From Chile comes this handsome but curious plant bearing dark green, lobed, acanthus-like leaves. In summer, highly attractive bright orange-yellow, concave-petalled flowers open, each an inch or so across. But take care! This is one of the surprise plants of the Chilean woodlands as my legs discovered on our last Andean expedition. The entire plant, including the flowers, is covered with fine stinging hairs, just like a stinging nettle. Grazing animals keep away! ... Learn More

Remarkably similar to the Puya of the Andes in South America or Echium wildpretii from the island of Tenerife, this giant unrelated rosette plant displays the evidence of parallel evolution, producing similar looking plants as they evolve in similar habitats. Although the dark maroon to black flowers are attractive, they are almost completely hidden within the bracts. This rare and astonishing plant is native to wetter spots in the alpine zone of Mount Kenya between 3300 and 4600 m, where the extreme climate is usually clear and cold in the mornings, with intense sunshine, and cloudy or foggy ... Learn More

Another giant rosette plant which is stunningly similar to the puyas of the high Andes, and also to the giant echiums that evolved separately, on the Canary Islands, demonstrating convergent/parallel evolution. It forms a large rosette of narrow, hairy leaves that eventually produces a giant inflorescence of creamy white flowers, up to 3 m tall, protected by masses of long, silvery hairy bracts and pollinated by birds. Lobelia telekii is native to the high mountains of tropical eastern Africa and inhabits dry, rocky slopes between an astonishing 3500 and 5000 m elevation on Mount Elgon, the Ab ... Learn More

An incredible giant, hardy Lobelia from Chile. From a large rosette of thick leathery felted leaves arise thick stems carrying tropical orchid-like deepest carmine flowers. A valuable late season display from July until the autumn frosts. ... Learn More

Rare and unique, this palm-like giant Lobelia forms a large rosette of purplish-green, large, narrow, hairy leaves, and a tall sizeable woody trunk. Eventually a giant flower spike arises protected by masses of long, silvery hairy bracts, and finally countless deep blue flowers open. Similar in stature to a giant Echium, it can grow up to 6 metres in total. Rare even in the wild, where it is pollinated by birds, it lives in the high-elevation bogs of the alpine zone, between 3700 and 4300 m (12100 and 14100 ft) and is native to the high Rwenzori Mountains of tropical Eastern Africa from Ugand ... Learn More

The luffa sponge, also known as loofah, vegetable sponge or running okra is a quick-growing climbing plant producing fascinating fruits. Normally these rather resemble long, ridged cucumbers, slightly fatter at one end, and growing to 30 to 40 centimetres long, but we offer the rarer smooth-skinned variety. Whilst the young fruits are edible, the mature ones can be boiled or dried to remove the flesh, revealing the intricate network of tough fibres that make it so useful in the bath! Grown up fences or trellis in a warm sheltered site or in a greenhouse they fruit in around 16 weeks from plan ... Learn More

Yellow-brown fragrant flowers form on racemes up to 6cm long, with male and female flowers growing on separate trees. Forming a bush to a small or medium sized tree, it has a trunk which is fluted and irregular at the base and grey bark which is smooth, or with occasional wrinkles or corky bumps. It has long been in use as a traditional medicinal tree in India and is also a source of Kamala dye which is used in colouring silk and wool, and finally is used as an anti-oxidant for ghee and vegetable oils. Its home is south east Asia, Afghanistan and Australia. ... Learn More

The giant of the family carrying massive, deeply-cut grey leaves. Bizarre, brownish flowers produce inflated seedpods in late summer. Often cut down by frost but sprouts again from the base. "Melianthus has probably the most beautiful large foliage of any plant that can be grown out of doors in these islands". (G.S.T.) ... Learn More

This fast-growing, drought-resistant tree, native to the southern foothills of the Himalayas in north western India is widely cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Hanging clusters of fragrant, orchid-like flowers later become hanging fruits which are three-sided brown capsules holding dark brown, globular seeds which have three whitish, papery wings and are dispersed by wind and water and are sometimes eaten like peas or roasted like nuts. The whitish-grey bark is surrounded by thick cork, and in cultivation the trunk is often cut back annually to 1–2 metres and allowed to regrow, an ... Learn More

This attractive ornamental banana palm bears flowers growing in bright inflorescences coloured from red to maroon, whilst the fruits are between blue and green and are considered inedible because of the seeds they contain. Native to eastern South Asia, northern South east Asia and southern China, it is one of the ancestors of modern cultivated bananas along with Musa acuminata and is eminently suitable for cool conservatories or to be overwintered in a frost-free greenhouses. The clumps of lush, dark foliage make it ideal for creating a jungle landscape as the foliage tends to be more upright ... Learn More

Massive, delicately ribbed leaves can grow three feet long in the first four months! The leaves of this beautiful variant are attractively shaded in grey when they achieve full size. A majestic and inexpensive plant to grow. ... Learn More

Seeds of the common or 'wild' banana. These plants were wild collected in India and will produce vigorous plant that can grow up to 30 feet high in warm countries producing numerous offsets. ... Learn More

A superb, almost hardy, new species of ornamental banana from the Himalayas. The strong vigorous leaves are often tinged with ruby red tints. Very hardy and wind tolerant. Ideal for a large container or border. ... Learn More

This quick growing banana from the Himalayas has a grey stem, with new leaves being tinged red on the underside, darkening to green as they grow further. Flowering in July with beautiful red flowers, the edible fruits are then produced in October of the same year. ... Learn More

A most attractive dwarf banana with red-midribbed shiny green leaves. Strikingly bright pink, red and orange flowers finally produce bright pink fruits. A superb specimen for a garden in hot countries or a large pot elsewhere. ... Learn More