Exotic Plant Seeds

Bird of Paradise – Seeds (Strelitzia reginae)

Bird of Paradise is one of the world’s most striking ornamental plants, prized for its dramatic flowers that resemble tropical birds in flight. With vibrant orange and blue petals, it brings an exotic touch to gardens, patios, or conservatories. Though slow to flower from seed, the reward is a spectacular, long-lasting display that makes it a true centerpiece plant.

Why Grow "Bird of Paradise"

• Exotic orange-and-blue flowers resembling birds in flight

• Stunning architectural foliage year-round

• Long-lived, impressive container or garden plant

• A tropical showpiece with dramatic visual impact

Key Features

• Type: Perennial (Strelitzia reginae)

• Height: 1–1.5 m

• Flowering: Typically 3–5 years from seed, then annually

• Position: Full sun to partial shade

• Uses: Specimen plant, patios, conservatories, tropical-style gardens

Ideal For

• Creating a tropical centerpiece indoors or outdoors

• Container growing for patios and conservatories

• Adding dramatic, exotic flair to gardens

• Patient gardeners seeking a rewarding long-term plant

Sowing & Growing

• Scarify seeds and soak in warm water for 24–48 hours before sowing

• Sow indoors: Anytime with heat (20–25°C)

• Germination: May take 1–3 months

• Transplant seedlings into pots, spacing well

• Requires well-drained soil, regular feeding, and patience to flower

Mixed Cacti – Seeds

Mixed Cacti is a collection of hardy, slow-growing succulent plants perfect for indoor or outdoor rockeries, terrariums, and container gardens. These unique plants feature a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures, adding exotic charm to any collection. Ideal for hobby gardeners, collectors, and low-maintenance garden enthusiasts.

Why Grow Mixed Cacti?

• Variety of unique shapes, sizes, and textures

• Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant

• Perfect for indoor, outdoor, or container planting

• Adds exotic appeal to any garden or collection

Key Features

• Type: Succulent / Cacti

• Height: Varies by species

• Flowers: Seasonal (species-dependent)

• Position: Full sun to partial shade

• Soil: Well-drained, sandy or cactus mix

Ideal For

• Terrariums, rockeries, and container gardens

• Indoor and outdoor succulent collections

• Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant plantings

• Gardeners and collectors seeking variety

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April in seed trays

• Sow outdoors: April–May in well-drained soil

• Germination: 2–6 weeks, depending on species

• Spacing: Plant according to mature size

• Care: Minimal watering; avoid overwatering

Sweet Melon 'Ananas' – Seeds (Cucumis melo)

The Sweet Melon 'Ananas' is a highly aromatic variety, well known for its sweet, juicy flesh with a tropical fragrance reminiscent of pineapple. The oval fruits have a golden-yellow skin with light netting and can reach up to 1.5–2 kg in weight. Their refreshing, honeyed flavour makes them ideal for summer desserts, fruit salads, smoothies, or simply eaten fresh.

A heat-loving crop, this melon thrives in sunny, sheltered conditions and can be grown in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or outdoors during a warm summer.

How to Grow

• Sow indoors: March – April, 1 cm deep in pots at 20–25°C

• Transplant outdoors/greenhouse: May – June, after the last frost

• Spacing: 60–100 cm apart

• Position: Full sun, warm and sheltered

• Soil: Fertile, well-drained, rich in organic matter

• Care: Train vines, remove side shoots, and feed with a high-potash fertiliser once fruit sets

Key Features

• Aromatic, sweet flesh with a pineapple-like fragrance

• Oval golden-yellow fruits, up to 2 kg

• Excellent for fresh eating and summer desserts

• Reliable performer in greenhouse, polytunnel, or outdoors in warm summers

• Heavy-yielding under the right conditions

Sowing & Harvest

• Sow: March – April

• Harvest: July – September

Sensitive Plant – Seeds (Mimosa pudica)

The Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica) is a fascinating tropical species known for its unique response to touch—its fern-like leaves fold instantly when disturbed. A fast-growing annual houseplant, it also produces delicate pink, fluffy, ball-shaped flowers. Perfect as a curiosity plant for children and adults alike, it thrives in pots indoors or on sunny patios in summer.

Why Grow "Sensitive Plant"

• Leaves fold instantly when touched

• Produces charming pink puffball flowers

• Fun and educational for children

• Easy to grow indoors or outdoors in summer

Key Features

• Type: Tender annual (Mimosa pudica)

• Height: 30–45 cm

• Flowering: Summer (pink spherical blooms)

• Position: Full sun to partial shade

• Uses: Indoor pots, patios, novelty plant

Ideal For

• Houseplant collections

• Kids’ educational gardening

• Patios and summer containers

• Novelty and conversation piece

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April, surface sow and cover lightly

• Germination: 14–21 days at 20–25°C

• Transplant seedlings into pots when large enough

• Water regularly, avoid waterlogging

• Grow as an annual or overwinter in warm conditions

Ornamental Rice ‘Black Madras’ – Seeds (Oryza sativa)

Add striking contrast to your garden with Ornamental Rice ‘Black Madras’, a unique variety prized for its deep purple-black foliage and upright, grass-like habit. Its dramatic color makes it an excellent accent in borders, containers, and water gardens. While not grown for grain, this ornamental rice provides bold texture and contrast to flowering plants.

Why Grow ‘Black Madras’?

• Unique dark purple-black leaves

• Upright, grass-like growth habit

• Stunning contrast in borders and pots

• Low-maintenance and fast-growing

Key Features

• Type: Ornamental grass (annual in cool climates)

• Height: 40–50 cm

• Foliage: Deep purple-black

• Position: Full sun, moist soil

• Use: Containers, mixed borders, water garden edges

Ideal For

• Modern and tropical-style gardens

• Containers and patio pots

• Borders needing strong foliage contrast

• Water garden or pond margins

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: March–April in warmth (20–25°C)

• Germination: 14–21 days

• Transplant outdoors after frost into moist soil or pots

• Keep soil consistently damp for best foliage color

Tip: Plant in groups for maximum impact and combine with light-colored flowers for dramatic contrast.

Mexican Butterfly Weed ‘Red’ – Seeds (Asclepias curassavica)

Mexican Butterfly Weed ‘Red’ is a vibrant, nectar-rich perennial attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Its bright red, clustered flowers bloom from summer to autumn, creating a bold splash of color in borders, beds, and pollinator gardens. Easy to grow and low-maintenance, this variety supports wildlife while adding tropical flair and long-lasting beauty to your garden.

Why Grow "Red Mexican Butterfly Weed"

• Bright red, clustered flowers from summer to autumn

• Nectar-rich, attracting butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds

• Low-maintenance and easy to grow

• Perfect for pollinator-friendly gardens and vibrant borders

Key Features

• Type: Perennial (Asclepias curassavica)

• Height: 60–90 cm

• Flowering: Summer to autumn

• Position: Full sun

• Uses: Borders, beds, pollinator gardens, wildlife-friendly planting

Ideal For

• Supporting pollinators and wildlife in the garden

• Adding bright red color to borders and beds

• Cottage and mixed garden designs

• Gardeners seeking low-maintenance, nectar-rich plants

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: 6–8 weeks before last frost

• Sow outdoors: After frost danger has passed

• Germination: 10–20 days

• Space seedlings: 30–40 cm apart

• Prefers well-drained soil and full sun

Angel Wings ‘Dr Badger’s’ Hybrids Mix – 1,000 Seeds (Schizanthus wisetonensis)

Angel Wings ‘Dr Badger’s’ Hybrids (Schizanthus wisetonensis) is a stunning annual producing delicate, fringed blooms in a mix of vibrant colors. Its compact, bushy habit makes it perfect for borders, containers, and rockeries. Easy to grow and long-flowering, it adds a touch of exotic beauty to gardens while attracting pollinators.

Why Grow "Dr Badger’s Hybrids"

• Fringed, vibrant blooms in assorted colors

• Compact, bushy growth habit

• Long flowering season from summer to autumn

• Attracts bees and butterflies

Key Features

• Type: Annual (Schizanthus wisetonensis)

• Height: 20–40 cm

• Flowering: June–September

• Position: Full sun to partial shade

• Uses: Borders, containers, rockeries, pollinator-friendly gardens

Ideal For

• Cottage-style and ornamental borders

• Container planting and patios

• Pollinator-friendly gardens

• Rockeries and small garden beds

Sowing & Growing

• Sow indoors: February–April in seed trays or pots

• Sow outdoors: After last frost in prepared soil

• Germination: 10–20 days at 18–20°C

• Thin seedlings to 15–20 cm apart

• Prefers well-drained soil and sunny positions

• Deadhead occasionally to encourage prolonged flowering

Angel Wings Mix Seeds (Schizanthus wisetonensis)

Add a touch of exotic charm to your garden with Angel Wings Mix, also known as the Poor Man’s Orchid. This striking annual produces delicate, orchid-like blooms in a brilliant mix of pink, purple, red, and white, often with intricate markings. Compact and free-flowering, it’s perfect for borders, containers, and adding a vibrant splash of color all summer long.

What Makes It Special

• Orchid-like flowers at a fraction of the effort

• Vibrant multi-colored blooms with intricate patterns

• Long-lasting summer display

Key Features

• Height: 30–45 cm

• Annual, bushy habit

• Blooms: early summer to autumn

• Easy to grow and prolific flowerer

Ideal For

• Borders, bedding, and cottage gardens

• Containers and patio pots

• Pollinator-friendly displays

Sowing

• Sow indoors Feb–Apr at 15–18°C

• Germination: 14–21 days

• Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle

• Plant out after last frost in sun or partial shade

Banana Passionfruit Seeds (Passiflora mollissima)

Banana Passionfruit is a vigorous, fast-growing perennial vine with exotic, banana-shaped fruits and striking passionflower blooms. Ideal for trellises, pergolas, and garden screens, it thrives in sunny, well-drained locations. Hardy and ornamental, it attracts pollinators while producing unique, edible fruits.

What Makes It Special

• Exotic banana-shaped fruits with sweet, aromatic pulp

• Striking passionflower blooms

• Vigorous, fast-growing, and pollinator-friendly

Key Features

• Botanical name: Passiflora mollissima

• Perennial vine

• Height: 3–6 m spread

• Bloom time: Summer to autumn

• Fruit: Edible, banana-shaped, aromatic

Ideal For

• Trellises, pergolas, and garden screens

• Pollinator-friendly plantings

• Fruit gardens and ornamental vines

Sowing

• Sow indoors year-round in a warm environment

• Cover seeds lightly with soil

• Germination: 3–6 weeks at 20–25°C

• Space seedlings 1–2 m apart

• Fruits and flowers develop 1–2 years after sowing