Anyone know this
www.roselandhouse.co.uk/what.htm

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

Yes, I have it growing but the name escapes me for the moment.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Charlie Pridham7/5/04 10:17

Anyone know this
www.roselandhouse.co.uk/what.htm

It's one we have, too. Ray says it's Centradenia hybrida (Melastomataceae)
It needs a well drained compost containing clay with a pH of.5-6. It's
salt sensitive and needs to be grown in bright, well ventilated houses with
a constant temp of around 16C. it will be temperamental if temperatures are
too high or too low. We have one particular plant which is 3' tall and now
has a rather woody stem. It doesn't exactly trail but sort of arches,
really ad Ray says it becomes more upright as the plant gets older.
If you get the pH just right the foliage is particularly coppery.
Ray thinks their flowering is affected more by light hours than by
temperature (in the mature plants) which, given their Madeiran provenance,
would make sense.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Isn't that typical, I remember the name and come on to post it and Sacha has
got there first.

Strange thing is that the books say Centradenia needs a min of 13C but I
have had a couple growing quite happily in a cold glasshouse.
I find that it is one of those plants that develop a better leaf colour as
the temp. reduces in the Autumn, and whilst its chief flowering period seems
to be August onwards, I seem to have the odd flower on mine all year round.
I am just wondering if the old variety is tougher than the newer hybrid.
Just checking with my old "Bible", and it says a min winter temp of 50f, and
it lists 3 varieties of Centradenia, C.Grandiflolia,
C.Floribunda and C.inaequilateralis.
Also says flowers last well when cut.

-
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Should also have said they the "Bible" lists them as coming from Central
America and Mexico.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

David Hill wrote:

Strange thing is that the books say Centradenia needs a min of 13C but I
have had a couple growing quite happily in a cold glasshouse.

I've had it overwinter outside well here for several years, which
backs up David's comments about it surviving in a cold greenhouse.
Left to the vagaries of a typical Torquay winter, it will (if given
perfect drainage) become deciduous, but reward with vividly coloured
new shoots in spring.


Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November
Drop 's' when mailing

Browsing Google for centradenia I came across one site which puts it as
being able to go down to 35f.

--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

David Hill7/5/04 11:59

Isn't that typical, I remember the name and come on to post it and Sacha has
got there first.

Only my typing fingers. It's Ray's memory and knowledge, not mine. ;-)

Strange thing is that the books say Centradenia needs a min of 13C but I
have had a couple growing quite happily in a cold glasshouse.
I find that it is one of those plants that develop a better leaf colour as
the temp. reduces in the Autumn, and whilst its chief flowering period seems
to be August onwards, I seem to have the odd flower on mine all year round.
I am just wondering if the old variety is tougher than the newer hybrid.
Just checking with my old "Bible", and it says a min winter temp of 50f, and
it lists 3 varieties of Centradenia, C.Grandiflolia,
C.Floribunda and C.inaequilateralis.
Also says flowers last well when cut.

Ray brought a sprig in last night to show me and it looks very happy in a
vase and very pretty, too. We're going to try it outside and see how it
survives. As you know, our houses here are only kept at frost free anyway,
so it hasn't exactly been coddled.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Dave Poole" wrote in message
...
David Hill wrote:

Strange thing is that the books say Centradenia needs a min of 13C but I
have had a couple growing quite happily in a cold glasshouse.

I've had it overwinter outside well here for several years, which
backs up David's comments about it surviving in a cold greenhouse.
Left to the vagaries of a typical Torquay winter, it will (if given
perfect drainage) become deciduous, but reward with vividly coloured
new shoots in spring.


Dave Poole

Many many thanks all. Its overwintered here fine, but its the plants I cut
back in spring rather than last autumn that are full of flower?

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)