Lilith

I am looking for pups of these bananas.
I don't have any neato bananas to trade (all mine are very ordinaly) but I do have the following very cool tropical plants available.

These have been greenhouse grown and are pretty much all zone 9A-11 plants. If you are interested in any of them, please email me even if you don't have the bananas I want, I would consider trades for other things as well.

First up, I am discontinuing Etlingera elatior Red Torch from my greenhouse. This is simply a stunning plant. I have had extensive experience with Etlingera elatior for several years now, having grown and bloomed 4 different forms. This is a huge growing, minimum zone 10 plant, I don't know anyone in 9B who has it outside (correct me if I am wrong). The individual stalks reach heights OVER 20 feet tall. The blooms are larger than a softball and are borne on stalks over 5 feet tall. WHat I am saying here is, NO, you can't keep this in a pot, as it needs space to eventually spread, and it cannot freeze.

I am discontinuing it for the former reason. I want the area it is planted in for something else that doesn't have a spreading habit. What you would receive is rhizomes that you would plant are regrow into a new stand of ginger.

Here is a photo of mine currently in bloom:

Lilith

The second plant I have available is a lovely species of Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet) called "Yu Hwa", also called "Chinese Beauty".
This is a spreading ginger but it forms a very tight clump. It gets about 8 feet tall. The leaves have a beautiful pattern. They are very different from the very common Variegated Shell Ginger.
This plant can be pot grown, and it can be grown in zone 8b. HOwever, if it freezes to the ground and has to regrow every year, you will never see blooms (shell ginger blooms on 2 year or older canes)
If you are growing it for the foliage only then it doesn't matter.
I need to thin my stand in the greenhouse, again, you would receive rhizomes.

Lilith

Also available, a very uncommon palmate cane type species begonia, Begonia luxurians. This can reach a height of 5-6 feet and has beautiful deeply incised palmate leaves. The blooms are pendant and white. This is a very hard to find plant. I have small rooted plants available.

Lilith

Also have this, Costus Emerald Chalice. Also called Buddha Belly costus. This is a small 2 cane rooted plant. Its a tender costus, doesn't like to freeze, but will come back from a freeze at a rate of about 60-70%. Can easily be container grown. Gets about 5 feet tall with terminal red/orange pineapple type blooms:

Lilith

And this is available too. This is an Epipremnum tetrasperma called "Ginny". Its also known by various other names, among them Dwarf Climbing Monstera. This plant is a vigorous climber. Stems are hotdog thickness, leaves are slightly larger than the size of a hand. Its very lovely and can be kept in check by pruning, and can be trained easily to a trellis. I would send multiple cuttings a few feet long (at least 3 ft long) with lots of aerial roots. The aerial roots can reach 10 feet on this plant and hang down looking very very jungly and tropical

Lilith

And lastly! I have rhizomes available for this species of large growing clumping calathea, C. crotalifera "Yellow Rattleshaker". This plant attains a height of 10-15 feet ultimately and has really cool blooms. Can be pot grown for a while but will prefer being in the ground in the end. Zone 9B-11 for yearround outdoor use.

island cassie

Lilith - you have some great plants for swaps. I hope someone can supply the bananas you want (which are also on my wish list I must confess!). I have not seen your epipremnum before - nice plant!

Lilith

Thanks, Cassie! I am going to be going to the USF Tropical Plant sale in Tampa in 2 weeks, I hope to be able to find those bananas there. ALong with, oh, about 100 other cool plants, LOL!

island cassie

Oh my - I'd be like a child in a sweet shop - so much to buy, so little time! Hope you get some great stuff!!!

Cassie