This very unusual plant has solitary flowers with four or more narrow, greenish, thread-like petals, and green petaloid sepals, the flower being borne in May above a single whorl of four or more stem leaves. Each plant only produces one blueberry-like fruit, which is poisonous. Growing conditions are the same as for Trilliums, the creeping rhizomes increasing steadily when happy. ... Learn More

This spiny shrub or small tree opens fragrant flowers which are a bright yellow-orange, with the fifth petal elongated, with a warmer yellow, and purple spotted at the base. These grow from a long slender stalk in groups of eight to ten and are most popular with bees and butterflies. The long, unusually thin leaves make the showy flowers even more visible. It is ideal for a small garden or large container. ... Learn More

Intensely deepest blue, starry flowers open on elegant racemes above clumps of narrow leaves. This most attractive plant is native to dryish rocky spots in montane regions in the southern Chilean Andes. It will do well in any rich, well drained soil in a sunny spot throughout the year, but must be kept frost-free as it benefits from snow-cover high in the mountains. ... Learn More

Attractive white and purple flowers produce unusual fruits which become dark violet as they mature, but they are definitely not edible like many other passifloras and contain toxic chemicals. Large-lobed leaves add to its attraction, and these have most unusual hooked trichomes which help them to climb, and also makes them adhere to clothes similar to velcro! Once the plant is of sufficient size, flowering can be stimulated by frequent pruning. Originating from Central America, Mexico, and Peru, it must be grown in a sheletered spot or even a large container. ... Learn More

White, purple and lavender sweetly-perfumed flowers are followed by small fruits on this slender, tendriled climbing plant which has unlobed, three pointed leaves resembling the leaves of an Alder tree. It is native to montane rainforests and cloud forests of the Andes mainly in Colombia and Ecuador between 1700 to 3200 m. and therefore, coming from altitude, does well in temperate conditions which are neither too hot in summer or too cold in winter. This plant will provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and the many other types of pollinating insects. ... Learn More

Beautiful, tubular, deep pink-red flowers flare open on strong, superfast-growing stems, which can reach up to 20m in height, and are clad with trilobed leaves. Later appear the large, round, fleshy, sweet and aromatic yellowish fruits. This rare and vigorous evergreen climber comes from cool, high elevation Andean cloud forests in southwestern Colombia and in Ecuador between 2200 and 3600 m. It is therefore well adapted to cool conditions, and will grow in many warm temperate climates, although in frosty weather leaves and shoots will be cut back, but will regrow from the base in spring. B ... Learn More

This vigorous climber has deeply 3-lobed leaves, climbing tendrils, and purple-centred frilly white flowers, followed by a heavy crop of purple, edible fruit. It is native to Paraguay, Brazil and parts of Argentina and although it is half hardy, it may be killed off down to the ground in hard winters, but reliably re-grows from the roots next spring. ... Learn More

From Colombia and Ecuador comes this rare and seemingly newly-discovered, profusely-flowering Passiflora, which opens saucer-shaped, strawberry-red flowers, white at the bases, with short blue and white coronas, and prominent yellow anthers. Whilst red-flowered ones have been available for a long time, this combination is unique. This evergreen to semi-evergreen vine dies back to the ground in colder areas, but will return reliably if well mulched or planted in a sunny location. The fruit is fragrant, smelling like a cross between the purple passion fruit and banana passion fruit, and may be ... Learn More

A robust, woody vine common in the Andes in South America from Colombia to Bolivia, where it is found in cloud forests at higher elevations between 1400 and 3800 m. It is popular for its lovely pink to red flowers and edible, roundish, very sweet and tangy fruit. They are both eaten fresh and made into juice. Passiflora mixta is well adapted to cool conditions and will grow in many warm temperate climates. ... Learn More

One of the most beautiful of the passion flowers, this beauty opens its large, fragrant flowers with deep red petals and a centre crown that contains five rows of numerous white and purple rays. Large leaves hang from stems that are quadrangular in cross section, hence its botanical name. It produces the most enormous fruits of all of the passion fruits, which grow very rapidly, and may weigh up to 4 kg (9 lb) turning to medium yellow when mature. For best fruiting, flowers should be hand pollinated. The ripe fruit is eaten fresh or used in drinks whilst unripe, green fruit is eaten as a veget ... Learn More

This rare and most attractive semi-dwarf plant from the mountains of Japan, produces wide flat plates of bright yellow flowers in early summer which will brighten up a dark corner. Easy to grow, completely hardy and very long-lived. ... Learn More

This truly spectacular tree is another of the Paulownia group, and is the fastest-growing of them all. More exotic than the more common Paulownia tomentosa, it opens its darker, cherry-tree pink "foxglove" flowers on naked branches in early spring with the large, dinner-plate-sized, soft furry leaves appearing later. If cut nearly to the ground in spring, enormous leaves develop on the shoots sprouting from the soil. It does especially well in poor, impoverished and quite dry soil! ... Learn More

This truly spectacular tree produces large, pale mauve "foxglove" flowers on naked branches in early spring, the large, dinner-plate-sized, soft furry leaves appearing later. If cut to the ground in spring, enormous leaves develop on the shoots sprouting from the soil. It does especially well in poor, impoverished and quite dry soil! ... Learn More

Flowers consisting of pure white creased petals with a deep crimson centre, have the typical bunch of protruding pollen-covered anthers, typical of most in the mallow family. The plant sends out equally long side branches which are thin and droopy, and with pruning, it can look like a normal shrub, but it spreads out annually and benefits from pruning. Foliage is a dark bluish green the leaves being notched slightly and are long and narrow. Native to Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, it is vigorous and most attractive, but it should be grown with consideration as the seeds may ... Learn More

Peanuts, are a crop of global importance and are widely grown in the tropics, subtropic and warm temperate zones. Quite uniquely, peanut pods develop under the ground after the pretty yellow flowers on the rising shoots are fertilised. The stems lean over sideways and the developing seed pods bury themselves under the soil where the seed develops inside a hard shell. They are very easy to grow, whether in the garden or a large pot and constantly surprise, and furthermore educate children who try this experiment. ... Learn More