of red ...

 

That viminalis must be quite old now!

 

Not really tropical... Coelogyne cristata


And a leucadendron - lost label

 

I've got a Coelogyne in flower, My Leucadendron's are rubbish, one got frosted and the other is doing nothing.

 

The leucadendron should be flowering more, but really needs a repot. I'm pleasantly surprised by how well the coelogyne flowers. I grow it in a plastic basket that I drilled bottom holes in, to cope with its tendency to grow along linearly. And the baskets (for storage) are cheap and in a good range of sizes in places like B and M. I think it likes the ventilation in the sides

 

I had a big Coelogyne in a slatted wooden hanging container that I made.
But it got too heavy, I could only just about lift it and finding something strong enough to hang it on was difficult.
So I ended up leaving it outside all last winter. Some of it survived into the summer but I think this last winter has finished it off.
Just got a couple of small pieces in pots now one is in flower now but not very impressive.

 

A few things this month ...

Callistemon ...


Pandorea jasmioides ...


Clerodendron ugandense first bloom ...


Punica nana first bloom ...

 

A shock this evening ...

The Ruby Grapefruit ...



... and possibly more to come ...