What's Looking Exotic In October 2013

Thread for photos of plants looking Exotic in October 2013.

For anyone wanting to look back here are some related threads:

What's Looking Exotic In September 2013

and what everyone thought was looking Exotic in:

October 2012

What's Looking Good Index

 

The flower on the Stepelia ( left side ) had one petal open yesterday morningfor quite sometime. I kept watching - hoping to see the other petals " ping " open.The sun came out as I turned to get some things out of the cupboard. When I next looked - all the other petals had sprung open. I missed it by a few seconds...

 

Love it!

 

Jens that looks fab and the pot suits it as well new one on me

 

Does it have an 'aroma'?

 

It's such a great shame that it pongs to high heaven - a putrid odour - not nice too early in the morning on an empty stomach !!
Jenny

 

Ahh, but then you do have all those lovely blue bottles as a consolation

 

Off limits in my kitchen Pete !!

 

Asarina scandens is past its best now but has been lovely all summer. As compared to the Cobaea scandens, next to it, that hasn't flowered at all. I thought that one was easy.


Justicia carnea. I love this one. A gale three weeks ago broke half the plant off, along with its developing buds.


But it was an ill wind ..... It prompted me to take some cuttings from the broken branch and, even though its the wrong time of year for Justicia cuttings, 4 of the 6 have thrived. However they all want to flower as well.


And finally Calathea picturata. You often see this in garden centres as a foliage plant with its big leaves. It also has flowers, that are not that impressive - I think the white flowers have gone now leaving just the bracts. But what roused my interest was that only last night I discovered it was a member of the ginger family. Suddenly the flowers reminded me of some of the Costus - but not as colourful. You never hear of Costus - has anyone tried to grow it or is it just not hot enough in the UK?

Edit

Here is a picture of Costus barbartus - from the web.

 

Asarina scandens is just one of those plants isn't it! Growing it is easy and poses no challenge whatsoever, but it is still a thoroughly rewarding plant to grow! If it does have a fault, it is that it self seeds like boogery

 

I've got Costus Speciosus Variegatus on my Wants List. It makes a lovely circle of its leaf worl

I've got a Costus Barbatus here (which Sal asked me to get in the Jungle Garden closing down sale). I love the look of its corkscrew growth, not one I've come across before.

 

Trellis or other plants as it's a twiner.

Very easy and fast.

Ooooooh yes! Three or four seedlings planted together did this in a season.....................

 

Bomarea hirtella continues to bloom in October out in the garden..................


And Abutilon x hybridum......................


Fused blooms on the pot grown I.niamniamensis. Probably time to think about moving it under cover?

 

Kristen - do let us know how you get on with your Costus. I see that there a few sites selling seeds, including Jungle Seeds with 4 varieties. And there is Costus speciosa seeds on e-bay, where the vendor says that it will take down to -15C. So perhaps they don't need as much heat as I thought. I am very tempted.

LongK, I look forward to Asarina self seeding. As a social climber, I welcome having a better class of weed in my garden than my neighbours.