WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2017

Strongy - how do you do it? I have still never seen one, but I will have a close look tomorrow.

I have just looked back at last year's pictures and seen that my Hoya linearis should be about to flower. The plant does the same job as the Spanish Moss but the flower is 100 times bigger.

 

Impressive JWK.
Superb in fact

 

I had a close look this morning - still no flowers - but I did see about 4 or more dead flowers. I got quite excited at one time at something small and green, but it turned out to be a tiny caterpillar - I don't suppose that counts?

I think my problem is not flowering - but eyesight .

 

Vallota Speciosa ( Cyrtanthus ). ( Scarborough Lily )

 

That's unusual KFF - I see that it won't take any frost - I doubt it would survive outside in Scarborough over the winter.

 

Hi Peter, I read somewhere that it was given the name Scarborough Lily because that is where the boat that first brought it over here landed.

 

No blooms on mine this year because...........

Mine was out doors all winter. Pretty pointless as it was late coming back into growth but it was an interesting experiment.

 

I keep mine in and find its that rare thing......... a bulb that is evergreen and keeps growing with no rest period ( albeit a lot slower during Winter ).

 

It doesn't look much - but it has made my day.

This is the first signs of life from a Heliconia bihai rhizome that I bought from Thailand a month ago. It has been sitting on a heating pad since and I was beginning to give up hope. Past experience of resurrecting purchased rhizomes has not been that positive. But here it is.


This is what it should look like when fully grown, which is why I am excited. But that's some way in the future.

 

Hi @PeterS - that heliconia would be terrific! May I ask what temperature you have to keep them at? If it is from Thailand, I would imagine it needs quite high temp and humidity. And do you get trouble buying from there regarding phytosanitary certificates?

 

Hi Caroline - it came in the post. I think it just needed a stamp.

I have taken an interest in Heliconias recently, because they epitomise tropical plants and are quite striking. They do need heat and humidity, which is why you rarely see them in the UK. Sites differ in what they say, but a minimum winter temperature of about 16C is often quoted, but Heliconias must have the humidity as well, so a centrally heated house may not suffice. Previously I kept my sun room at 12C overwinter, but this year I am planning to make it 16C. But the key thing that I have now is a humidifying system, which has fine spray nozzles controlled by a humidistat. I can set it to any value that I want.

In winter my sun room runs with condensation and I have to use a dehumidifier. So there is no problem. The humidifier comes into its own in the summer when the sun is out. Normally as the temperature rises the rh drops and the air becomes dry. But with my system it remains very humid, and my glasses steam up when I enter.

As well as heat and humidity, a major concern is height. Many Heliconias can grow up to 20 or even 30 feet high, so most are not practical. This one is quoted at about 9 feet, but may be less in a pot. Its all an experiment really.

 

Ah, ok, that means I'm not going to grow them! I can only keep a section of greenhouse warm enough (just) for cymbidiums and australians. Anything needing more heat has to live on house windowsills, so keeping enough humidity is too hard. And it's an interesting idea trying to keep 9 feet + plants even in a garden room!

 

Don't dispair; I recently bought a book on Heliconias and it explained that there are many different sorts with different growing requirements. Unfortunately the book wasn't specific about temperatures, but from other sources I have heard that Heliconia schiedeana, which I showed earlier, is the hardiest of all and will take some frost. It's also not that tall (I hope - as I am growing one).

The problem is in finding them for sale. Hill House Nursery is the only place in the UK offering it, and I believe this is the first year that they have done so. I was lucky enough to get mine from there, and they don't control humidity.