EXOTICS

Tender plants for those wanting to try something different. Some of these plants will survive outdoors in protected sites.

All plants offered are grown at the nursery and details can be given with regard to their cultivation requirements.

Not available mail order.

Agave americana
Spiny thickleaved succulent. Happy in terracotta pot. Overwinter in cold greenhouse or porch where it can be kept dry. Has potential to get very big!

Agave parryi
As above, but smaller and hardier. Will still need dry conditions in winter. Can flower quite freely when mature. Height 50cm. Spread to 1m.

Cannas
Vigorous plants with bold foliage and bright flowers. Various varieties available. Best overwintered in a cool or frostfree place like pelargoniums, keeping compost quite dry. In spring water and feed once growth commences. Make stunning conservatory plants. Needs sun and a warm sheltered spot for best results. Feed generously. Happy in a large pot.

Cordyline australis - New Zealand cabbage palm
Striking evergreen perennial with tough straplike leaves. When older is extremely hardy, but in its early years needs protection from winter wet. Can be grown in a pot or planted out in a sheltered site. Likes full sun and rich welldrained soil, tolerates wind and salt but avoid excessive wet entering the crown during the winter. Can be cut down once a trunk has formed and it will then send out numerous crowns! Height - as a small tree.

Cordyline australis var. purpurea - New Zealand cabbage palm
Half hardy perennial with straplike purplebrown leaves. Best grown in a container and given shelter from winter wet in a cold greenhouse. Likes full sun and a sheltered position. Height will be restricted by the container but if potted on regularly can become very impressive

.
Dahlias
Various plants offered. Feed and deadhead regularly. Good pot plants, if planted out lift tubers at first frost and store, upside down, in frostfree place. Best results obtained if grown in full sun and rich, fertile soil.

Eccremocarpus scaber - Chilean glory vine
Vigorous climber with finely divided ferny foliage. A profusion of small tubular flowers borne during summer. Colours available are red, orange or yellow. Climbs by means of tendrils, these are tenacious once established but in windy sites may need help to initially cling on. In sheltered areas on freedraining soils it may be hardy. Otherwise grow in a container, cut down, and put under glass during cold, wet weather, keeping compost quite dry.

Fatsia japonica (syn Aralia sieboldii)
Bold evergreen shrub with glossy deep green lobed leaves. Hardy but needs a sheltered site, tolerates sun or shade. Happy in large container and can be sheltered in cold greenhouse over winter. Height and spread, dictated by container, can reach 2m plus.

Melianthus major
Fabulous shrub with glaucous grey fragrant leaves. Fast grower and frost hardy. Good in containers and can be over-wintered in cold greenhous. Will regrow from roots if hit by frost.

Musa basjoo - root hardy Banana
A herbaceous perennial that can be easily grown in a pot provided there is somewhere sheltered to put it during the winter. Large leaves from a stout stem. Adds WOW factor. Cut off leaves in winter, at first frosts, and store in greenhouse or shed - somewhere frost free. Keep compost dryish. In late spring bring out and fleece if temperature drops at night. Can be grown in a conservatory, if you have the room! If it gets too big cut back hard, new growth will come from suckers. Feed generously during the growing season. This banana is growing outdoors at the nursery.

Musa ensete - Abyssinian banana
As above but with bright green leaves with a red midrib on mature leaves. Seed grown. Good pot plant, later patio plant as it gets bigger!

Passiflora caerulea Blue passion flower
Fast growing, evergreen, glossy leaved climber with white, blueflushed flowers. Not as tender as is assumed - has flowered and survived outdoors in Golspie. Best given a sheltered position in full sun in fertile, welldrained soil. Happy in a generous pot and can therefore be given winter protection in cold areas (tolerates being cut back reasonably hard). Can also be grown in sunny conservatory - jungle knife may be needed!

Phormium tenax - New Zealand flax
Sturdy, architectural, clumps of broad strap like leaves. Enjoys sun and reasonable soil in a sheltered site. Established plants will send up a tall flowerspike. Older plants are hardier than younger plants. Protect young plants during periods of intense cold and wet. Height and spread 2m.

Phormium tenax purpureum
Purpleleaved form of the above. Not as hardy. Can be grown in a generous container. Older plants will withstand colder conditions provided they are given a sheltered site.

Puya berteroniana
Rosetteforming perennial with narrow dangerously toothed leaves. When mature will produce an unusual metallic coloured bromeliadtype flower. Needs sun and dry soils. Give protection in winter, either indoors or in a cool greenhouse. Height to 1 m plus.

Puya venusta
As for Puya berteroniana, but smaller and with reddish violet flower. Winter under glass, as above. Height and spread 50cm.

Salvia patens
Beautiful deepblue flowers borne freely on strong stems bearing soft oval green leaves. Not fully hardy but can be grown in a pot and overwintered in a cold greenhouse provided compost allowed to dry out. Bring into growth with sparing applications of water once shoots appear in spring. Likes sun and a sheltered spot where you can admire the flowers. Height 60cm, spread 40cm.

Last updated: 11 March, 2010