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Earlier this year I took the opportunity to buy a small plant from Aberconwy Nurseries. It is growing vigorously
in the greenhouse and is creeping so strongly that I may be forced to fix it to a framework.
I have been surprised at how enthusiastically it has grown and flowered. I bought it from Aberconwy Nursery. Their label says: "Choice partially epiphytic evergreen for acid to neutral bark rich soil. Beautiful, pendent, red lantern flowers over a long period. Prostrate. Warm sheltered peat bed, alpine house or conservatory in shade." Writing in the Bulletin of the AGS in 2008, Chris Brickell says: "Native to temperate rainforests in southern Chile and Argentina, Sarmienta repens grows as an epiphyte on mossy branches and rocks, forming mats or hummocks of semi-woody stems clothed in opposite pairs of fleshy, deep green leaves to 2.5cm long. In summer pendent, tubular, urn shaped, crimson scarlet flowers, 2.5-3cm long with exserted stamens are produced singly from the leaf axils. Grow in a humus-rich compost containing fine bark chippings or leaf-mould. Propagate by separating rooted stems in spring or from summer-rooted cuttings." Writing about the same show a year later, Paul Ranson says: "This former Farrer Medal winner was pipped at the post on the day. More than ten years old, it is never repotted, its leafy, humusy compost being refreshed with judicious applications of ericaceous liquid feed. At home in East Anglia it lives under the greenhouse bench for most of the year and seems to thrive on this regime of benign neglect. Draped over a piece of bog oak it formed a massive vertical sheet of vibrant dark orange flowers." |
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| 3rd June 2007 | ||
