Exotic Plants in London

[GREVILLE]

Some south coast locations do even better than London. However, you are unlikely to beat tropical houseplants being left out year round under sheltered south facing porches or basements.

Wondered why I prompted some comments and ruffled some feathers Had intended to say that some south coast locations CAN do even better than London as illustrated by favoured spots such as Nathan's garden faring better than London in 2010 where even the heat island couldn't save many exotics nor prevent some slight damage to the Lambeth Phoenix canariensis_CIDP.

You'll certainly never match the planted out Dipladenia, anthuriums, Cyperus, Cordyline terminalis and Boston fern in one Chelsea basement garden that all sailed through 2010. It's not just the big palms and clumps of basjoo that make London the best place for exotics in the whole of the UK.

Full marks to Stephen for daring to try his out oop north. It gives him licence to permanently label us southerners as wingeing wimps

[PaulPlants]

I've been enjoying that Phoenix canariensis_CIDP on the round-a-bout for about 10 years! I had a stroll though Hyde Park this afternoon instead of having lunch and spotted some Acanthus mollis in flowers alongside a bunch if daffs... That said, their Hyde Parks dicksonia don't compare to mine!

[Rob S]

Was in Pimlico today and spotted the famous Phoenix canariensis_Phoenix canariensis_CIDP that grows at Lambeth roundabout, looking pristine after the benign winter.

I wonder if it will ever grow taller? Like the CIDPs in the Med.

They rarely grow shorter!

[lulak10]

I took this pix about a month ago and have been meaning to post it! This is on a side round just off High Street Ken.

[stephenprudence]

Nice specimen, however far too close to the house, that's the unfortunate thing about these old terraced type houses, the gardens are measly at best, if only their front bit was a little bit bigger, they'd be able to grow that to full size.

[stephenprudence]

Full marks to Stephen for daring to try his out oop north. It gives him licence to permanently label us southerners as wingeing wimps

Quite! stop your moaning and go and plant a bird of paradise

Jokes aside, Id love to live in London with the climate it has, it would be great to grow some of things they're able to!

[Steph]

Bird of Paradise is a no hoper here as well.

[otorongo]

Strelitzias are hardy in central London.

There are larger CIDPs near me, lulak10

[Steph]

I have a huge one that needs to be split, may give a bit of it a chance outside, even though I expect it to fail......

[jcec1]

I have a huge one that needs to be split, may give a bit of it a chance outside, even though I expect it to fail......

I have one growing outside. This is its third winter and it has seen -5C with no protection. It was grown indoors before, so its older leaves perished but the newer leaves are much tougher. It may be worth trying a piece outdoors.

[GREVILLE]

Full marks to Stephen for daring to try his out oop north. It gives him licence to permanently label us southerners as wingeing wimps

Quite! stop your moaning and go and plant a bird of paradise

Jokes aside, Id love to live in London with the climate it has, it would be great to grow some of things they're able to!

Almost complied with your suggestion, Stephen. I took my Streltizia out of the greenhouse today to endure the currently awful London climate. It should be quite happy as it's a special cultivar: Strelitzia regina masochista. Think jcec1 grows the hardier strain.

[Steph]

Gagging to eject my big one as well but the last couple of nights the frost sensor has been on each morning.

JEC1 I believe grows his strellie on a small balcony not a garden, so things are quite te same for the rest of us.

[jcec1]

Gagging to eject my big one as well but the last couple of nights the frost sensor has been on each morning.

JEC1 I believe grows his strellie on a small balcony not a garden, so things are quite te same for the rest of us.

That's true it's on a south facing balcony with a black slate wall behind it, so it's a fantastic microclimate, a south facing site would be a necessity I would reckon.

17C forecast here at the weekend, spring is almost here

[Nathan]

I had a Strelitzia reginae in my Southsea garden, was planted out for about 6 years & got quite big & flowered every year. The spot it was in I wanted for something else though so thought I would move it, big mistake! I didn't realise it had developed such big long tap roots, which snapped off along with many other roots as the depth I put the spade in was not deep enough. I replanted it elsewhere in the garden but but over the following few weeks it slowly died

I know of at least one other one that was planted in someone's garden in Portsmouth too, as the local newspaper featured it when it flowered for the first time...

[Troppoz]

Was in Pimlico today and spotted the famous Phoenix canariensis_Phoenix canariensis_CIDP that grows at Lambeth roundabout, looking pristine after the benign winter.

I wonder if it will ever grow taller? Like the CIDPs in the Med.

Dont know how old it is but it dwarfs one that grows nearby to my house in Darwin that would be 15 years old maybe more. Seems that temperate London suits them much better than they steamy tropics...