WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2017

You will probably be a bit milder than us over here.

 

That is what I'm hoping.

 

I've always wanted to try Cypripedium so when I found one in the bargain bin for a fiver last August I had to take a punt. Kept in a pot in the greenhouse it came into growth in February and has been in and out of the greenhouse like a yo-yo since. After what seems like an age it is finally in bloom...............
Cypripedium by longk48, on Flickr

 

Thunbergia grandiflora - surprisingly a member of the Acanthus family.


Brunfelsia australis. Known as the 'Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow' plant as the flowers start off dark indigo-blue and fade over a couple of days to pure white. It hails, as its name says, from South America. Actually australis means from the south - Australia was named after it.


Aristea major, a tender South American member of the Iris family. The flower is very small.


Another small flower. Anomatheca laxa, also known as false Freesia. Also a tender perennial member of the Iris family, but this time from South Africa. This is from seed sown in the autumn, which will by now have made a tiny bulb.

 

Excellent Shiney - a hardy perennial cousin to the annual Sweet Pea. I have never seen that before - most unusual.

 

That's wonderful. There are just so many different plants. Every time I think I understand a bit about one type of plant, I keep coming across new ones.

It's a bit like sexual orientation. When I was younger I thought I understood that there were two types, now new ones are being found every week.

 

Finally managed to flower but boy dose my greenhouse stink

 

I took a trip to Gordon Riggs at Walsden yesterday, and couldn't resist a few items.


Jatropha podagrica - known as the Budda belly plant, amongst other names. It's a tropical shrub in the Euphorbia family, growing up to 2 or 3 feet. It's a succulent, housing a store of water in its belly. So I understand that you treat it like a cactus. A little water in summer and none in winter, when it could lose its leaves and go dormant if it's not warm enough. It comes from Central America, where it can flower for up to 10 months in the year. A really weird plant.

A close relative Jatropha curcas, which is a bigger plant, hit the headlines a while back when people tried to farm it to produce bio diesel from the nuts that it produces. They found that the yield was too low, so shelved the idea. But new hybrids have a much higher yield and the trials are back on.


Calathea crocata (Eternal Flame). I am not normally a fan of Calatheas which are generally grown for their leaves. But this one from Brazil has attractive flowers. Whilst the Jatropha probably won't like humidity, this plant certainly does.


Anigozanthus (Kangaroo Paw). I have failed to grow this from seed in the past, so took the opportunity of buying a plant, which you don't see often. It comes from dry sandy areas of southwest Australia. Another weird plant.


Pogonatherum paniceum (Baby Panda Grass). I bought this as a miniature bamboo that forms a clump about 12 to 15 inches high. However strictly speaking it is a grass. It can be grown in full sun to part shade, though it must be kept constantly moist. It will tolerate a light frost.


The main purpose of my visit was to get some of these Coleuses. They are a member of the nettle family - but much prettier and, of course, don't sting. I am coming round to the realisation that interesting leaves last all year, whilst flowers can be short lived.

I have generally failed to overwinter these in the past at 10C. So I think that I am going to have to give them more heat this coming winter.

 

Soak them for three or four days first. Here's a small forest of A.manglesii seedlings from early this year.................


The Jatropha looks interesting

 

Lovely longk - you are going to have loads. They look very healthy. I did get some to germinate, but they died later. I think they like dry conditions, and my near 100% humidity probably didn't put them in a good mood.

I know I should have build a conservatory with 10 different climatic zones in it.

 

@pete The sarrecenia came through he cold spell.




Arisaema griffithi