My Silly Obsession With Tender And Exotic Plants (part 1)

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As some of you may have noticed, I tend to punch above my weight sometimes with my choice of plants! I’ve just started work on a coldframe for all the iffy plants outside, and in the next week or so my conservatory is going to fill up!
It all started with some Brugmansia and Strelitzia seeds. No problem germinating them, but a few years on and no flowers as yet! To be fair, the Brug came on well after it was repotted last year, and but for the fact that it got caught up in the red spider mite infestation early summer, I’m sure it would have bloomed.
Next came a reduced Paphiopedilum orchid. Sadly this has long gone, as it would get a good soaking including the cardinal sin for Paphs – getting water into the crown! So next along came a Phalaenopsis orchid, and a bit of research followed by lots of learning!

Here are two of my reblooms this year!

This second one seriously loves me! In addition to two flower spikes, it’s started off a kieki and today I’ve just spotted another new flower spike starting! And all that after I made it sit outside all summer!

Anyway, a few more orchids have joined the collection over the last couple of years, and I’ve got a handle on growing Paphiopedilums too! More orchids later.

So a couple of years ago I was asked what I’d like for my birthday and I gave Sue a list of links and said pick something out of that – she got the lot! Included in that list was Erythrina Crista Galli and Polyanthese Tuberosa.
The poor old Erythrina got attacked over the winter by red spider mite, and then again early summer when it was outdoors – the sulphur rich treatment almost killed it, and I feel lucky that it recovered enough to grow to four feet high. So as it has yet to flower for me I’ll include the photo that I took of a specimen at the botanic gardens in Oxford…….

I hope you agree that it’ll be worth the effort in the end!

The Polyanthese however has flowered!

I also got a Gloriosa Superba tuber last year – when that flowered I was hooked!

One tuber last year had become two when I refreshed the soil this spring. I couldn’t help myself and had a peek a couple of weeks ago – looks like at least four now! The main thing is to almost let it dry out before giving it a good watering. Free draining compost (I add a fair bit of perlite to it) works best, and I always grow them in a pot. When the leaves start to turn brown withdraw water, and cut the stems only once the soil has dried out to prevent tuber rot.

Then last summer on a trip to a local nursery, I found this in the reduced section. I dismissed it at first – I couldn’t believe that anyone would stick plastic butterflies on to a plant! Then I realised that they were the flowers! Ladies and gentlemen, my pride and joy; Clerodendrum Ugandense!

And finally for now, I’ll offer up Sollya Heterophylla (Bluebell Creeper). I found this beauty, which is an Australian native, in our other local nursery.

This was another victim of red spider mite (see why it’s a silly obsession now!), but recovered brilliantly! When it’s at it’s flowering peak it’s a mass of tiny flowers (too small to photograph well), and everyone wants to know all about it.

The trouble is that as well as the coldframe, I need to make some nice shelving for the conservatory to house it all. In addition, I’ve had to make a humidifier to make sure that I can stay free of the dreaded spider mite this winter.

In part two, I’ll deal with this years “follies” and the tenders outdoors!

Thanks for looking!

• 14 Oct, 2010
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