WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2017

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by ARMANDII, Jan 9, 2017.

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  1. NigelJ

    NigelJ Total Gardener

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    @JWK
    Yes they are washing up bowls. No drainage holes. Anything much bigger gets too heavy to move comfortably, they are also pretty much the right depth. This last lot came from Aldi, the cheaper they are the faster the UV does for them. The moss spreads over the top and I do need to clear it away from the crowns of the Sarrecenia, it does make a good home for the self seeded sundews and I have used it for lining hanging baskets.
     
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    • JWK

      JWK Gardener Staff Member

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      They certainly thrive in those conditions Nigel
       
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      • NigelJ

        NigelJ Total Gardener

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        I'll get some pictures of the pitchers when the new crop are fully opened. In some ways they are more interesting than the flowers.
        I did see somebody doing a roaring trade at a plant sale selling the flowers, after the petals had dropped off, they were being bought by flower arrangers.
         
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        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          I've still got a few Sarracenias left, but mine are all red flowered, repotted them at the weekend.
          Must admit I dont look after them very well these days.:rolleyespink::snork:
           
        • PeterS

          PeterS Total Gardener

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          2017_05030001.JPG
          I have finally managed to clear my sun room of some of the overwintering plants - hopeing that we have had the last frost.

          2017_05130001.JPG
          Asclepias curassavica. This is a really good doer. Its easy to grow and flowers for a very long period of time.

          2017_05030005.JPG
          It really does look like a Bird of Paradise.

          2017_05030004.JPG
          Hibiscus and Bougainvillea.
           
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          • JWK

            JWK Gardener Staff Member

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            Not looking exotic yet, but have uncovered my Bananas and T.Rex at last, new rollers are coming:
            20170514-P5140061.jpg
             
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            • PeterS

              PeterS Total Gardener

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              I have just come back from a very successful few days in South Devon. I went, not once but twice, to Hill House Nursery. It really is a must for anyone interested in unusual plants. The first visit was really social, to have lunch with some friends. But I managed to speak to Ray (the owner) and said that I was looking for a couple of things.

              2017_05240001.JPG
              The picture above shows the three items I came back with. The pictures below are taken from the internet, and show the mature plants in flower.

              Justicia suberecta.jpg
              Justicia suberecta. This is a small shrub, up to 24 inches high, from S America. It has velvety, grey hairy leaves, and likes half shade in dryish sandy soil. It flowers over the summer, and I can see that mine already has a number of nice buds forming.

              heliconia schiedeana.jpg
              Heliconia schiedeanna. This really was the main purpose of my visit. Hill House is the only nursery in the country that the RHS Plant Finder says sell this, however their site said that it was out of stock. I have been looking for a Heliconia for some time and nobody sells any of the species in this country.

              The most famous Heliconia is probably H. rostrata, but I understand that it's very difficult to get to flower. However I have seen blogs saying that H. schiedeana was the easiest to grow and flower and was the hardiest, hence my interest. And indeed Ray did have some flowers last year.

              On my first visit, Ray had said that no plants would be available this year, but then on my second visit he had split his mother plant to produce a small one for me - what a lovely man.

              Strongylodon.jpg
              I was still reeling from the Heliconia, when I mentioned the Holy Grail of tropical plants. The one that nobody anywhere sells - Strongylodon macrobotrys. Ray simply smiled and said that he had one :yes: - though I know that it has never been offered for sale on his site. He said that he had only ever seen one plant in flower in his life and that his hadn't flowered. But .... who knows. :fingers crossed:
               
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                Last edited: May 24, 2017
              • Richard360

                Richard360 Super Gardener

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                They look stunning peters
                 
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                • alp

                  alp Novice

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                • alp

                  alp Novice

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                  PeterS: We tried to find this exotic plant place in Devon and the car went round and round, we just couldn't find it. A serious contributing factor to our divorce ... LOL! We're still friends. But I'm sure the poor signposting of this exotic plant place in Devon did not help!
                   
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                  • PeterS

                    PeterS Total Gardener

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                    Hi Alp - I am so sorry if you never got there. Not only is it difficult to find, but the roads round there are terrible - much of them are single track with a few passing places. But it is worth persevering.

                    In some ways the difficulty of finding it has kept it as a plant lovers paradise, without any incentive to sell giftware and similar rubbish to the passing trade.
                     
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                    • alp

                      alp Novice

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                      @PeterS We are used to terrible lanes and single tracks with no passing places. I remember when my son told me to do a 90 degree turn to go to Lizard Point, I think, or Lands End and we had to fold our mirrors going down the lane. It's such a shame as we travelled a long way and I was pining to see these exotic plants. In the end, we were angry with each other ... Any way, seeing the exotics here really opened my eyes and no travelling or arguments involved. LOL! I first stumbled onto this forum but thought the pics were too small, should have joined in first .. Hindsight is ... just hindsight ..
                       
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                      • longk

                        longk Total Gardener

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                        Result! He truly is a gentleman :blue thumb: they always have time for a chat and go out of their way to oblige.
                         
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                        • PeterS

                          PeterS Total Gardener

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                          2017_05240002.JPG
                          Justicia carnea (Brazilian Plume Flower). It's a soft wooded, shade loving, shrub in the Acanthus family.

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                          Ipomea learii (Blue Morning Glory). The first of hopefully many flowers to come. This is one of the few perennial Morning Glories. All the ones that we normally see, such as Grandpa Otts, are annuals. Each flower lasts no more than about a day, but it has huge numbers and the ground beneath is covered with dead blooms every morning.

                          It's regarded as an invasive species in several countries such as Australia, New Zealand and California etc. Hurry up global warming - I would love to be invaded by this. :snork:

                          2017_05270002.JPG
                          Zephyranthes carinata (the RosePink Zephyr Lily). Its a bulbous member of the Lily family from Central America. Its called a rain lily as it often bursts into flower after a heavy rainstorm. It is said to be fairly cold resistant, but i wouldn't chance it outside in winter in N Yorkshire.
                           
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                          • alp

                            alp Novice

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