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Way back in 2006 I was sent Aeschynanthus novogracilis from China. It was a good thing and I was sad when it died (I don't remember what happened).
While rummaging around in the past I discovered that A. novogracilis is a synonym of It didn't take a moments thought, I ordered two plug plants and they arrived this morning. In the intervening period I have had a look at my pictures of A. novogracilis and realised thay are actuallyA. buxifolius, which is a very good, hardy plant. Now I have two plants of A. gracilis which is probably not hardy and I don't know what to do. One will spend the winter in the conservatory to see if it will survive with just frost protection. The other will stay in the greenhouse to see if it will survive. I don't have a lot of hope, but it is worth trying. Plants of the World online says: "The native range of this species is E. Himalaya to China (S. Yunnan) and N. Indo-China. It is an epiphytic subshrub and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome." The Flora of China says: "On trees in forested valleys; 1300-1700m. S. Yunnan (Bhutan, N Myanmar, Sikkim, Thailand, N. Vietnam)." Singh, et al say: "In North-eastern states of India, the population of A. gracilis is increasingly exposed to disturbance due to forest clearance for jhum cultivation, mining and small timber purposes. These factors together are threatening habitat and the existence of the species in the wild. In view of high intensity of disturbance to its natural habitat, the species might become extinct in the near future, unless adequate conservation measures for the species are taken. The species can be conserved in situ through habitat protection as well as undertaking several ex situ conservation measures such as multiplying and introducing the species in the wild through micro-propagation, establishing field gene banks and conserving the species in the existing institutional botanical gardens. " |
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| 30th October 2026 | ||