What's looking exotic in 2019

Hi Strongy - I have never had a Megaspekasma (though I would love to have one - if I had the space). But I did see them in Costa Rica. Yours is a beaut.


What I still have, and its in flower now is Porphyrocoma pohliana, which I grew from seed. Its too dark for a photo now, so the picture above is from the internet. I never thought about how similar they are - both being members of the Acanthus family. The difference is that Porphyrocoma is no more than six inches tall. Well remembered.

And thanks for the name Leucadendron. I assumed the other plant was a Protea, but I had no idea which.

Hi Mike - I think the answer to what people grow comes down to what climate/conditions they can offer. For most people, and for me until relatively recently, the best is a frost free greenhouse, which allows a limited number of tropical plants.

I am lucky, I had a conservatory built at the bottom of the garden, where it gets the most sun. Really, its an expensive greenhouse. The first year or two I just kept it frost free over the winter, but the temperature has crept up as I realised I could keep more exotical tropicals with higher winter temperatures. Currently I am heating it to 18C over winter, and also keeping high humidity especially in the summer. This allows me to keep such things as Heliconias, which need a minimum of about 16C, and other members of the ginger order that love heat and humidity. However the humidity means that I can't keep tropical woody plants.

The other factor is what you can buy. I have noticed that more and more exotic plants are now being offered for sale in the UK. For instance, three years ago there was not a single supplier of Heliconia in the UK. Now you can buy them in Morrison's.

Hi LongK - what a lovely Plectranthus.

 

@PeterS I must have got the two confused as it was some time ago!!!

 

Hi Strongy. I think the two are very easy to confuse, if you only see a picture that doesn't give any impression of size. I am only realising now how similar they are.The have a lot in common being both from Brazil and both members of the Acanthus family.

 

Not a lot in flower now, but above on the left is Asarina erubescens. On the right Justicia carnea, which I keep deadheading and it has come back into flower about 5 times this year.


Heliconia psitticorum also comes back into flower at odd intervals.


I think this is a vriesea. The red bits are bracts rather than the flowers, but it has been like that for months. I probably got it last year, so I am pleased to see it come back into flower this year. Behind is an ornamental Asparagus


The Shrimp Plant is now called Justicia brandgeana.

 

I get the feeling that many tropical plants don't have a defined flowering period. In fact in tropical parts of the world I believe that many plants can flower for almost 12 months of the year.

I currently have a couple of different coloured Bougainvilleas with some flower.


Anthurium ellipticum has been in flower for ages. Yes, that sad purple spike is the flower - its not as colourful as the Anthuriums I can buy in Morrisons.


Thunbergia battiscombeii has just produced another flower.


And Heliconia psitticorum is doing its own thing again.


I have now dug up all my tropicals that were outside for the summer, so my conservatory is a bit more crowded.

 

Good old Brugmansia sanguinea saving its best right til the last second before frosts come

 

[QUOTE="stephenprudence, post: 1233982, member: 6525 Good old Brugmansia sanguinea saving its best right til the last second before frosts come[/QUOTE]
They always do, early spring or autumn never seem to flower in summer.

 

Certainly true here Peter.

 

That's fabulous Stephen. I am amazed it has flowered outside as early as this. In my experience, it has only flowered for me over the winter, inside.

 

Regarding tropical plants, I just have a feeling that some don't like our very long summer days, it's not all about warmth

 

Pete - that's a good point.

John - what a lovely wild sight in your top photo. Are you really sure it is in the UK.

 

@JWK agreed - fantastic pictures. And that really interesting sculpture too - have you a better picture of it please?

 

I'm guessing you mean the gnome bottom right hand corner, last pic.