Strange Plant.......... Any ID this one?

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Hi

I just wondered if anyone knew the proper name of this plant.
I have had it for a while now and still dont know what it is called really!!

Thanks

Mark

Thumbnail by Mr_Crocosmia
Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Hi Mark,
What you have there is, wait for it, Impatiens niamniamensis, or "Congo Cockatoo", in English. This strange creature comes from tropical Africa. It likes warm humid conditions, but, behaves much like other Busy Lizzies. i.e. becomes leggy, if ignored. An unusual conservatory plant, I've seen them for sale, occasionally, in my local garden centre.

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Hiya Phrophet
Wow..................... wouldnt wanna say that after a few pints.........!!!!!!
Yeah, you are right about it becoming leggy............... i keep cutting bits off and growing them for members of my family!!
I got this one from my local nursery a while ago now...............
Gorgeous flowers on it that look like beaks......... guess thats where the cockatoo bit comes from!!

Anyway, thank you very much for the info

Mark

St Joseph, IL(Zone 5b)

Quite lovely and interesting. Good find.
Laura

??Am I allowed to post here on the EG site since technically, I'm not in Europe??

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Hiya Laura

Yes it is very interesting.................

Of course you are allowed Laura......................... feel free!!!! Nice to have you visit EG.......

Mark

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

A few years ago i used to allways see these in Chinese takeaways around Lincoln.
There cool looking a real Gem and under valued
Nice find

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Hiya Mike
In Chinese takeaways....................... wow.
I found this at the Oaklands garden centre on the way to Grimsby.................... strange how you can find nice things like this in such a place as the oaklands............
Yeah it is quite a nice little plant...........



Lakeland, FL(Zone 9b)

is a chinese take away the same as our take outs? Paul

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Hey Paul

A chinese takeaway is chinese food shop where you cannot sit in and eat............... you order the food and take it home!!

Lakeland, FL(Zone 9b)

ok we call it take out

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Hey sexy knees............... lol
Yes it is a lovely plant...........................
Love
Mark

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

It seems to be Lemon scented Geraniums in Take aways now. Lol

Think i'll write a book "Take out plants" I could book the food out on expensis then.

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Dont do take aways mike...................... so i dont know!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Thought youd been banned from the internet. Not seen you in weeks!

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Nah been around..............................

Had a few personal probs so havent been around much!!!!!!

How are you???

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Ahh just fantastic!

Yeah good. Hows you? (other than the above probs)

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Am ok thanks..........................
trying to sort crocosmia out ready for winter............... and not gettin very far!!!

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

I know the feeling Xmas is really creeping up on me and its worrying!

What do you have to do to them for the winter?

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

I cut them all down and weed all the pots and then move them all into the greenhouse and conservatory for the winter..................... then come spring take them all out again and split and repot

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

My god. Thats loads of work. I thought they where hardy!
Or do they just do better if you keep them frost free.

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Oh yes its lots of work alright.................
They are hardy when buried in the garden................. but not so in pots!!!! To be hardy they would need 4" of soil sround the corms.........
They like to be slightly frosted......................... and they will get that being in the greenhouse!!

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Sounds a bit like alliums. It seems to trigger the growth.

I get 2 growth seasons out of those in a year by sticking them in the fridge.

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

yeah i would say most bulbs like a touch of frost to get em goin!!!!!!!!!!!!
As long as its not too much they are fine............

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

So what happens with that national status thing over winter?
If they die down how do you prove you have them?

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

they have already visited mate.................................. they came in august to see all the plants!!!!
The only reason i didnt get collection status in november was because some idiot in the NCCPG office lost some paperwork so they deffered it until FEB!!!! So no need to review plants!!

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Ahh. I remember you saying now.
I'd love to have a collection of something but i'm like a kid in a sweet shop with plants i'd get half a dozen then move on to the next new thing i'd found.
I think my seed collection is the only collection i have. I think there must be nearly 300 different types of seed in packets in the fridge now. Lol

God knows what would happen if i decide to sow them all this spring.

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

I thought i had told you somehow................
Ahhhhhhhhhh well, i am not like that.......... i love me crocosmia, nothing will ever take its place!!!! Doesnt mean i dont like other plants.......... course i do!!
I cannot for the life of me fathom why seed is sooooooooooooooooo exciting................. i would sooner buy the plant than the seed!!!
300 types in your fridge...................... where does the butter live???????

You will need a field if you grow them all in spring!!!!!

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Hehe.. I have 2 fridges one for beer and seed and one for the "i can't believe its not butter"

I buy plants too. I'm not weird or nothin lol

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh 2 fridges........................... brilliant
one with the important stuff in and the other with food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL....................................

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Food.... or ladies things Lol

Only joking... don't get any Germain grears going mad. (i know i must have spelt that name wrong)

Caistor, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Food and ladies things........................
Ladies things??????????? such as??? LOL

Who is germaine grear???? the name rings a bell, but cannot place her

(Zone 5a)

Hi guys! Mark -that is a very neat looking plant!

I prefer buying plants too, but here the selection is so limited that growing from seed is often the only way to get the plant that I want! And I'm also like a kid in a candy store - I want everything! Spent two whole days last week going through the AGS seedlist and had a horrible time narrowing it down to only 30! lol

Mike - that's a good idea to have two fridges! I need a second one for seed :-) Might sell my DH on the idea if he gets to keep beer in it too! lol 300 packs of seed?? Wow - that is quite a collection!!

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

You know ladies things Kitchen stuff.... It was a sexist joke.
A bit like a northern circuit comedian.... I say, now take my wife..... no realy please take her. ha ha ha.!

Germaine Grear is a Feminist. I'm not saying any more for fear of ladies burning there bra's outside my house.......... actually where is my soap box!

We started with 2 for xmas drinks and food etc then it just kind of stayed. It's amazing how much its used. Its a fridge freezer so we have 2 freezers as well. Both are full now of course!

Do you really need a fridge in iceland? Can't you just leave stuff outside?

(Zone 5a)

Yes we could at the moment - well it would be a freezer now ;-) But it's not stable enough - too many temp. fluctuations. We often put sodas outside to cool for parties ..... very practical - and I can turn the laundry room into a walk-in fridge for b-day parties to keep the cakes cool - well at least in January. Last September it was too warm outside and I had to make room in the fridge - it really was a bother!

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Cake??? Did some one mention Cake??
Does it post well?

Mike

(Zone 5a)

LOL - I'm afraid not :-)

Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8b)

Dang!

where is my wife with that fridge full of food?

(Zone 5a)

I just figured out that I could also use that extra fridge to store cakes in when it's not cold enough outside to use the laundryroom - now I really need it! :-)

Yorkshire,

ROFLMBO

MIKE stop it man, you've got me in stitches!!

Terri

Lincoln Park, MI(Zone 5a)

Hey Mark............you better have room in your frig.............for lots of chocolates......when your guest arrives...;o)

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