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alkaloidal

P.Viridis & B.Caapi Melbourne growing conditions?

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Hey all,

Those of you living in melbourne and other cooler parts of Australia, what conditions do you recommend for growing these plants?

Will they survive fine outdoors over the summer, or would they prefer windowsill, or greenhouse like conditions?

Thanks in advance!

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I have some small B.caapi that are in pots and have survived a few winters outside. Admittedly they are under cover in a sun room/greenhouse. They are exposed to the cold temps, but not the frost or wind. They are doing alright. They do sulk a bit over winter, but shoot out new growth as the weather warms up.

Now the P.viridis is another story.... I bought a pretty good size plant... all green and lush... and as winter approached it just turned to shit. It lives in the same conditions as the caapi...under cover, but it is just looking sad. I also purchased a P.nexus which seems to do a lot better in Melbourne in the growing in the conditions i am providing.

It would be good to have several plants and try them in different areas of your yard hey.

Bloody Melbourne.

:)

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throw the viridis in a see thru plastic container of appropiate size, over winter, and keep her, in your heated quaters, near a window. that was the only way, i could keep viridis alive, in cold countries...

once in a while open, the box, to let air in and check the moisture level of the potting mix.

keep a small gap maybe...

once, it get warm again outdoors, you, open the lid wider/ or more often, to acclimatise, the plant for a summer just out doors, under shade cloth, or the balcony....

Edited by planthelper

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i got a viridis off of you last summer PH, and although it died back a bit over winter, it has sprung back to life a bit, just under a coke bottle on a veranda. next winter i might try bringing it inside, see if that helps it keep a bit more foliage through the cold.

one of us melbournites needs to win the lotto and construct a huge, heated greenhouse that we can all grow our tropicals in :P it really is depressing thinking which babies you may lose every winter. might be best not to try and grow them here, but can you blaim us? :P

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i feel your reply dionysus, but tropical plant's, are so much more special, if you have them where it's cold, instead of there native and warm, habitat.

hmm, i hope you understand my drift,

looking at a viridis, in a cold mel winter, would warm my heart more (to look at), than a,

viridis on a warm day, in the tropics. :)

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Thanks for the advice Planthelper. I prefer not to have to 'baby' plants, but i guess sometimes somethings need a little extra attention if you want to see them thrive.

:)

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i meant baby metaphorically, as in, plants i love as much as my own children (i say this childless, when i have real kids of my own my opinion may change :P ) all my plants are 'baby' plans, even some that are older than me lol>

worth noting though is my p. alba and p. carth do relatively fine, slow down lots during the cold and maybe lose 1 or 2 older leaves, but healthy as compaired to p. viridis :)

on a similar note, do iboga do okay in the melbourne climate, if protected? ive been a little hesitant to add one to my collection just in case. there is nice tabernaemontana in a front garden nearby my house, perhaps one of these will suit me more than iboga. (sorry for the thread hijack)

Edited by dionysus

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i meant baby metaphorically, as in, plants i love as much as my own children (i say this childless, when i have real kids of my own my opinion may change :P ) all my plants are 'baby' plans, even some that are older than me lol>

 

My children are my children, my plants are my plants.... and my dogs are my babies :).

'Pamper' was the word i was looking for... i prefer not to have to baby pamper my plants (well, natures plants!).

:) :)

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