This tall elegant tree bears large clusters of small, green, very fragrant flowers in October. The slightly rounded, leathery, dark green leaves form attractive whorls, and the regular branching gives the tree a beautiful shape. An evergreen tropical tree native to the Indian sub-continent, Malaysia and Australasia, its bark, known as Dita Bark, is used in traditional medicine to treat various conditions. The generic name commemorates the botanist, Prof. C. Alston of Edinburgh, 1685-1760 whilst the species name scholaris refers to the fact that the timber of this tree has traditionally been us ... Learn More

Seeds from the largest flowered amaryllis we have ever grown here. One potful had 20 absolutely gigantic blood-red flowers on multiple stems and the resulting bulbs double up yearly. If you pot on into larger and larger pots, when it flowers it will make people gasp! Seedlings should produce their first flowers in year 2 and bulbs will multiply and increase in size constantly in every subsequent year. ... Learn More

This tree produces beautiful, rose-coloured fragrant flowers, which then develop into edible red fruits, called cashew apples. The actual cashew nut then grows in a shell at the bottom of each apple. So as well as being an attractive tree, it provides growers with two edible crops. Cashew nut trees are native to Brazil, and therefore require a tropical or subtropical climate. Ideally, the temperature should not drop below 50F (10C), nor rise above 105F (40C). Cashew Nut trees can still be grown in more temperate climates, but would require a greenhouse or conservatory. THESE ARE RAW CHASHEW NU ... Learn More

Exceptionally tasty fruits called sugar-apples or sweetsops grow on this small, well-branched tree or shrub that tolerates a tropical lowland climate better than its relatives Annona reticulata and Annona cherimola, whose fruits often share the same name. But this one is the most widely cultivated of these species. It is rather similar to soursop (Annona muricata). ... Learn More

This stately palm has large, arching feather-like leaves, the newly emerging foliage having a coppery hue. Producing violet flowers in midsummer, the subsequent red fruits are most attractive to birds. It is tolerant of light frosts so can be also grown in an atrium or conservatory. In the wild it grows in the wet subtropics on the sides of Mt Warning Volcano in northern NSW and over the border in Queensland's Lamington National Park. In the United States, the palm is a popular plant in California from San Luis Obispo south to the Mexican border and in much of central and southern Florida. ... Learn More

This rarely grown, dwarf, clustering Thai palm really does make a nice potted plant or smaller plant, where it will do well in a shady spot in the tropical or warm subtropical garden. Native to Thailand and other parts of South-East Asia, it is an understorey palm, with densely clustering, thin, canelike stems and small leaves that are dark green above and silvery white below. The attractive leaflets are roughly fishtail-shaped and have jaggedly toothed margins. ... Learn More

This superb species from Manchuria has triple-divided, crisped edge leaves and a purple-ended, emerald green spathe broadly lined with white. It is easily grown in almost any garden soil, although best in humus enriched loam in light shade. One of the most northerly species, this variety is very hardy. ... Learn More

Strikingly attractive, long-tailed, neatly pin-striped spathes, open in May and June on mottled, 10 to 15 inch stems with the spoked leaves piercing like parasols above the flowers. It appears rather later than many other species but is an exquisite garden plant being excellent outside in the garden in a half-shaded spot in a humus-rich soil, well drained but moisture retentive. Once established this valuable plant will increase quickly by tuber-bearing stolons and seed. ... Learn More

This truly spectacular plant rears its glossy spathe hood, which is startlingly striped in purple-brown to maroon and vanilla-cream. From the Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces in China this magnificent plant has an equally attractive leaf made up of many narrow leaflets that radiate out from a central axis, the effect being much like the spokes of an umbrella! ... Learn More

A long-lived attractive tuberous plant with striking, cobra head-like flowers amidst long-stemmed deeply divided leaves. Later appear the large heads of bright red berries which persist throughout the winter being especially attractive when it snows. ... Learn More

This exciting Himalayan arum relative has most impressive, deeply-cut, hand-like leaves, from which arise the fascinating 'flowers'. A floppy yellow hood-like spathe protects the purple waxy spadix. Very long-lived and bulks up by division of the corms. ... Learn More

The compact variety of this lovely shade-loving plant opens its flowers in early summer on erect stems bearing most attractive, bright yellow spathes with brown throats, these are yellowish green on the outside and faintly-striped. The two palmate divided leaves are ovate to lance-shaped. ... Learn More

The "Whipcord Cobra Lily" has a distinctive green whip-like spadix, which is of a considerable length and points skywards. It arises from the mouth of its "jack-in the-pulpit" flower, which flares at the mouth to reveal the pale green, white-striped, interior. This is one of the best in the genus, being also the largest, sometimes growing to more than 6 feet! The blooms appear later in the year than many other varieties, thus prolonging the season of interest, the initially green clustered fruits finally ripening to amazing, absolutely enormous heavy heads of bright red berries late in the ... Learn More

This favourite of children is best known for its spring to early summer display of hooded, green spathes which are attractively striped with purple. It is actually a tuberous perennial producing one or two insignificant leaves, each divided into three narrow leaflets. Finally, autumn brings clusters of densely packed, showy red berries. ... Learn More

This relatively compact but quite fast-growing oriental-looking tree bears extremely beautiful, fragrant, pink, five petalled orchid-like flowers. The branches are clad with large, deeply two-lobed leaves. Native to South China and south east Asia, it thrives outdoors in such places as Hawaii, coastal California, southern Texas, and Florida. Although the tree can stand a small amount of frost it will also do well in a conservatory. Very easy to grow from seed, in traditional medicine systems it is often used to treat various disease. ... Learn More