Kristin, this is a good shade plant that hummers like here. At least they do here, anyway.

Patricia

You have the most amazing plants! This is another that I have never heard of.

Well I just went and looked it up and found that it is native to India. Priya may be familar with this plant...common name Phillipine Violet

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Yes, I have taken lots of cutting from plants in the wild or seeds if they have them, but not everything 'takes' as you know. The Hamelia patens seemed to do good, then 'it died'... But the original is still OK.
The Barleria cristata seems to produce seeds, so if they do, I will 'post' when they are available. I saw this one when visiting a friend of a friend and had never seen one before. So, I smiled nicely.....
I also came across a few other plants I had been looking for, when we wee driving through a National Park in the rainforest. My friend had one, that sprouted in her garden, and I had asked her to look for seeds. But, I found the Razisea spicata and hopefully they will survive! I also came across a large Combretum fruticosum,by the side of the road, so we had to watch out for it on the way back home. It has really unusual blooms that look like hairy caterpillars. The colors vary on the branches. I had a hard time trying to find the name of this one, the first time I saw one.



Another was a pink Allamanda but I don't know the species.


A good trip!!

Now that is a really cool plant and it does look like a hairy caterpillar!

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

At least it doesn't bite!

Good one Patricia! I did recall the incident of that caterpillar that stung you over the summer.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

That does look like a beautiful flower, Patricia.
Penny, I don't remember having seen this plant, but it could just be that it does not grow well in the blazing heat of my hometown.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

Hi Patricia. I've heard of Barleria, vaguely, but not those other two you mentioned--Razisea spicata and Combretum fruticosum. Those two genera are completely unfamiliar to me. I'll have to look both of them up, and also do some reading on Barleria.

As I type this, my Login Status says I am "Logged in as Kristinbirds." Everything seems normal, but I'm not sure what will happen when I click "Respond with kindness and Hummingbird Love." Ever since I got my new security system, and even when the screen says I am logged in, most of the time it will not allow me to post my messages. Occasionally it does, but usually not. I am still having no luck figuring it out.

If you see this, Bob, any ideas? If this continues, I'll probably be emailing you one of these days.

Patricia, at one time I had a yellow-flowered Barleria, but I don't recall the species epithet. Hummers used it, though it was never a first choice here.

I love that Combretum! Yes, I've seen hummers lapping up its nectar on several trips to Costa Rica. Wish I knew a source of some.

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Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9

Nancy, I will check for seeds if the cutting survives! Also I will check when I pass the plant again, next time on the road to San Jose, and send some from Canada in the summer. It's one of the plants that you don't notice unless it is in bloom. And they are not 'all over the country'! I have only seen a few, but of course, 'never in a garden'!

Patricia, your characterization is as I recall. I've seen them only in Guanacaste. There was a very nice one at La Pacifica, which you will pass on your way in to San José. The Cinnamon Hummingbirds were especially taken with it. Maybe if I can grow it, my Buff-bellied will find it flavorsome!

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Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9

Nancy, we are not far from there, but I haven't noticed any from the road. Have to go in and 'check it out', when we go that way in a week or so. I'll tell them you sent me! There are a couple of small wild ones along the road and the very large one we took the cutting from, was not far from Esparza. We always stop at a restaurant near 'the spot' so hopefully we should be able to find it again.

Annie's Annuals used to sell Combretum fruticosum plants, but their website says they are not currently in production. I wonder if they will offer them next year.

In the meantime, I did find this source for seeds:

http://www.tropilab.com/combretum.html

I don't know if they're a quality company, but a packet of seeds is not too expensive.

Do check out Tropilab on Garden Watchdog before ordering.
This vine does look fantastic.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

Thanks, Priya. I was very tempted and noted that most of the negatives were from outside the United States, so other factors might be blamed for the perceived poor service. However, I don't need the Combretum that badly.

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Nancy L Newfield
Casa Colibrí
Metairie, Louisiana USA
USDA Zone 9