Taken in Tresco last week, Bob! We thought it would amuse you. Is yours
still going?
http://i36.tinypic.com/vec410.jpg
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

"Sacha" wrote
Taken in Tresco last week, Bob! We thought it would amuse you. Is yours
still going?
http://i36.tinypic.com/vec410.jpg

Is that really a Furcraea bedinghausii? Did it have a trunk at all? What was
the size?

Our two are still doing well, one has been outside in a pot for all but the
first year after Ray gave me the two tiny little plantlets the other one I
planted in the garden last spring and it's looking good so far. We don't get
the rain you do so it may be OK, and they are supposed to be able to take a
few degrees of frost if not wet.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 28/9/08 22:47, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
Taken in Tresco last week, Bob! We thought it would amuse you. Is yours
still going?
http://i36.tinypic.com/vec410.jpg

Is that really a Furcraea bedinghausii? Did it have a trunk at all? What was
the size?

There was a mass of leaves and the trunk (as in stem) was as you see it. It
was probably about 12' tall. I'll post another pic below which shows a sort
of bungalow roof level beside the plant. For scale, the path between plant
and building is wide enough for two people side by side. Ray says they can
take about 4 years to get to their final glory in the right conditions.
Can't remember exactly when he gave you yours. Tresco gets rain, sea mist,
fog, huge gales but has sharp drainage and of course, no frost problems. We
see Aeoniums growing in tree trunks and lodging themselves in wall crevices
etc.
As you see from the first photo,, A. Schwarzkopf grows freely there and
Echiums are positively common! Proteas were in flower in the garden and Ray
came away with a box of goodies and a bag full of cuttings - with
permission, I should add!
http://i35.tinypic.com/avoads.jpg

This pic shows you what it's like there on a warm, late September day. The
colours were powerful!
http://i36.tinypic.com/2rwqptd.jpg

Our two are still doing well, one has been outside in a pot for all but the
first year after Ray gave me the two tiny little plantlets the other one I
planted in the garden last spring and it's looking good so far. We don't get
the rain you do so it may be OK, and they are supposed to be able to take a
few degrees of frost if not wet.

We're so glad to hear they've kept going with you. I think they'll go to
-5C but may be misremembering that. I know our Beschorneria will take a few
light frosts but probably not deeper, all day long for several days, type
frosts. Wet and cold usually kills off Echium pinianas here but last year
Ray planted them in a little bit of tree canopy shelter in a well drained
sloping bit behind the tea room and they not only came through the winter
but flowered like mad.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)