Why not grow something new

A friend sent me an e-mail of some exotic plants. Why not try one.


Hooker’s Lips (Psychotria elata)


Dancing Girls (Impatiens bequaertii)


Laughing Bumble Bee Orchid (Ophrys bomyblifora)


Swaddled Babies (Anguloa uniflora)


Parrot Flower (ImpatiensPsittacina)


Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major)


An orchid that looks remarkably like a tiger


Happy Alien (Calceolaria Uniflora)


And his friends...


Angel Orchid (Habenaria grandifloriformis)


White Egret Orchid (Habenaria radiata


The Darth Vader (Aristolochia salvadorensis)

 

I want some flying ducks and happy aliens, they are so funky! Pleased to say I have that tiger looking orchid but it's the only orchid I got..think I need to get some more

My lil tigers

 

@PeterS - Habenaria radiata are easy to grow but not as hardy as they claim. Store the pot frost free in the shed and most importantly (as I learnt) keep the mice away from them!

I actually have some seed for Calceolaria uniflora so we'll see how they go this year.

Amongst others I have set seed for;
Bauhinia glauca............
Bauhinia glauca by longk48, on Flickr

Anigozanthos manglesii...............


Solanum pyracanthum................

 

LongK - what does Bauhinia do? By all accounts they are full grown trees - so what's the chance of gettong them to flower at a handleable size?

That Anigozanthus looks fabulous. I tried manglesii from seed once, but it didn't last long. I think they like it dry, but with me they get 80% to 100% humidity.

 

B.glauca is a climbing shrub. The photo is from OBG where it grows alongside T.mysorensis. I sourced the seeds from a private grower who also kindly sent me some seed for Bauhinia variegata. Now that is a tree but he has informed me that both can be flowered pretty well in the conservatory or greenhouse.

 

That's helpful LongK thank you. At one point I think I was growing both glauca and variegata (one from you and one from seed that I bought) - but I have a feeling that their labels have got lost and they are now just Bauhinia.

 

I have two Bauhinia Var seedlings in the conservatory, I am not sure that they do well in pots though.

 

@PeterS - if it was from me it will have been B.variegata. That seed came from a grower in San Diego. My current seed came from a grower in Germany so they may have a better lineage for growing in our conditions. Or not

@strongylodon - after my previous efforts I had come to the same conclusion but the person who sent me the seed assures me that it can be done. His tips are a peaty but free draining mix, feed regularly and use deep pots. We'll see.

 

Thanks LongK - I grew a couple of lots from seed, but unfortunately as I said the labels have gone missing, and as long as I recognised the Bauhinia leaf I didn't worry - after all there were all new to me, and I operate a policy of the survival of the fittest.

Actually, I must be honest, I don't operate that policy - it operates by itself. I am just an observer.

 

So.............
Bauhinia glauca croaked when it dried out. B.variegata limps along but is getting bigger finally.
The Calceolaria germinated well but one by one they died (the final one this week) without really growing very much at all. I'll try again next year in 50/50 sand and MPC I think.
The Anigozanthos are getting large now so maybe next year they'll bloom.
Solanum pyracanthum is a rip roaring success!
Solanum pyracanthos by longk48, on Flickr

I'm now on the hunt for seed for Lobelia aguana................
Mark's Garden - Lobelia by charlottes flowers, on Flickr

Lobelia aguana

 

I've tried a few Bauhinia over the years without much success, mainly due to rsm but I think at the moment I can control that, so maybe a new trial is in order.

Something that I would like to have a shot at is Crotalaria agatiflora.
I know they say it gets big, but pruning may make it a possible pot plant.

 

Not new but what about growing a pineapple, recently rooted a new one.

 

I grew a couple from seed a few years ago.................




Mildew took them over the winter sadly.

 

I've got some plants of Crotalaria capensis that look very similar to that.