WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2015

Things are moving now with the warm weather.

Feijoa sellowiana


First Datura wrightii this year


Not something to get too fussed about, but I like it, Pomegranate.

 

Daylily "One Hot Mama"

 

here's some exotic stuff in my garden

 

Which Gloriosa is that Stephen?

 

Mine were very late this year as well.

 

I have no idea.. it was rothschildiana on the pack, which is may be, but it's not superba.

 

Another Abutilon hybrid grown from seed sown in January..................


Aloe striatula................

 

John - I do like that Lobelia. I wish I had space to overwinter it, or even just grow it in summer.
Gloriosa


I can't remember what this is. It didn't have a label when I bought it. Its either an Aeschynanthus or the other one (whose name I forget) - which ever of them has the smooth leaves. I am sure someone will tell me.


My Brugs have been flowering inside, at intervals, ever since the winter. But the outside ones have started now.


Ipomea indica - I have shown this earlier, but wanted to say what a good flowerer it is. The blooms only last a day but I get about 15 or 20 new ones every day and have done so for ages.

Another plant that has been doing well is Thunbergia battiscombei. As a new plant last year, I only had a few blooms, but this year it is a bigger and has been flowering for a very long time - and such a beautiful blue.

 

The "other one" being Columnea. Yours is an Aeschynanthus. Both can have smooth or hairy leaves. The calyx of Aeschynanthus tends to be tubular (but not exclusively). Columnea flowers tend to be produced in the leaf axils whereas Aeschynanthus flowers tend to form at the end of the stems but again this is not always the case. The one invariable is that Aechynanthus come from Asia and Columnea come from South America.

 

Thanks LongK - I couldn't remember the name of the other one - though I do remember that we had a discussion about it before. Your info is very helpful. I seem to remember that Columnea has more pronounced ribs on the leaves as well.

I had a Google and came across this additional info.

Aeschynanthus flowers usually have anthers sticking way out of the flowers, and Columnea flowers usually have the anthers barely sticking out of the flower (if at all).

Finally, one of the most unusual and distinctive features of Aeschyanthus is that the pollen comes in very funky colors: brown, purple, lavender, gray, green, etc. Columneas always have white or yellow pollen.

I will have to have a closer look at the anthers and pollen tomorrow. Its surprising how you can look at a flower and just not register key parts.

 

My Hoya under the ornamental Cherry is in bloom.................