WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2018

Planted this Schefflera macrophylla recently but I've a cold, exposed garden and limey soil so I'm pushing my luck. Fingers crossed anyway. I've stuck it in between two rows of bamboo and threw some mulch on it so we'll see if it survives.

 

It is a lovely plant so always worth a punt.

 

Even though its now December, there are still a few plants flowering today.

Thunbergia coccinea, in its second year of flowering.


Dichorisandra thrysiflora - blue ginger


Ipomea indica still puts out a few flowers.


This Calamondin has been wonderful. Look at all the fruit forming, and it's now covered in blossom as well.


The Heliconias keep surprising. As soon as I think their flowering season has ended, more blooms appear.


Another Heliconia psitticorum.


This strange foliage plant from South Africa is Inulanthera calva. There is almost no information on it on the internet.

 

That is outstanding!

 

Thanks LongK. My Thunbergia mysorensis sadly died a couple of years ago. But I am more than happy with T. coccinea as a substitute. Now that I am heating my conservatory more over the winter, it warm enough to go and sit there without needing any sun. So I am able to appreciate the winter flowering plants more.

I would have still liked to have grown T. mysorensis as well, but as it and presumably coccinea too can grow to over 40 feet long - I may be pushed for space.

 

I bought an Odontoglossum with two flowers spikes last June, they lasted about a month or so but in early November two new buds emerged and it is now in flower again.

 

Just arrived today from E bay, all I've got to do is keep it alive till spring.
Leucospermum "tango".


Its a good strong cutting.

 

That's the spirit - there's nothing like a bit of good old fashioned plant greed!

Mine didn't bloom so well this year, let alone bloom twice

If you don't mind my asking was it dear?

 

Well its quite dear to me,
If your asking was it expensive? I guess it was, as I only bought one plant, as usual the postage puts the price up.
But now I can see the quality, I might buy more in the future?
Multiple plants lower the postage, but it took 3 weeks to arrive, I dont think they rush around much in Madera.

PROTEA 'TANGO" (Leucospermum) - Plants - Orange Pincushion. | eBay

 

I would love to bring back some plants from Madeira next month but I will be away for 5 weeks in through May and I will have no one to look after anything regularly so I will have to give it a miss.

That looks a healthy plant @pete, it should put on some growth next year.

 

It's growing/ rooted into what looks like ordinary peat based compost, I've potted it up into a mixture of bark, peat and a bit of hydroleca.
I'm not sure how fussy these are regarding compost, all you read says Protea are very fussy, but my P. cynaroides is growing in pretty much ordinary well drained garden soil.

I'd not think sawdust would be good for any plant, but possibly might be ok to form roots only.

 

My neighbour may be able to look in now and then but as some plant need more water than others, capillary or other watering set ups would not be suitable.