Tricosanthes
Photo credit: nature products.net
This flower blooms in the mountainous regions of Myanmar. It grows on a vine which is a member of the cucumber family ( Cucurbitaceae). In the winter it produces fruit of really bright, fiery red colour.
Photo credit: natureproducts.net
This close up of its flower shows the almost ragged looking frills that are its petals and are present when it first opens. The plant grows at a furious rate. A seed planted in warm wet conditions will have produced a climber big enough to cover an area of more than ten square feet after two months.
Heliconia
Photo credit: pbase.com
This is originally a jungle flower which is related to the banana. It is now cultivated under glass and in tropical regions as a decorative flower. These are not at all hardly and need to be protected at all times although some varieties have been developed that will withstand slightly lower temperatures once the flowers have died off. The flowers themselves have very fine hairs along the petals and these can cause skin irritation in some people.
Naked Coral Tree
Photo credit: latimes.blog
The naked coral tree blooms several times each year. These trees can be grown in gardens in mild climates and will grow up to thirty feet high, producing a whole host of amazing flowers. Colours range from white, through browns of different shades to pinks and reds. In the autumn the green leaves turn a golden brown colour and make the tree look like a living sculpture.
Cockspur Coral Tree
Photo credit: terryco.us
This is the national flower of Argentina. Because of their rainforest origin these plants bloom serveral times per year but it is difficult to get seed (or beans) from them when they are grown out of their natural environment. The tree loses its leaves in cooler weather but in spite of its origin it can survive a little frost. It grows to about twelve feet high and has a soft wooden trunk a bit like balsa wood in texture and density.
Bolivian Fuschia
Photo credit: strangewonderfulthings.com
This strangely beautiful Bolivian rain forest tree sends out long hanging clusters of flowers for most of the year. These stems are around four inches long and the flowers open in succession right down the stem over a few months. Once the blooms have gone this fuschia forms small green fruit which is said to be very tasty.
Pink Puya
Photo credit: strangewonderfulthings.com
This is a very rare species which is native to Argentina. The goreous pink, blue, mauve and white flowers actually change colour as the flowers mature. This one can be grown in mild climates as it's hardy down to about twenty degrees.
