Bixa orellana, Annatto

Bixa orellana 
 showing flowers and decorative seed pods

Pick up an old copy of National Geographic Magazine and you are likely to see pictures of Amazon Indians with their bodies decorated in bright red 'paint' made from the seeds of the Bixa tree, a native to central and southern America. It is still cultivated by the Ecuadorian Siona Indians. The plant also made the journey to the Philippines taken there by the sea-faring Spanish and to Timor by the Portugese. Bixa seeds yield the spice annatto called achuete in Philipino where it is used to colour the beef stew kari-kari. Seeds can be fried in oil if you are making a paella or other rice dishes.Though tropical in origin Bixa is hardy in most warm temperate climates and will tolerate light frost. It requires adequate water over summer and will grow to about 3 to 5 metres in height.

Antigonon leptopus,Coral Vine

Antigonon leptopus
 Coral Vine from Mexico and Central America

Looking through old Nursery catalogues is always interesting to see what was offered for sale in days gone by. This climber appears in the 1933 list of Anderson & Co Ltd whose retail establishment was at 399-401 George St. in central Sydney. I have yet to see it growing in any gardens locally though it is still common further north and in Brisbane. It is quite a rampant climber over summer and is continually in flower with bright pink pendant racemes.It climbs by means of forked tendrils on stems and flower clusters which jump onto any nearby tree or whatever happens to be in its path. One garden writer who sees this as a charming habit says that the 'sight of the flowers at the top of large trees is an enchanting phenomenon in the landscape'. I couldn't agree more but few are brave enough to allow climbers to romp with gay abandon.

It will tolerate light frost and can be cut back quite hard if desired after flowering as new growth after winter is rapid.It is otherwise fairly drought hardy and not particular as to soil type.
2017 update: I still grow it and propagate on request.

Hibiscus sabdariffa, Rosella

Crimson red calyces of Rosella (the calyx is the outermost layer of the flower)Yellow Hibiscus like flower and maturing Rosella fruit

Having grown up eating Rosella jam, it was interesting to grow this annual vegetable or fruit plant again. The leaves are edible so it can be called a vegetable. It is just not quite hot enough to get a huge crop this far south as Rosella is really a tropical annual planted at the beginning of the wet season. Asian food expert Charmaine Solomon gives an interesting recipe for a Burmese sour soup (chin ye hin) in one of her books using the leaves which have a similar sharp tang as French sorrel. The fruit have a high vitamin C content and make great sauces, jams and jellies. Above all though, you have not lived until you have drunk Hibiscus Rum Punch especially after a game of cricket in Jamaica where it is known as Flor de Jamaica .What you have to do is pour boiling water over some fresh rosella combined with a couple of cups of sugar, a few cloves and a cinnamon stick. Allow this to sit for a few days and then add dark rum to taste and allow to brew for a couple more days before straining and serving ice cold.

While on the subject of Rosellas I can't not mention the feathered variety which is a welcome visitor to gardens on the east coast of Australia. If you have a wild bird table a pair will often come to visit and become quite tame. Their distinctive mellow bell like call 'klee-kleekee' is delightful.

Crimson Rosella , Platycercus elegans

Stapelia leendertziae, Zulu Giant

Stapelia leendertziae
 Zulu Giant showing close-up of flower

This Stapelia is from South Africa and Swaziland where it occurs in poor rocky ground of mountainous regions. The genus Stapelia is named after the 17th century botanist Johannes van Stapel and this species was named to honour Miss Reino Leendertz a botanist from the Transvaal Museum who collected the plant near Heidelberg in 1909. Like the previously mentioned species this one likes to be kept on the dry side and will grow in sun or part shade .

2017 update: I am not sure whether i still have this one as species can look very similar when not in flower.

Stapelia gigantea pallida, Giant Toad Plant

Stapelia gigantea pallida in flower and about to be polinated by a blowfly

Photo showing balloon like flower buds of this Stapelia

Stapelia are from arid tropical regions of Africa and this one from Malawi is called the "Giant Toad Plant" or Carrion flower, a reference to the smell of the flower being similar to rotting meat and the flies which are attracted to it.The flowers are a bile yellow colour covered in a hairy purple fuzz. Sounds delightful .....but it is quite unique in the plant world and a real talking point when in flower. Because it likes it on the dry side it makes a good container or hanging basket plant and will happily grow indoors on a sunny window sill. I have grown it in the garden but stems rot easily during humid weather and it can turn to mush overnight.
Roots form readily on the square stems so propagation is easy and growth during the warm months is rapid.
2017 update: I usually have plants available for sale.

Tibouchina sp., Lasiandra or Princess Flower

March is the month when the rich glowing purple flowers of Tibouchinas can be seen at their best in gardens up and down the east coast. They are normally associated with the New South Wales town of Alstonville where there is a festival in March to celebrate this beauty from Brazil. Some species of Tibouchina can grow to be tree size up to 10 metres but most are well rounded shrubs to about 3 metres with soft velvety green leaves with the odd leaf turning scarlet during cold weather. It only tolerates light frost and prefers a rich soil with adequate water . Older shrubs can become a bit sparse with die-back occurring on some branches but it otherwise tough.White and pink flowering cultivars are also available but it is the iridescent and gaudy purple flowering form which is the real winner.
Tibouchina can be grown under trees for more frost protection without any reduction in flower quantity.

Tibouchina showing purple and white flowering forms

2017 update: I don't have plants of it available for sale

Solanum melongena,eggplant or aubergine

It was great to see current First Lady Michelle Obama on the evening news talking about the new 1100sq.ft vegetable plot planned for the south lawn at the White House.The vegetable and fruit garden will also include a couple of bee hives and will be visible to passers-by on E street in Washington.Mrs Obama said that part of her aim was to educate children about healthful locally grown food at a time when obesity and diabetes have become a national concern.Fifty five varieties of vegetables will be planted from a wish list of the kitchen staff overseen by White House assistant chef Sam Kass and head gardener Dale Haney (pictured below.)

Solanum melongena
 eggplant or aubergine

I wonder if eggplants will be grown in the White House vegetable plot? They are not really suited to cooler regions and need a clear seven month growing period without frost to produce a good crop.During this time, they need constant water and regular side dressings of fertilizer but are otherwise fairly hardy and are not affected by pests or diseases. Caterpillars sometimes bore small holes in the fruit but really only do surface damage.The plants are decorative and are ideal to grow in containers or amongst flowers in a more ornamental setting.

When it comes to cooking with eggplant ,I always turn to Claudia Roden's A new book of Middle Eastern food. (Penguin books) She describes them ..the appearance of the vegetable,shiny,at times subtle and gentle in colour ,but more often fierce and blue black,has stirred the imagination of people ,who have given it ,in turn,gentle virtues and malicious magical powers..
I particularly like her simple Turkish recipes such as eggplant stuffed with meat and pine nuts (Sheikh el Mahshi Betingan)

Eggplants are also a big part of Asian cooking and the variety I like to buy at Asian vegetable markets is the small pea sized Thai eggplant Solanum torvum known as makhua puang. This grows to be quite a large bush up to 2 metres with round leaves and spiny stems. It is also grown in the Seychelles and West Indies where it is known as gully bean or susumber. They have a bitter taste but when added whole to a Thai green curry help to allay some of the sweetness from palm sugar and coconut cream.