Common name:
Persian silk tree, sleeping tree

Origin: Iran, Pakistan, Himalayas, China, Japan and Ethiopia

Leaf: deciduous, the divided leaves folds at night

Flower: Light pink inflorescences, July-August

Trunk: Grey-green

Emplacement: Full sun

Growing rate: Fast

Height: 8-15 meter (26-49ft)

Hardiness: -15°C (5°F)

Reproduction:

Albizia may be propagated by sowing or grafting. The Albizia cannot be reproduced by cuttings nor by air layering. The trees in the local garden centre are usually grafted. The advantage is that they bloom faster, often from the very beginning. The disadvantage is that the graft remains a sensitive area and if the tree freezes down, it may not sprout again.

Care:

The Albizia requires little specific care. Pruning is not necessary, unless a certain branch is in the way. It is best placed in full sun on a well-drained spot. It does not like wet soil and doesn’t like transplanting when it comes to larger specimens.

Winter care:

In regular (milder) winters, no specific protection is required. For more severe winters (colder than -15°C / 5°F), wrapping is recommended.

Growing rate:

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2014: First flower!

2015

2016

2017

2018

Popular cultivars:

There are quite a lot of cultivars on the market, below the most common ones

Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’

Striking variety with dark colored leaves. Very popular and much sold. However, it is less hardy and can only survive without protection during milder winters and on a favorable spot.

Albizia julibrissin ‘Rosea’

The colour of the leaves ranges from green to pink.

Albizia julibrissin ‘Ombrella (Boubri)’

Wide parasol-shaped leaf crown.

Albizia julibrissin ‘Ernest Wilson’

Similar to the Boubri but grows more in height.

Albizia julibrissin ‘Evi’s Purple’

Albizia julibrissin ‘Evi’s Pride’

Striking variety with the leaves colour to burgundy red. Hardiness similar to regular julibrissin and therefore a good alternative to Summer’s Chocolate. Here in the garden, however, the growth is disappointing.

Albizia julibrissin ‘Shidare (Ishii weeping)’

Rare species with sagging branches.

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The natural habitat of the Sequoia is the narrow, humid coastal strip that runs from the mountainous area of California to Oregon. The Sequoiadendron lives at altitudes between 900 and 2440 meters (2953-8005 ft) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Hence its hardiness down to -15°C (5°F). These trees reach their considerable size not only due to their rapid growth of about 1 meter per year, but also thanks to their soft fibrous bark, which makes them insensitive to forest fires. Moreover, they rarely blow over. Because of their size, they are more sensitive to lightning strikes. The redwood was very popular for timber production. Not only are the trunks nice straight and of good quality, the tree also shoots back after felling. These trees are now protected in the National Parks of the region.

Cultivation

The travelers among us may have been lucky enough to see the Sequoia in its own habitat. Many take some seeds with them as souvenirs, but the result is often disappointing. Because cultivation is of course possible, this article discusses three different methods with which we achieved good results ourselves.

Seed

As always, the result depends directly on the quality of the seed. You can choose to pick your own cones if there is a Sequoia nearby. But these trees are usually too young to produce good seeds. A cone takes up to two years to ripen and can hang on the tree for decades! Of course you can also order seed from the well-known seed suppliers on the internet. These seeds do originate from older cones, so the result will be more favorable. The Sequoia sempervirens usually germinates slightly better than the Sequoiadendron giganteum, which only achieves a germination rate of 15%.

Sowing

In all cases, it is important that the seeds first withstand a cold period (stratification). After this artificial winter phase the seeds will germinate better. To do this, place the seeds in the refrigerator for at least four weeks before sowing.

Method 1:

With this method, which is the most familiar, the seeds are placed on the sowing ground. The seeds should not be covered with earth. The soil must be kept moist, but certainly not too wet. To prevent the soil from drying out, you can cover the pot with cling film. Place the pot in a light and warm place. On a radiator or window sill in the spring is fine. The first seeds can germinate after a few weeks already, but the result can also take longer. Patience is therefore certainly required. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, you can transplant them to their own pot.

Method 2:

With this relatively unknown method, it is important that you work as sterile as possible to prevent the formation of mold. Take an unbleached coffee filter, fold and moisten it. Then place the seeds on the filter and fold the filter twice again.

Place everything in a plastic bag and close the bag. Make sure that enough air remains inside. Then place the bag in a dark place. Regularly check for germinated seeds and any mold formation. Germinated seeds should be carefully placed in their own pot on top of the soil. If necessary, cover the pot to prevent dehydration. When mold is formed, remove the molded seeds and transfer the clean seeds to a new coffee filter.

Methode 3:

This method is actually a combination of the above two methods. Perlite is used instead of sowing soil. Place the seeds on the Perlite. After moistening, cover the seed tray and place it somewhere warm. Once the sprouted plants are large enough to handle, they can be transplanted.

Experience

In our own experience, method 2 gives you a better and quicker result, but…. you must transfer the sprouted seeds in time and well monitor the humidity. They are still very sensitive to dehydration at this stage. Method 1 is much less affected by this problem. With this method, you may lose sight of the seed tray for a while without drastic consequences. Method 3 gave us the highest germination rate.

Care:

The Sequoia seedling doesn’t actually require any specific care. From spring to autumn, the seedling can be placed outside in the shade. Water it regularly but avoid it to get too wet. It needs also be regularly transplanted to a relatively big container. This will benefit growth. As soon as your Sequoia has a reasonable size, you can also plant it in the garden. Of course, keep in mind their explosive growth and generous dimensions. Planting on the limits of your terrain won’t seem advisable to us….

National Park Service website

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The beautiful Gunnera with its striking large leaves is hardy to about -20°C (-4°F) with minimal winter protection. In this article, we show you how to prepare the Gunnera for the winter.

Step 1

• cut every leaf as low as you can

Step 2

• cover up the hearth of the Gunnera with dry organic material as dried leaves

• turn the cut off Gunnera leaves upside down and place them over the organic mulching layer. This will keep the layer underneath dry and prevent it from be blown away.

NB. You can also invert these steps by placing the Gunnera leaves first and then the mulching layer but it will be more sensitive to wind!

Step 3

• cover up with something waterproof (and big enough) as a huge container or plastic sheet.

©La Palmeraie

In an exotic garden, a Gunnera can not be missed. This eye-catching rhubarb family member catches the eye directly with its huge leaves which can become up to 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in diameter. Unfortunately, the much smaller Gunnera tinctoria is mostly offered for sale as being a manicata. Often from ignorance. The difference is indeed not always easy to tell if you can not compare them. In this article we show them side by side.

Gunnera tinctoria vs. Gunnera manicata

the leaf of the tinctoria (left) looks more messy

the leaves of the manicata are much flatter, where those of the tinctoria are more in funnel form

the manicata’s petiole has more spines and looks a lot rougher

on the bottom of the leaf the tinctoria has trichomes (hairs) on the main leaf nerves, the manicata lacks trichomes

on the tinctoria the red color spreads far into the leaf nerves

the inflorescence is completely different and absolutely determining. The inflorescence of the tinctoria looks compact, firm and is red. The inflorescence of the manicata is looser, larger and green.

Reference site via Kew: link

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Who thinks of palms, thinks of exotic countries. Of course, this picture also includes rhythmic music, happy people and good food. Characteristic of the exotic cuisine are the peppers to spicy dishes. These peppers can also be well cultivated with in Europe. This article will show you the different types, their use and especially their pungency.

Feeling hot hot hot…
Before we take off on the different types of peppers, it is useful to understand more about the characteristics of peppers. Peppers belong to the Capsicum genus (nightshade) and are thus related to the potato and tomato. The substance responsible for the pungency is capsaicin. The hottest parts of the pepper are the seeds and the interior ribs. Biting just a bit of the end of the pepper is therefore not a good indication! The capsaicin directly stimulates the warmth senses in the mouth (not the taste sense), giving the idea that the dish is too hot.

The pungency of the pepper differs greatly from species to species. In order to determine the pungency of peppers, the Scoville scale was developed. The principle is simple; The pepper is increasingly diluted with sugar water until the pungency has gone. The number of cups of sugar water that was needed is the Scoville unit (SE). A dish is experienced as spicy around the 500-1000 SE. Below you will find an overview of some notorious species. For reference; Pure capsaicin has a pungency of 16,000,000 SE.

Did you know?
The black pepper used in the kitchen origins from a whole other family; the Piperaceae. The spiciness of black pepper is due to the chemical “piperine”, not to be confused with the capsaicin characteristic of chili peppers.

Still feeling hot?
Peppers contain many antioxidants which protect against cardiovascular diseases, cancer and premature aging. But too many peppers are no good either of course. Have you eaten too spicy? Then the quenching with water will not help! Capsaicin does not dissolve in water but in fat only. Eat some bread or meat, ore drink milk or some alcohol to bring relief. Regularly eating peppers will help you to get a better used to the pungency. Especially in tropical areas, eating peppers is popular because it would be good to prevent parasitic worm infections and because it promotes sweating which will cool your body temperature.

Pepper species

There are many different species of peppers (Capsicum). Originally, peppers are native from South America, but now they are commonly spread. As indicated, there are many differences in pungency, but there are also color variants; Green (usually unripe picked), red, yellow, orange. Below a list of the most cultivated species.

• Capsicum annuum – most common; green, yellow, red (sweet) pepper, Chili pepper, Jalapeño
• Capsicum baccatum – berrylike chili peppers, Aji
• Capsicum chinense – very spicy; habanero, Madame Jeanette, Adjoema
• Capsicum frutescens – shrub peppers with among other the pepper used for Tabasco sauce
• Capsicum pubescens – Rocoto peppers.

Cultivating peppers

Sowing

Seeds are easy to find. In supermarkets and garden centers you will find Chili pepper seeds between the seeds of other vegetables. For the more exotic species you can buy some fresh peppers in a local store. When removing the seeds, do not rub your eyes and wash your hands well afterwards! The seeds may be soaked in water and then sown. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. For the germination, sufficient heat is required; 25-30°C (77-86°F). So you may want to place your container on the radiator or in the conservatory. Of course, the soil must always be sufficiently moist.

Germination

Within a few weeks, the first leaves will come up. From now on the plants need a lot of light. The temperature may fall slightly; 20-25°C (68°F-77°F). The conservatory is ideal for this purpose. Prevent the seedlings from sunburn. Filtered light is thus recommended. As soon as the seedlings make their second pair of (typical) leaves, they may be transplanted. You can plant them slightly deeper and add soil up to where the first leaves were.

Pepper plant

The Latin name; Capsicum annuum (pungent annual) is actually not correct. Peppers are not annual, even though they are often used in such a way. It takes a while before the first peppers become visible. But if the plant eventually starts to grow peppers, the fruits grow quickly. The annuum species, which also germinate faster than the Chinese species, generally develop their fruits earlier.

Peppers

After a while, the pepper plant will be filled with green peppers. First, those peppers become shiny green. In principle, you can already harvest them. The peppers are then less pungent. If you wait a bit longer, up to a month, the discoloration begins to occur. Total discoloration is a matter of just a few days. It turns to black and than its final color. If the pepper is beautifully shiny and bright again, you can harvest it.

The image shows the development of the fruit.

Harvest

Fresh
Immediately after harvesting, you can use the fresh pepper in dishes, cut or uncut.

Freeze
Easy conservation technique. Especially useful for later use in sauces.

Drying
A popular technique in southern countries is drying. Rip the harvested peppers to a string and hang them to dry. If necessary, a slice can be made in the overall length to prevent fungi. The dried peppers can be ground to powder or served just as the are with dishes. This technique is not only easy but also decorative!

Pickling
The peppers can also be pickled in herbal vinegar. This method is also suitable for long conservation. Attention: Failure in the process can lead to botulism!

© La Palmeraie

Common name:
Castorbean, castor-oil-plant

Origin: eastern-Africa, but commonly spread nowadays

Foliage: palmate, green to deeply red depending on the cultivar

Flowers: yellow subtile little flowers, fruit is a spiny, greenish (to reddish-purple) capsule containing large, oval, shiny, bean-like, highly poisonous seeds with variable brownish mottling

Exposure: Full sun, partial shade

Growth rate: Very fast

Height: In its original habitat up to 15 meters (49 ft) but in Europe as a annual plant up to 4 meters (13 ft)

Hardiness: not hardy

Care:

The Ricinus communis can be sown. It is preferable to sow the Ricinus at its final place in March-April in a nutritious soil. Sowing in pots can also be done but this plant is very sensitive to transplanting. With sufficient heat and sufficient moisture, this plant grows quickly into a true eye-catcher in the garden. Certainly when the Ricinus is planted into groups, the bright red fruits set off beautiful against the dark leaf. In autumn, the seeds may be harvested for sowing in spring.

Use:

In the tropics, the Ricinus grows quickly to become a tree. Here in Europe it remains a herbaceous annual shrub. The seeds, the so-called “beans”, are used to extract oil. This oil is used, among other things, as a purifier and lamp oil. The seeds contain the very strong poison ricin which makes some seeds already higly toxic (deadly) for children and a handful of adults! However, the spiny bright red fruits do not make the plant really appealing to taste, and the seeds do not look really tasty either. There is no danger in the garden, but some attention is obviously recommended, especially with children. The seeds are also used in the garden in the eradication of rodents, by spreading some seeds into the underground corridors.

Common name:
Tetrapanax payrifera ‘Steroidal Giant’, Tetrapanax payrifera ‘Rex’, rice-paper plant

Origin: China and Taiwan

Foliage: Big deeply palmately lobed leaves which can get up to 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) in diameter

Exposure: Full sun, partial shade

Growth rate: Very fast

Height: 2 – 3 meter / 6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in

Hardiness: -15°C / 5°F

Care:

Due to the large leaves, the Tetrapanax evaporates a lot of moisture on hot days. Therefore, provide sufficient water. In the fall the leaves fall off, leaving only the nude stems. In spring, new leaves will be formed again on the top. The Tetrapanax forms underground runners through rhizomes that can rise a few meters further. However, these can be easily cut off, which means that a root barrier is not necessary. Provide sufficient space for the Tetrapanax which can eventually occupy an area of up to 6m² (64,6 ft²).

Use:

The Tetrapanax was used in China for the production of rice paper. In Europe however it is an ideal plant for the exotic garden. It is hardy and can grow well in almost every place. To show off the big striking leaves, it  is best planted as a solitary. The plant is non-toxic, which makes it save for children to play nearby though, intensive manipulation of the plant may irritate the airways as you breathe the yellowish powder from the petioles.

Common name:
‘Calidora’ elephant’s ear

Origin: Tropical forests from south-east Asia

Foliage: big leaves (up to 90 cm / 2 ft 11 in !), ribbed heart shaped on long petioles (up to 2 meters / 6 ft 7 in !)

Exposure: Lots of light but no direct sun, high air humidity

Growth rate: Fast

Height: up to 2 meters / 6 ft 7 in

Hardiness: Not hardy

Care: Put the Alocasia calidora on a very bright place in the living room, for example near a window without direct sunlight. If the air humidity is too low, the leaves will dry. In that case, it is advisable to humidify the plant regularly. The leaves grow towards the light. Turn the plant regularly to prevent it form bending over too much. The Alocasia calidora does not like wet feet. The soil must therefore not be wet and there no water must remain in the saucer for too long. During the summer, this plant can be placed in the garden on a sheltered spot in partial sunlight. With good care it will regularly produce new leaves. The oldest leaf then usually dies off.  Be aware that this plant may drip. So be careful with wooden undergrounds!

Use: This tropical plant is a true eye catcher in your living room. Guests immediately will ask you about it. Due to his tall petioles and large ribbed leaves. It has a very trendy look and will look great in a large container. The Alocasia calidora is actually a crossbreed of other Alocasias originated in England! In their natural habitat, the rhizomes are eaten by the locals.

‘Down under’ the kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos) is widely spread. This exotic grows especially in southwest Australia in the very dry area of Shark Bay and Mount Baker. The Kangaroo Paw, even constitutes the national symbol of Australia! In Europe the colorful flowers are mainly used in flower arrangements. As a container plant the Kangaroo Paw is much less known.

Container plant
However, the kangaroo paw is quite easy to cultivate. Although it isn’t hardy and sensitive to cold, moisture and fungal diseases, it is definitely worth a try with its exotic-colored flowers, the red woolly hairy stems and the ribbon-shaped leaves. It grows best in sandy well-drained soil. In a soil too wet this plant will quickly fade away. Do not over fertilize this fast grower in spring so that he does not grow out of his strength. It goes without saying that this Australian plant needs a warm place in the full sun for the best result. In winter a minimum temperature of 20°C (68°F) is required.

Anigozanthos flavidus

Flowers
The most special feature of the kangaroo paw are the striking flowers in the form of a kangaroo paw as the name suggests. Depending on the species, there color varies: for example, the Anigozanthos flavidus is yellow, the Anigozanthos manglesii is red, … The flowers bloom at the end of the sometimes branched stems. Adult plants can produce multiple flowers per stem. The pollination of the flowers occurs mainly by birds but occasionally also by honey bees or even marmots. In Australia, the Kangaroo paw flourishes between October and December. In Europe, this plant will bloom during the summer months.

Cultivation
Like most exotic plants, the Kangaroo paw is also best sown in early spring. It is important to keep the soil moist but definitely not wet. In general, this plant germinates quickly. Once the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, you can individually plant them or together in a large pot with a mutual distance of at least 30 cm (12 inches). The plant can be divided for multiplication but every single plant must still have enough roots to grow. This method is also suitable for rejuvenating the plant.

Snails
Snails are great lovers of the Kangaroo paw leaves. Remove the snails as soon as possible and use a pesticide if necessary.

• Anigozanthos bicolor
• Anigozanthos flavidus, strongest and easiest to care for. 2 meters / 6 feet
• Anigozanthos ‘Pink Joey’, strong species. 0,5 meter / 1 feet 7 inches
• Anigozanthos ‘Bush Ranger’, can endure some light frost for a short time, 0,5 meter / 1 feet 7 inches
• Anigozanthos ‘Dwarf Light’, long living species, 0,8 meter / 2 feet 7 inches
• Anigozanthos ‘Harmoney’
• Anigozanthos ‘Regal Claw’
• Anigozanthos ‘Red Cross’
• Anigozanthos manglesii, most common in Australia and the icon of western-Australia. 1 meter / 3 feet 3 inches
• Anigozanthos manglesii subsp. manglesii, 0,8 meter / 2 feet 7 inches
• Anigozanthos manglesii subsp. quadrans
• Anigozanthos rufus, smaller than the A. flavidus but stronger
• Anigozanthos viridis, dwarf species

Anigozanthos manglesii

The mini kiwi is like the name suggests, a relative of the kiwi we know from the supermarket. The mini kiwi (Actinidia arguta) is a climbing plant that is completely hardy in contrast to the ordinary kiwi. Great for our climate, therefore, as an original and tasty hedge plant.

Origin
You would dare to suspect that the mini kiwi is a commercial-grown variant, but nothing is less true!It is a very old species, which already existed in the Tertiary vegetation. The mini kiwi originates in northern Japan and the Taiga’s of Siberia but was soon cultivated in Europe and Asia. There are therefore many different names known; Siberian gooseberry, kiwiberry, baby kiwi, grape kiwi, cocktail kiwi, hardy kiwi, kiwai, tara vine, bower vine, kishmish and kokuwa.

Climbing plant
As a climbing plant, the mini kiwi naturally grows through other trees to height of 15 m. The male and female flowers are located in separate plants, so a male and female plant is needed for fruit formation! However, for pollination it is not necessary that the male and female plants are of the same species. For example, a male ordinary kiwi can pollinate a female mini kiwi. The mini kiwi is a fast grower as you can see on this picture. The pictures are taken with 40 days interval. As mentioned earlier, the mini kiwi is completely hardy; Some varieties even down to -30ºC (-22°F). As it isn’t wintergreen, the plant looses its leaves in fall.

Flowers & fruits
After 2 to 3 years the plant will have its first flowers. Only then, you can tell with certainty whether you have a monoicous or a dioicous plant. The plant blooms in the may with small white flowers. If pollination is successful, fruits will be formed. These ripen faster than the ordinary kiwi, which allows you to harvest edible fruits in octobre even with our short summers.

The fruits, which will remind you of white grapes, have a bare peel and can been eaten with this peel. Cut in halve you will see a miniature version of the ordinary kiwi and the taste is also the same as his big brother. You can eat them just like that or make preserves out of it. The sliced ​​fruit is an original garnish for salads or desserts. It has never become really populair in our supermarkets, probably due to labor-intensive harvesting of the small fruit. But sometimes you’ll find the mini kiwi in the store. Those are generally grown in Chile.

Care
The mini kiwi can best be placed against a south or west oriented wall. Ideal is of course a fence or pergola so this climber can form a nice partition. First one can enjoy the massive white flowers followed by small green fruits. It is advisable to regularlyprune the plant during fruit formation, so the fruit will get sufficient light for maturation. You may want to guide some of the main branches to support the weight and lead the plant the way you like. In winter you can prune the offshoots, in spring many new offshoots will be formed. Prune these offshoots a bit further than the last flower to prevent the plant in putting to much energy in growth rather than fruit formation

“Issai”

The Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’ is a Japanese cultivar originated from a crossbreed. Unlike most other cultivars, the Issai is monoicous and therefore self-pollinating. The growth is less strong than the other varieties, making the Issai also very suitable for smaller gardens. This species has less fruit than the other varieties. Hardiness is also a little less than the other species. The fruits, on the other hand, ripe quicker and earlier; in september. The Issai is generally found in garden centers.

Other cultivars

• Ananasnaya
• Ambrosia,
• Ambrosia Grande
• Weiki, extremely hardy (-30ºC / -22°F)
• Julia, extremely hardy (-30ºC / -22°F)
• Romeo, male version of the ‘Julia’
• Ken’s Red, suitable for fruit transportations.
• Red Princess, fruits are green-red colored on the inside.
• Amdue (Maki)
• Geneva, early ripe fruits.
• Nostino, male species for pollination of other species.
• Meader female
• Meader male
• Purpurna Sadowa, extremely hardy (-30ºC / -22°F)
• Figurnaja, extremely hardy (-30ºC / -22°F)
• Sentiabrskaja, female species
• Gibrida M, male species for pollination of other species.
• Rogów, female species
• Cordifola, botanical subspecies

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