What's looking exotic in 2016

Amorphophallus konjac


This is currently contributing to the atmosphere in the greenhouse, just as its got warmer.

 

Love it @NigelJ

My double (or even triple) flowered form of the common Hippeastrum is happy that the weather has warmed up a bit..............

 

I suspected my Strelitzia had outgrown its pot....

Wasn't expecting to see something quite this big! It's gone from 5cm to reaching to top of the lounge window in 18 months! Will need to give it away soon as I don't have a conservatory to put it in.

 

Haven't even started mine into growth yet, still bone dry under the staging.

 

I keep mine in dry soil in a cold greenhouse over winter and what I've found is that they start into growth spontaneously, the ones going to flower start to poke through about March. The smaller ones that are only going to produce foliage are only just starting into growth now. The flowering ones produce no roots until the flower is over.

 

3 Amorphophallus konjac. One with a bad case of "brewers droop"

 

Iris confusa................


It may seem like an odd choice for what's looking exotic until you look at its growth habit...........

 

I have just come back from a week in South Devon. I left my conservatory closed to keep in the humidity, so as not to need any watering. I came back late yesterday and saw one thermometer was registering over 40C. But the plants seem to have survived and benefited from the heat.


An annual Ipomea that I have decided to grow inside. They don't do well outside in Yorkshire unless its exceptionally hot.


Bougainvillea came into flower when I was away.


Porphyrocoma pohliana, from seed, is only a small plant but flowers for months on end. Its a member of the Acanthus family.


Arisaema tortuosum must have loved the heat, its about six feet high.


Bird of Paradise (Strelitzea)


This canna also liked the heat. Its pressed against the roof.


I am so pleased to see this. Its attached to a Heliconia stem that I brought back from Madeira, which was showing no signs of life when I left.

 

Hi Pete,

A bit of advice please Sir,

I've got a load of Ipomea/Convulvulus grown from seed, some are about 18" high now.

My question is, can I put them outside yet ?

I'm in a very sheltered area of Worcestershire, we have only had 3 frosts and they were 4 months ago at the start of January.

 

Hi Anthony. They do grow very quickly don't they. I spent ages untangling mine, before I decided to put them all in a big pot, with a frame to climb up.

I wouldn't really know the answer to your question - when will the last frost be? However if you have loads I would be inclined to try a few outside now - but perhaps not all of them. You sound to have a much milder climate than me. My last frost was only a few days ago, and I am still not confidant about putting many of my plants outside yet.

 

Thanks Peter,

I'll try a few then and see how they get on. I swear you can almost see them grow sometimes

 

I like that!

Ipomea purpurea (like Peters) dislike being put out too soon. For some reason they just stop growing and never really get going again. I would wait until we have reliably warmer nights. The self seeders here are barely germinating yet.

 

A present from @longk

Adenium obesum.



Asimina triloba.

 

That has come on well

 

First bloom on Solanum laciniatum today................


Echeveria setosa ssp. minor was overwintered in an unheated greenhouse and this is the best that it has ever bloomed for me.....................