Clianthus, Glory Pea, Lobster Claw, Parrot-Beak, Red Kowhai 'Roseus'

A fantastic ornamental bush, very easy to grow in containers and quite underrated and unknown for no reason! It' s origin is New Zealand...Read More, where summers are quite cool. My location in South Europe has hot and dry summers, so I thought it would not do well here. I was proved wrong, as it is a very fast growing and rewarding plant. In spring it makes splendid flower flushes, as it blooms repeatedly and blooms are quite large. During the summer plants are not so happy and growth stops, but they survive well. I keep them in a position with morning sun only, especially during the hot summer. Grows very easy from seed. I repot the plants every year in larger pots, as they benefit from more space.

Bought two plants at a garden show 18 months ago. These were left in small pots in the garden and were almost totally stripped of their ...Read Moreleaves by snails, who love them.

Placed in larger pots surrounded by slug pellets and raised off the ground on bricks, both plants survived and were transplanted into a wooden crate place against the wall of our house. Surrounded of course by slug pellets.

Both plants are now 3 foot tall and I now intend to transplant them in a purpose built flower bed, with a six foot wall as a back drop.

This should give me the chance to arrange the right type of soil for their needs. The one problem I have encountered is the different type of advice given, from independant, to RHS sites. I have glemed that the plant likes free draining soil, as it has done so well in a wooden crate filled wtih Horizon compost, then that is what I intend to start with.

The aspect of the wooden crate and the new flowerbed are east, the diffence between the two is that the new flowerbed, due to being more open and having no building obscure its position, also recieves sun from the south, once the sun revolves around the building.

Having studied this plant I was surprised it sailed through a British winter without cover and is healthy. Next year I hope for flowers.

I have to say this has to be the best plant I have ever grown. It was given to me as a tiny wee thing, that I thought would never survive...Read More (by the real estate agent that my boyfriend bought his house from.)

The garden would make you want to cry ! Beautiful natives were being overrun by weeds etc... Anyway ..I made a space for the little thing that I knew was special in NZ history and gardening, and went about business of clearing the rest of the property. Four years later when we were had to move because of my husband job, this wonderful, overgrown monster was clearly in its element in a moist sunny location.

This is an absolutely wonderful species, that if you ever come across, please, plant! It will reward you many times over. The seed pods have the ability to germinate 10, 20 or 30 years (in the right location). It can be grown as a climber, or a tree. But is a very special and under-appreciated species

Beautiful plant. The flowers are great and quite unique. Live here in Auck., NZ so I suppose it is the most suitable climate. I would thi...Read Morenk it likes fairly mild winters (no or little frost), and not too hot summers and plenty of water. Don't know if this helps though... cheers.