exotic-looking fruit & veg

[ConstantGardener]

I've got a "jungly" area of my garden, with a pond in the middle, and I'm gradually filling it with exotic-looking plants. So far have the usual suspects - cannas, madeira geraniums etc - but have also included a couple of banana plants and that got me thinking.

Can anyone think of edible plants with suitably exotic-looking leaves/flowers/both?

So far I can think of more bananas and the edible passionflower to scramble over the back fence (passiflora edulis I think it's called). I'm also wondering if yacon might have suitably wierd and wonderful leaves, being a veg from tropical climes?

I think I'll also put in a rhubarb and a chard or two (possibly kale too) as they fit the bill appearance-wise.

would like to include jungly climbers and things with big leaves... or big flowers (or both ).

I'm going to have such a lot of fun with this! any suggestions gratefully received!

[Flummery]

My Black Tuscany Kale would look the part. It'a already 2ft 6" in height and very statuesque. If you like the flavour of celery you could get hold of a lovaege plant. Min'e currently about 9ft high with yellow umbels of flowers at the top. Good leafy stalks below that. I usually leave some of the seed heads on later in the year - the little birds love them. It'a a perennial too.

[lynda66]

i have a tropical area in my garden too, i have tried pineapples, without much success, though i still have one that's not dead yet, dragon fruit is a possibility, kiwi fruit, pomegranate, try looking on ebay at the tropical section too, although theres lots of tropical climbers not a lot seem to have fruit, theres a couple here

All matching items for sale.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CLIMBING-BLUEBERRY-FRAGRANT-AND-UNUSUAL-10-SEEDS_W0QQitemZ180257819436QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180257819436&_trkparms=72%3A12|39%3A1|65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

try some exotic flowers, that you like the look of and grow beans or peas or other climbers, between them, then you get the flowers but veg as well , you can cross them over so they mingle. or theres grapes?

i've also got a couple of yuccas that grew too big for the house, some bamboo of various thicknesses (which i can eventually use in the garden), dracaena, a fan palm, acer, bird of paradise plants, a banana tree, and some others that i cant think of now ..... you could also try figs, they look quite exotic

Lynda xx

[ailsasyl]

theres an ad in back of GYO mag Tropical Seeds; Exotic Seeds, Vegetable seed & Tropical Plants Mail Order don't know what its like might be worth checking out though.

[ConstantGardener]

ooooo lots of inspiration! I have some lovage already in my garden, it's in pots though and I'd never thought of letting it flower... lynda your garden sounds sensational (and much like I hope mine will be in the end ) what's dragon fruit? never heard of that one... I'm going to try kiwi fruit in the sunny end... and figs would be great, hadn't thought of that.

thanks also for the link - gave me another idea, they've got a fantastic pic of black corn on the front of their site, I'd never think of growing that at the lottie but might try some in the exotic garden (certainly looks wierd, anyway!)

thanks for all, anyone grown yacon though? would really like to know how it grows...

[Flummery]

thanks for all, anyone grown yacon though? would really like to know how it grows...

Seahorse is - how's it doing chuck?

[lynda66]

this is a dragon fruit


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DRAGON-FRUIT-PITAYA-GROW-NOW-EXOTIC-FRUIT-SEEDS_W0QQitemZ300235497417QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item300235497417&_trkparms=72%3A12|39%3A1|65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://www.eschertile.com/garden/airportbabe.jpg

never tasted them but they look great

[quark1]

The dragon fruit plus its parent tree/plant is indeed most impressive. If you Wiki it you'll find it comes in a variety of other colours and bears a lush white flower. I can't believe how weeny the seeds are to produce such a (potentially) massive pant!

I have recently acquired some trimmings from a communal garden near me of a plant I was dying to find out about. The gardeners let me have some trimmings rather than discard all - its always worth chatting up someone cutting back for a cutting or 2!

The initial enquiry was to identify - but the 'older' of the 2 (in charge) was unable.

I have since discovered that it is Carpobrotus Edulis aka Sour Fig and Pig Face amongst its many aliases.

The fruit - which is edible with some tlc to turn to jam or compote - is very sour - looks to me like a mini version of the dragon fruit. The similarity doesn't end there - the leaves seem to also have the same triangular formation although my one is smoothe and not wavy. Mine will deliver a daisy-like purple flower. I suspect that as a succulent it may well be related to the dragon. It is also considerably smaller!

If you can find, beg, steal or borrow a few cuttings these would make good lower cover for your project - at around 12-18inches in height.

Another interesting fact! Hey I'm full of 'em today - where they are native in S Africa - they are frequently located around the perimeter of properties to act as a form of fire break as they are so engorged with water! They can also be found in S America and Australasia pretty much as natives.

[FoxHillGardener]

What about globe artichokes? They're pretty impressive and sort of jungly looking.

This thread has also inspired me to hunt down some dragon fruit and have a go at growing them. I had them in vietnam and they're lovely. A bit similar tasting to kiwi fruit but less green tasting would also like to have a go at mangosteens - also very lovely tasting

[FoxHillGardener]

Done a google - The tree grows from 7 to 25 m (20-80 ft) tall....Mangosteens reach fruit-bearing in as little as 5–6 years, but more typically require 8–10 years...An ultra-tropical tree, the mangosteen must be grown in consistently warm conditions, as exposure to temperatures below 40°F (4°C) will generally kill a mature plant.


hmm, perhaps not then. Don't think I'd get even just a 7 metre tree in my conservatory

[lynda66]

lol maybe mangosteens aren't the way to go lol, i've got some bamboo that can reach 50 feet, that will go down well with the neighbours then .... good job you can cut it down lol .... i'm hoping that a panda might take up residence

[russell]

try this website too..

Exotic Collection Seeds Department ::: Capital Gardens