WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2015

Before the modern methods of tissue culture and micro propagation most of our Orchids if available were very expensive and Medinilla I remember going for£25!. Difficult to keep but worth trying, especially at such a low price.

Peter, I haven't seen Gynura for sale for decades, I knew it as G sarmentosa. I seem to remember the orange (?) flowers stink.

Diffenbachia sap can also cause skin rashes.

 

The orange Bougainvillea is flowering again after a rest.

 

Like the orange one @strongylodon .
incidentally my purple one is still flowering outside, it just seems to love the damp weather when its in flower, no sign of rotting etc.

The Variegated one you gave me is still in flower in the greenhouse

 

@pete, I guess your pink one could go on flowering for a while yet as the nights are still mild.

 

Yep, they seem to like this end of the year for flowering I find.

 

Yes, Strongy - I had already forgotten that. I read it when I had a Google just after buying it - then promptly forgot it. It will probably remind me later - if I can keep it alive for that long.

That's a lovely orange Bougainvillea. I still don't understand them. I have two purple ones that are now a fair size - they have reached my roof. Last year they grew well but never flowered. This year they both put on a brilliant display for a long period with some blooms hanging on for several months. But they never repeated. They do seem to be very happy in the damp. In my high humidity, things like Mandevilla and Plumbago are not happy - but Bougainvillea is.

 

Tibouchina urvilleana...............


The Deppea splendens buds continue to grow but boy are they slow!

 

Love the colour of the Tibouchina Longk.

 

It is one of those occasional colours that I struggle to capture correctly but the pics above are a good match. Check Lidl out around April/May as that is usually when they have them in and they are less than a fiver.

 

The Phalaenopsis are coming on now, lots of new flowering stems coming.

 

Just a ramble - of no consequence - again!

I had a nice surprise today. I found a self sown seedling of Geranium maderense growing in the garden, in a pot. I have transplanted it and taken it inside and hope it will survive after a couple of nights of sub zero temperatures. Two of them flowered earlier this year inside my sun room - of course, they die after flowering. They must have dropped some seed (I don't remember seeing any) onto the compost, which later got reused for some annuals outside.

My heaters have just started to work hard in my sun room, over the last couple of days. My thermostats are set to 12C. I also have had a dehumidifier working almost full time for a month now. The low temperatures outside create massive condensation, and 100% humidity. Plants that might like 100% humidity when its hot are not too keen when its cold.

Some plants are still flowering - Thunbergia gregii, T grandiflora, a couple of Canna and Asclepias. Dahlia imperialis has flowers and loads of huge buds. I also have a pink, yellow and white Brugmansia in flower. Even Jasminum polyanthum has started. But the most flowers are still on my Asarina erubescens. This has been my real star this year. Its a strong grower - up to 20 feet, when most sources say 8 or 10, and has been covered in flowers for months on end.

But I have had disappointments as well. Cobaea scandans never flowered, but one that overwintered outside, to my surprise, did ! Also my Podranea and Clytostoma have never yet flowered - perhaps next year. Plants can be unpredictable, my two large Bougainvillea never flowered last year but were absolutely brilliant this year.

One tip I have discovered, was that when my Spanish Moss (Tillandsia useneoides) was left on its own, it remained white and didn't grow, but when I misted it regularly it turned a very pale green and did start to grow.

Overall, it wasn't the best of years, the weather was so poor - but there is always next year.

 

I've benn working away and came home to find Lachenalia aloides in bloom. Now in the porch where the temperature is more stable (more on that in a bit)................


Solanum rantonnetii still trying to bloom..................


Impatiens niamniamensis.................


Before I went away Deppea splendens was looking good..................


Unfortunately the recent freeze shattered a pane in the greenhouse (it must have had a flaw) and it now looks dead along with Cubanola domingensis. They're in the bathroom to see if they survive the -5.5°c they saw The Musschia isn't looking to good either.

 

LongK - I am so sorry to hear about your broken pane and loss of plants. I often wonder what would happen if I had a power cut. I still remember the time when they were regular feature.

I am afraid I lost my Cubanola last winter along with Ravenalla and others. Its always sickening. But my Impatiens niamniamensis just seems to keep going. I planted it out in the border in the summer and only recently found it - luckily just before the frosts. Its still flowering inside. Its supposed to be short lived, but my original plant must be at least 5 years old now, and I have a cutting of the same size as well.

 

In a moist and fairly shaded spot I found that they romp away...................