Solved Mini angel's trumpet Eriolarynx australis or something else?

I'm full of questions tonight

Is this seedling really, like, grown-up really, a Mini Angel's Trumpet? I bought seeds from chiltern's but may have mixed things up.

To me the leaves are far too soft and fluffy to be even remotely evergreen type, and they are also quite round compared with google images. I'm slightly suspicious that the plant might be something else than the Eriolarynx australis I planned for.

Eriolarynx australis - Wikipedia

My plant:



Googled images:




Thanks!

 

Looks more like Iochroma australas to me. @pete is the expert here.

 

Well I agree @Victoria , it is what we know as Iochroma australis, maybe they have changed the name.

 

Its only evergreen if kept warm, outside it is deciduous, but it will get big after a few years, you will need a warm spot for it.

 

Closing down now ... will investigate this tomorrow as this is one of my favourite and loved species.

 

The plants do have rounded leaves in the early stages, but they change slightly as the plant becomes adult.

 

Thanks!
Apparently this is one of those plants that change names quite often, RHS says:

Synonyms
Iochroma australe
Dunalia australis

Good to know that the young leaves may change as the plant matures, makes total sense. The seedlings are only some months old so in spite of being quite big (about 20cm tall) are still immature plants.

I'm planning to put some in as summer bedding, some in large outdoors containers and leave at least one as a houseplant. Fingers crossed the seedlings truly are the mini angels trumpets I aimed for and not weeds or other accidental germinations

 

I know it as acnistus australis. It's another plant I crave and have tried many, many times. Another synonym for it is slug food

 

They get quite big for bedding plants and sometimes do flower first year, but not always.
One of mine. This was in 2013, 12ft high.

 

I grew a batch from Chiltern seed . They all turned out a wishy-washy mucky white flower. Hope you have better luck, @Selleri!

 

I find that strange as I always thought blue was the dominant colour.

I do have one white plant but that has remained smaller.

 

Well I was pretty peed off, as I definitely wanted blue! They're not even a pure white. Totally hardy, though.

 

Next question!

My plants have grown well and are very nice, no flowers to be expected though. What is my best bet for overwintering them please?

I have a few potfuls, in shade, sun, indoors as a houseplant and some just chucked about. My options for overwintering are a) unprotected in a sheltered corner, b) dark garage that usually stays frost free, or c) ambitious wrapping in fleece that will probably not get done or will be blown away in the first autumn gale.

The plants are really very nice, trouble free and healthy so I'd love to see if they will survive the winter. Any suggestions are most welcome, thanks!

 

They, the outside ones at least, look to have made some good woody growth at the base.

You can try a sheltered position outside just as long as the pot doesn't freeze, if we get a cold snap put them under cover in the garage, they will be dormant by then so should be ok in the dark, just open it up on dry mild days to keep the air moving.

 

I had this a few years ago in my old garden. It proved hardier than I expected in a sheltered spot but it disliked being moved so I no longer have it.
I collected seed from my original blue plant and most of the seed grown plants were blue but a few were the nondescript muddy white that @noisette47 ended up with so I guess that the seed is not completely stable.