What's Looking Exotic In October 2013

I'm only babysitting it for Sal, so you'll need to get updates from him

 

Strange how some of the exotics seem to come into their own at the back end of summer, when it turns wet and miserable.


I find Brugs like this time of the year and so do gingers.
A new one for me, (thanks Kristen) Hedychium greenii.

 

What a lovely collection there Pete. Does the ginger have a wonderful perfume? I remember it in the Wanchai market, Hong Kong. In the humid air that sweet smell filled the market,
Jenny

 

Your flowers (as you mentioned a while back) look as pants as the ones on my plant this year. I'm 99% certain (1% allowance for my aging memory playing tricks!) that it has been a lot better in previous years.

Sorry if I already said this earlier, but I was reading on a site about keeping all gingers under cover until end July before planting out, to have the effect of "forcing" them and getting them to flower earlier, outside, and in any event well before first frost. I'm planning on trying that next year.

 

Must say I've not been able to detect a scent from H. greenii, but H. gardnerianum does have the kind of scent that wafts up when you least expect it.
Its good for cutting and bringing into the house for that reason.

 

Its a variety that I love, the flowers look suitably dramatic, and the foliage is good in an exotic border too. Bit of a race to flower-before-first-frost, as with most Gingers.

Never thought to do that, what a good idea. Digging up the whole clump, plonking in a bucket, and putting it in the middle of the hall carpet - which I thought was a cracking idea so we could all enjoy it - seemed to receive a lukewarm reception last year

 

CUTTING, being the operative word.

The one in my pic lives outside all year in a small border under the kitchen window, it get no protection and this year didn't appear above ground until early June.
Its at its best just now.
I have had earlier flowers, and did read once they tend to flower earlier if grown in shade,but not tried it.
H. densiflorum is always a good month earlier and even does well in dry shade once established, H. "tara" is fantastic, earlier and a good orange coloured, but no scent.

 

My H. gardnerianum was in conservatory until mid June and is in shade, and well protected from wind, and is not yet in flower.

I have bought (from Jungle Plants rhizome sale):
Hedychium Devon Cream
Hedychium forrestii
Hedychium Gold Spot
Hedychium tara
Hedychium kinkaku

although I have bought rhizomes before and had difficulty kickstarting them.

I have Hedychium carnival, H. wardii and growing from seed (look like they will flower for the first time this year) H. Assam Orange, Yunnanense and Spicatum

 

I have over the years given up on a few gingers due to late flowering, to me nothing that flowers after mid October is going to flower well or look good.
Some to me dont even look that good when they are in flower, but that is just a personal opinion.
I only really want the ones that flower in September, at the latest in the UK, we just dont get the light and warmth for them that late in the year.
Is you H. gardnerianum first year?
If so, it may not be up to flowering size yet, I'd guess if its not showing buds yet then it might be next year.

 

Second year, or possible third. Flowered last year, but I think coincided with having to lift it and bring in for frost. Not checked it for a few of days, I'll look for buds later on.

 

I either grow in pots, or plant and leave out, it doesn't like disturbance too much, a good mulch will get it through most winters.
My pot grown ones never flower well the season after repotting.

 

I should add that is repotting after division,...... potting on is good, ......but mine usually reach a point after a couple of years where they need to be divided up

 

Hedychium spicatum just starting to flower



Canna


Ricinus flower

Finally fuchsia triphylia coral

 

barclayana

I grew Maurandya barclayana (which I assume is Asarina barclaiana) from seed this year. Not a lot of flowers, but it has done a great job of dangling down over the edge of the raised bed.

I presume its worth cutting them back, and digging them up for the winter, to get a better start/show next year?

What sort of temperature will they tolerate?