Here are some other giants I found while surfing for the name of the plant that I saw in Scotland (just to be sure that in fact it was from the same family, which I have yet to figure out. Oh well, give me time). This looks somewhat like the one that I saw in Scotland. They are related; they have the same genus. It's name is Gunnera insignis, more commonly known as "Sombrilla de Pobre" (umbrella of the poor). It is a native of the rain forests of Central America and South America.
This one is Darmera peltata, also called by some "Umbrella Plant". It looks like it could be a cross between the Astilboides tabularis that I planted in my garden and the "Umbrella of the Poor". The flowers of all these plants are facinating. They seem to be relics from the times of the dinosaurs. And they have the size to be too!
HERE are the plants that I saw in Scotland! I just found them. I love Google!! They are called Gunnera manicata. I could walk right under the canopy of the Gunnera manicata that I saw in Scotland with just a little hunching over. I wonder how big they must get in the rainforest where they don't have to worry about going dormant for the winter! Spring Hill Nursery sells them, but they say that they are zone 7-10. Is Scotland really 7-10? I don't think so. They get snow, and I have been told that it gets really cold in the winter. And I saw these in the Highlands where it gets the coldest. There must be a hardier variety out there somewhere or they really don't know what COLD is in Scotland!BTW- did you know that -40 degrees Farenheit is -40 degrees Centigrade? I learned that from an Aussie couple I befriended in Ireland. I just checked it on Temperature Converter and by golly, they were right!
6 comments:
Even in the Highlands? Really? Zone 7? That is so strange. Now I know that those damn Scotts don't know what COLD really is! Big babies!
Oops, I meant "Scots". I get a little fat-fingered sometimes.
Anyway, ScbNymph, thanks for letting me know that I helped out. I like to be helpful. It just made my day!
Yeah, those things definitely look like leftovers from the dinosaur era. And like they belong in a jungle. The Elephant's Ear plants are getting popular here in NJ. I think they just look weird. Like they don't belong here.
Elephant's Ear is too much work for me. I don't want to grow anything that I have to dig up and store. Although I did buy some dahlias this year. But I have planted them in pots so all I have to do is bring in the pots. Elephant Ear would need to go in way too big of a pot for me to contemplate that one.
I love Gunnera's or anything with big foliage. I have one in my Zone6-8 garden. You couldn't dig it up and store it even if you wanted to. I cover it with shredded leaves and then cover it with its own leaves after the frost kills them. I then put a big plastic pot on top to keep excess rain off the crown. I wouldn't be without this plant!
Rub it in, oh Sandy of the zone 6-8! :)
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