WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2015

Peter - I love that Podranea. I have a Pandorea, which I think is similar in name and flower, but it hasn't flowered yet.

LongK. You have just reminded me that Tibouchina should be flowering now. Mine has gone downhill over the last year - I think that it doesn't like the humidity I have. But Thunbergia gregorii is flowering a little bit. Its obviously a bit hardier than I thought. But I wouldn't trust it outside over winter up here.

My lowest minimum temperature has so far been 4C. But my neighbour took the dog for a walk, early this morning, in a more exposed area and said that there was a white frost on the ground.

 

I left this Brug outside last Winter and it died right back to the soil level so I was going to bin it in April until I noticed a minute shoot at the base. It has now produced it's first flowers.


Unfortunately hoping my Plumeria was producing a flower bud was wishful thinking, it appears to be a branch developing although I expect it to stop growing soon.

 

I've had plumerias branch but not seen that kind of growth before.

 

Hi Longk,

I was surprised at mine as well this year. I thought that splitting it would have cost us the flowers this year.
It's definitely my favourite for October

 

Thanks LongK - I was overjoyed to see it offered. As we have said - Clerodendrum has some lovely plants in the genus.

Finally a ginger has flowered. The red flowers around it are Asarina erubescens, which has really been a star this year. Some bits are up to 20 feet long, and it has been flowering for ages. It's even out flowered Ipomea indica. I. indica is still flowering, but with the low temperatures now the blooms are only half the normal size.


Thunbergia gregorii has a few blooms again.


Another very long flowerer - Asclepias curassavica.


Even Thunbergia grandiflora has a couple of blooms.

 

Like the Thunbergias Peter.

 

I found it to be a poor performer in a humid environment despite being native to Brazil.

 

Interesting LongK. I am finding that with the high humidity in my sun room that not all tropical plants are happy. It's trial and error to find which ones are.


I had a trip to Gordon Riggs (Walsden) yesterday. There is always loads of good stuff. Above is a Medinilla Magnifica at £5.99, when they were selling common hardy perennials for £10 and £12 in another department. My previous one died - as I probably overwatered it.

I have since discovered that all of the plants I purchased like high humidity - which is what I have.


Pilea pubescens 'Silver Cloud'. A member of the nettle family. I try to have a display in my sun room rather that just a collection of greenhouse plants. So I am coming round to the idea of the usefulness of coloured foliage. I do like flowering plants, but they can spend long periods not flowering.


Gynura aurantiaca 'Purple Passion'. Comes from Indonesia, but I am not sure of this one. Even though it likes high humidity it doesn't like water on its leaves as it has purple hairs that hold the water and could cause rot. But it is pretty.


Fittonia - I gather these are difficult to keep if you don't have high humidity - even so I still managed to kill earlier ones.


Dieffenbachia. This is known as 'Dumb Cane', because it contains oxalic acid and if ingested it can make the throat swell and prevent you talking. That must have some uses .


Hoya linearis. This is another one that is new to me. Its a trailer, rather like the Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) behind it. About the only space that I have left is the ceiling.

 

Hi PeterS,

Love the Medinilla. How tall does it grow ? I should imagine that if it's a tall plant and you look up into it it's stunning.

 

Yes, it is most spectacular - but I suspect that it's not an easy plant as you rarely see it. The internet says that it can grow up to 12 feet in the wild in the Philippines, but more like 3 - 4 in a pot.

I gather its an epiphyte, ie grows attached to trees etc, but is not parasitic. This probably explains why it likes a humid atmosphere, but doesn't like to be watered too much. My previous one died, and they are normally quite expensive, so I was delighted to find this and I just hope it will last a bit longer.

 

Some interesting plants Peter, never seen that Hoya before, I assume it has similar flowers to the rest?

 

I have just had a look Pete, on the internet. And yes the flowers are similar, but surprisingly large, compared with Spanish Moss where the flowers are minuscule.

 

Yes, seen the flowers on Spanish Moss, they are easily missed.

Hoyas often have a nice scent.

 

I had a fair amount of spanish moss a few years ago.
Put it out in the garden as usual in the spring, hanging from supports that the wisteria grew up.

Within a couple of weeks it was all gone.
Blackbirds love it as nesting material.