small shrub/tree

[ethandron]

out walking this week, i passed a garden with a really lovely little tree/shrub and would love to know what it is.
it was about 3-4ft high, dark black shiney branches, bright blue flowers which hung down and became like small lanterns as they dried. any ideas?? thanks.

[LoftyLottie]

You have got me searching through books andt he internet I am puzzled!! I will keep trying xx

[rowanwitch]

me too there are not that many bright blue flowered plants let alone shrubs......is there any chance it is a shrub with a climber scrambling through it...What sort of blue...light bright or purple blue

[rowanwitch]

Two possibilities Leschenaultia has a couple of true blue varieties with downward hanging seed pods but the flowers dont really hang down
or Jacaranda mimosifolia although it is normally grown a lot bigger and doesn't normally grow in the uk as far as I am aware///the seed pods are more lanterny not sure about the shiny black stems though... some hibiscus have blue flowers and papery seed cases but have green or light brown stems

what were the leaves like?

[ethandron]

thanks very much for your input ladies. i've searched the internet high and low, and gone through my gardening books to no avail. it's none of those you mention rowan but thanks for trying :)
i'm going to have to go past it again and take a closer look, can't remember what the leaves were like, might even knock on the door and ask the owner what it is.
thanks.

[webbo3]

Ill ask in work tomorrow as I work i na garden centre, one of the people who work in the outdoor plant section may know.



Dave.

[hippyhoppy]

Sorry to intrude.. but.. Dave!!! {{hugs}} xxx

[webbo3]

lol @ hippyhoppy. x

[Robinia]

All I can think of are ceanothus and caryopteris but they don't exactly fit the bill apart from the colour...there's an agapanthus with black stems 'Back In Black' but that's not a shrub.

[rowanwitch]

might be it though...a big clump would be the right height could look like a shrub if you only glanced at it and it has downward hanging bells and forms large seedpods

[LoftyLottie]

I went and inspected my Leschenaultia who has now been taken into the conservatory for the winter (It just beautiful now with it's red leaves and bright blue flowers). Had a look at it's stems - and no they are not black!!

Think Rowan and Robinia are right with their thoughts on agapanthos.

http://www.pioneerpla...0in%20Black.small.jpg

xx

[ethandron]

no, defo not agapanthus, i have two and am familiar with them. this shrub has many branches, like a small tree, but very black. have just driven past the house but couldn't really see much from the car. will have to knock next time i walk past just to satisfy my curiosity...and put you lot out of your misery too :)
nothing that i google comes up with anything remotely like it, it's really stunning in it's colour scheme and the lovely lantern shaped flowers/seed pods. almost like a bleeding heart plant but much bigger and more shrub like, and obviously a completely different colour.
webbo, it will be interesting to hear what your colleagues at the garden centre think.

[LoftyLottie]

????

http://www.andersonse...oduct_view.php?id=546

[ethandron]

nope, nice try though :o)

[LoftyLottie]

I think it must be a specimen brought back from overseas!!

I'm getting obsessed with this now x

[ethandron]

i'm beginning to think so too, although it's just in an ordinary front garden amongst other ordinary plants so i wonder how it's survived. and to be flowering at this time of year too. although i suppose it could be from a chilly high himalay's type of place.

[alexanderd]

If you walk past tomorrow call in and ask, put us all out of our misery please

[ethandron]

hello alexanderd, didn't think you surfaced until saturday evening ;)

[Robinia]

I said caryopteris Lottie, please pay attention ;o)

Well ethandron, my last offerings are penstemon and one of the plumbagos...they don't really fit accurately but c'mon, you're driving us mad here, can you nip down there & take a pic please? :o)

[LoftyLottie]

:o( crying now!! Robinia has upset me.............

[Robinia]

blame ethandron, she started it :o)

It's probably a silk plant, haha.