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

One of the world's most gorgeous and desirable trees bearing clusters of large, sweetly-scented, magenta or pink, orchid-like flowers, which are variegated with a striking yellow flash, and open in great profusion. The branches are clad with large, deeply two-lobed leaves. Although the tree can stand a significant amount of frost it will do best in warm countries or a conservatory. ... Learn More

A most valuable and exceptionally beautiful, evergreen twining plant for the cool greenhouse or conservatory, with rich green leaves that are hairy beneath, and bearing on well-ripened wood an abundance of beautiful, large, white, fragrant, bell-shaped flowers from spring until late summer. A strong and heavy climber, this plant will need a strong structure, as without support it will form a large mound, rather like a wisteria. Although Beaumontia is a tropical vine, it can tolerate a light frost for short periods. ... Learn More

From a yucca-like, but softer leaved rosette of sword-like leaves, arise huge arching spikes of red and green flowers, much resembling a dragon's head. One of the world's most magnificent hardy plants, very long-lived in a well-drained sheltered spot. Very few good seeds are ever collected. ... Learn More

A serious contender for the world's most attractive palm, the impressive blue-silver fan-shaped leaves can reach up to 2m in width and are divided into 20 segments each. When mature it produces strong, star-shaped stems carrying just a small number of enormous seeds. A staggeringly attractive plant, when I first encountered one in the Canary Islands I simply stood in awe for two or three minutes. A monotypic palm (ie the only one of its genus) it was named for the first chancellor of the German Empire, Prince Otto von Bismarck. The plant is as statuesque and impressive as the man was himself, ... Learn More

This lovely tropical and sub-tropical shrub or bushy tree has glossy, ovate, evergreen leaves on twigs which are covered with rust-coloured scales when young and are bare when older. Sprays of attractive pink and white flowers open, producing striking, bright red, two-valved fruits, covered with dense soft bristles. When ripe, they split open revealing masses of small, inedible, fleshy seeds, covered with red-orange pulp. The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds which produce the reddish orange dye annatto, which is one of the most important food grade natural colourants widely used in t ... Learn More

Bearing gorgeous, divided, metallic silver-grey leaves, this is a wonderfully bright accent plant for the hot garden, or large container. It makes a perfect companion for hardy succulent plants such as yucca, dasylirion and nolina. In addition, It makes a wonderful palm for a hot conservatory as it is happy in full sun with dry air. It is native to Mexico, having stiff, fan-shaped foliage in an attractive blue-grey-green. The flowers are incredible inflorescences up to 5m in length that hang above and over the foliage as a cascading tassel. It’s perfect for growing as part of a tropical border ... Learn More

This tough palm has large, unusually attractive, bluish-green, very finely-divided fan-shaped leaves, which are rounder and wider than those of Brahea armata. A medium-height palm, it can reach 3 metres or more, and is thus well adapted to small gardens. Endemic to Mexico, it will thrive in sandy, well-drained soil, in the sun or partial shade, and can withstand frost and drought well, and is happy down to 23°F (-3°C). A slow growing palm, It makes a perfect, easy-to-grow specimen for temperate and subtropical climates. ... Learn More

Although Brazil nuts are technically seeds, not nuts, their brown nut-like casings have led most people to call them nuts. Produced by a South American tree in virgin rain forests, they are an extremely popular food in many Latin American nations, and indeed in the rest of the world having a rich, creamy flavour. In nature, Brazil nuts develop inside a large capsule rather like a coconut, which, if cut open, reveals a number of three-sided nuts. In good growing conditions in the tropics, the tree can reach heights of 150 feet, so plant it carefully! ... Learn More

This amazing bromeliad looks almost otherworldly with its large dark green rosette of spine-edged leaves surrounding the centre, in which the leaves turns a spectacular lipstick-red in mature plants, before they produce a long stem of attractive flowers which later become beautiful round yellow fruits. The fruit is edible although rather acidic, but the medicinal properties of the bromeliad family are often used as a natural anti-inflammatory. This fabulous plant is commonly found in northern South America in countries like Mexico and the Caribbean islands. ... Learn More

Masses of enormous, ivory-white, delightfully fragrant trumpets, 20 to 25cm (8 to 10 in) long, adorn this fabulous plant. There is only white forms, and they can often bloom the first year from seed, and from their second year on, if they are allowed to grow, they can make large shrubs or trees, with lush foliage, and producing flowers continually. A mature plant, blooming from midsummer until frost, may display as many as 80 to 100 blooms at one time! In the cool, moist air of evening, their perfume is spellbinding. They do well either in the ground in warmer climes or large pots elsewhere, a ... Learn More

With some of the deepest colours of all "Angel's Trumpets", this rare form has spectacular pastel pink blooms which begin in the spring and continue throughout autumn, the long trumpets turning their fluted edges up after dark, whilst exuding a deep and potent fragrance. These lovely flowers are native to Central and South America from Honduras to Peru. ... Learn More

Enormous, slightly fragrant, pendulous, yellow-veined orange trumpet flowers hang in substantial numbers from branches clad in large, soft, slightly hairy leaves. Easy to care for, it is a robust flowering shrub, native to the Andes mountains in South America. In cultivation it makes a truly impressive specimen either in the garden in warmer climes, or in a very large pot elsewhere. For centuries, South American shamans have used the Angel Trumpet plant for various rituals and healing techniques....we do not advocate this though.. ... Learn More

A large, fast growing shrub with soft branches, large and soft furry leaves, long, trumpet-shaped, golden yellow flowers. Originally native to high altitudes in the Andes between 2000 and 3000 m (6600 and 9800 ft.) from Colombia to Bolivia, it is a popular ornamental that adapts to a range of warm-temperate climates. Prefers full sun. ... Learn More

Known as the Brazilian white variety of these impressive plants, this form is slightly bushier than many with a shorter-growing but very floriferous habit. The huge, very fragrant, brilliant white flowers are also often held at an angle rather than being pendulous, showing off the flared throat. They also make superb conservatory specimens to fill the house with perfume every evening. ... Learn More