What's Looking Good In October 2020

And there was me going to say Isotoma axillaris, just come across it in Chilterns catalogue.

 

Thanks for the replies both correct it seems, just found it here: Isotoma axillaris 'Blue Star'
Can it be treated as a perennial? If I dig up some clumps and trim them back in pots will it come again next year or is best to grow some seed in the spring?

 

Some roses and fuchsias continue flowering.

 

It's native to Australia and a perennial over there so it all depends on where you live. I treat it as a annual or try to over winter it in a greenhouse.

 

This Dahlia has not stopped flowering. There's masses of flowers all looking lovely. Just snipped a couple to bring in before dog walking

second flush of flowering for some plants too

 

Fruit on one of the Feijoa trees.

 

How do you do that, @pete? I dutifully planted different varieties to get males/females, but although they flower, there's not a glimmer of a fruit..

 

Its done with a paint brush.
Dont think we have the pollinators here, never seen a bee on the flowers, so what the usual pollinator is I'm not sure.
Noticed in recent years the sparrows like the petals, so maybe its some kind of bird that normally does the job.

 

Ah right.....is the fruit worth the effort? Never tasted one...

 

They are pollenated by bees (wasps) and birds in the wild.

 

Wouldn't be a lack of wasps, then, strongy! They're the bane of my life

 

I never see any insects even near the flowers, in fact the whole plant appears to be insect proof, never even seen a green fly on them.

I dont think it gets the chance to ripen fully on the tree over here, so I pick it off after the first frost, because after that it tends to drop off naturally.
It ripen off the plant and has a scented smell, its kind of gritty in texture , a bit like a scented pear.
Quite tasty, but not something you would eat perhaps as a fruit like an apple, but could be added to fruit salads or something like that.

 

I thought about one then decided against after reading they like some cold at the end of the ripening season.

 

I think there is cold and there is cold
Probably meant not good for tropical climates.

 

I certainly agree but the cold we get in January is rarely below 5c at night with 15-20c days. I don't think we have "cold" for a long enough period. I have never seen one here in Algarve, planted or for sale. However, it may be perfect further North.

Actually a woman I buy things from near Oporto (way up North) sells seed for it and says ... "Hardiness: Zone 8 (-12 °C / 10 °F) and higher. Does best where the winters are cool and the summers moderate with temperatures between 80-90º F (26-32º C). To produce fruit, feijoas need 100-200 chilling hours below 45º F (7º C). Heat stress in the summer may cause them to drop fruit prematurely."



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