PUSHING THE BORDERS

The I.kilimanjari that Andy sent me has put a bloom out!


Whilst on the subject does anyone know how long Solanum laciniatum seed pods take to mature? It first flowered in July and I'm getting embarrassed as I offered Andy seed in return :oops:

You could try the Marsdenia outside, it doesn't really need to be in (I also have problems with RSM on the for sale plants which are inside)

I got lulled into a false sense of security by the Tropaeolum tricolor at Wisley I saw, it was a neat and tidy 3' high in its pot, I certainly was not expecting 0 to 8' in just 2 weeks!

Can't help with the Solanum Keith (I only know how to kill those!) very pretty flower by the way

A couple of random piccies;

Indoors;
I have this noid Paphiopedilum.....................


Kalanchoe x houghtonii................


And in the greenhouse is Salvia leucantha.............


Lousy colour compared to the plant that the cutting was taken from. Down to the poor light and cool weather maybe?

LONGK wrote: does anyone know how long Solanum laciniatum seed pods take to mature? It first flowered in July and I'm getting embarrassed as I offered Andy seed in return :oops:

I've got loads, let me know an address of anyone that wants some.

The title does say Random Pictures, so here's mine! Mrs K's grandmother had a fabulous Christmas Cactus which sat on a pedestal and reached pretty much to the ground, and was covered in flower, so I bought a couple in the Spring for a quid each, when the garden centre deemed they couldn't sell them any more as they weren't in flower with a view to growing them on for decades into something really impressive ...

... I assumed they would be Red!





Both are shocking pink!!

No serious frost here yet so some outdoor plants haven't twigged it's autumn. I've been growing Musa basjoo for fifteen years and never had a flower until now, a pity it didn't start this in June
Musa basjoo by atropica2012, on Flickr
Most of the Hedychium have finished flowering and some are setting seed. H. 'Assam Orange' behind the Miscanthus sacchariflorus seed heads
IMG_2471 by atropica2012, on Flickr
Hedychium greenii still going strong
Hedychium greenii by atropica2012, on Flickr
Salvia confertifolia and this brugmansia have been flowering for about four months
Salvia confertifolia by atropica2012, on Flickr
IMG_2468 by atropica2012, on Flickr
Now that Colocasia 'Pink China' has proved itself winter hardy outside this one can stay put
Colocasia 'Pink China' by atropica2012, on Flickr
Lastly, the mountain papaya which has will only last until the first hard frost. At 3M tall I can no longer give it any inside space.
Vasconellea cundimarcensis by atropica2012, on Flickr

I had noticed several mountain papaya this year on Madeira, never realy noticed them before, it was the scent that caught my attention, anyway I managed to blag a fruit so now have plenty of seed. what sort of temps cause death?!

charlie wrote: what sort of temps cause death?!

I'm afraid I can't be very precise but they are of the same order of hardiness as Sparrmania. The foliage is usually zapped by radiation frost but the stems can survive a mild winter. I had one in a pot against the house wall last winter and it resprouted from the stem in the spring. Most 'normal' winters here would kill it. After last winter I had Sparrmania resprouting from the ground which is the first time in ten years of growing it. Hope we have another winter like the last one but with a bit less rain.

I cant understand why I had not really noticed the plant before the leaves are great and as I said before the scent is very strong. anyway seed was free so no harm in having a go, I am going to be putting up a huge poly tunnel for my son tomorrow perhaps I can persude him to have a go with it in the ground. We are not yet sure as he only got the site in February but its near enough the north coast that I think it may be frost free :)