OK, so I'm going to try something new in my constant battle to keep this blog updated: 'featured plant' posts.
I was going to call it 'plant of the month' but let's see how I go at keeping it up.
This month's special - hot off the lorry from Holland - is the Chamaedorea Metallica.
The common Chamaedorea is the C. Elegans, otherwise known as the Parlour Palm.
This looks really nothing like it, having broad, flat leaves with a distinct metallic sheen to them, hence the name.
My reason for ordering some in is that they have a reputation for toughness, and I have a client with a very difficult brief to fulfil, namely a sometimes very cold, sometimes hot, sunny indoor walkway.
I've said before that there is a right plant for each location. But the obvious choice for high light and extremes of temperature is the Yucca, which wouldn't fit in the troughs we are using in this site, especially as the plants are sited near handrails, and Yuccas' leaves are quite sharp. So my Dutch grower suggested these...
The job in question is still in the pipeline, but I've taken the opportunity to get some C. Metallicas in, so my team can try them out and see what their performance is like.
Jonathan