What's looking exotic in 2019

Mine usually flowers April, with leafing up about a month later. Once in leaf they make good shade plants to protect more delicate things in the greenhouse.

 

I put a pot of Konjac outside a few years ago, It still leafs up every year but not until some point in June.
I think it might be hardier than most people might think.
It survived the beast from the east last Feb in a pot on the allotment.

 

Possibly Guzmania @PeterS although I can't see the whole plant.

 

Hi Strongy - Thank you. You have prompted me to have a Google. And whilst nearly all Guzmanias are the normal vase of coloured leaves, I found this :-

Which is very close. So I am sure you are right.

 

Although I wasn't going to bring any plants back from Madeira, I did buy a small Protea. It was in a small plastic 'rooting' bag. After being potted on our return the dormant bud had now pushed out new leaves. I hope it is big and strong enough to survive outside while we are away
for all of May. I'm not sure if it is cynaroides as was labelled.

 

Looks very similar in leaf and stem to my cynaroides strongy.

I think the protea cutting I bought mail order from madeira back in the winter is slowly dying.

 

Hi @strongy I'd agree with the expert, the red stem and slightly glaucous leaves look like cynaroides. @pete I also bought some proteas from an ebay seller in Madeira. Mine were little rooted plants. But some succumbed during my house move. I think only my telopea is hanging on...

 

I think I should have waited so that I received it at a time when it could take off straight away, buying it in mid winter was a daft idea on my part.

 

I bought mine from a small florist shop next to the hotel, he supplies to Holland and elsewhere in Europe so I shouldn't have doubted the labelling. At least it is growing.

 

I still can't believe that my Ensete maurelii has survived in the ground unprotected all winter despite a few nights of -6c in November and January. Whether it will grow much I don't know but it has a new roller developing.
View attachment 119655

Nemsesia Banana Swirl and tradescantia have both survived outside through the winter.
View attachment 119656

View attachment 119657View attachment 119657

 

It will be interesting to see how the Ensete Maurelii gets on @strongylodon .

The Protea I bought is actually a Leucospermum.
And its got two new shoots appearing, so its not dead yet.

 

I can't see pics, keep seeing error message so I assume you can't.
so I'll re-post.


Nemesia Banana Swirl.


Tradescantia fluminensis.

 

Well I could see your pics yesterday, but today I'm also getting error messages.
In you post from yesterday.Today's post they are working again.

 

Well I dont think it is exactly.
It is in the protea family but not actually a protea.
A bit like grevillea, or embothrium etc.