the oddest thing you have tried to grow

[Hana321]

I just thought it would be interesting to see what different people have attempted to grow in your various areas, and was it a success or a failure? I probably have many plants that are considered oddities given that I live in a very desert climate. However, i think topping the list of true oddities for me is a Coconut Palm. I am really reaching for the stars on this one. While we do have an excessive # of Palm Trees in California, there is only one case of Coconut Palms growing in California, and it is an isolated grouping of trees on a sunny, warm hillside in a beach area. I have not seen them personally, but I have heard of their existence.The tree I have is a very young, immature seedling. It seems to be pretty content so far, but I know that Coconut Palms are cold sensitive to a high degree, and winter here will be a deciding factor for my little tree. I am prepared to protect the tree the best I can, and we will see what the future holds. Curious to see what other out of element oddities others have tried.

[LivingParadise]

In terms of zone pushing, probably the coldest weather plant I've tried to grow was Sea Buckthorn. Like with all my other cold climate experiments, thus far I can get seeds to germinate and a plant to grow, but haven't had long-term success. It's probably possible, but would take a lot of work and dedication, which I really can't focus on because I just have too many plants at this point to focus a lot of energy on one.

I have a number of unusual plants though. I'm not sure what would be the weirdest, as I haven't had a chance to see them mature yet to really get a fair comparison. I will say that I find toothache plant to odd, in its ability to numb your whole mouth and throat (made the mistake once of eating a whole flower head at once, and then almost died because I stopped being able to breathe), and the extreme way it reseeds without any care whatsoever. So far Manilla Pink Tamarind Tree may also be a contender, with its tiny blue-gray leaves, spikes, and edible fruits that look like cooked shrimp hanging from branches. I also have a Cannonball Tree, and a Silk Floss Tree, and a Sausage Tree - all of which for me are oddities. But I don't know, every plant is odd if you think about it too much... it's hard to really compare until I've had a chance to see all of them reach maturity and had a full experience with each.

And some of my individual plants are weird in the way that they grow, or the things they manage to survive, or the strange fruit they put out, even if the species as a whole is not particularly unusual for my area. But I don't know if individual plant personalities count here!

[Daintree]

Two items come to mind - bush butter (dacryodes edulis) and Nigerian walnut (Plukenetia conophora). Because they are not normally cultivated, I really can't find anything about their needs.  So the whole experience has been a crapshoot.  But fun!
Because I have a  greenhouse, I don't need to worry about zone pushing.  More just a matter of trying to figure out what they want.

[greenman62]

i love the toothache plant.
i give one to every one who comes by
a couple  of people were not too happy.
i think it did take their breath away.
it never did me that at first, but if i eat a strong flower, it can.
once a very small bit got stuck in my windpipe,
 and yeah, i was gasping for breath.
its powerful medicine though. kills bad bacteria. i eat some every  morning
i have like 6 plants.


Devils claw was interesting...
very strange looking seeds.
its medicinal, and native to Southern USA.
i dont have good pics of it. this is all i have


but, you can see with google images
https://www.google.com/search?q=Devils+claw&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X

dagga has a neat flower.
its smoked in Jamaica as a replacement for marajuana
though, not as strong.



i had a Caapi vine for a bit, till frost in January killed it.
(Caapi is used in Ayahuasca)

Tilo (Justicia pectoralis) is another often used in Ayahuasca, but not strong on its own
its a medicinal, one compound is used as a blood thinner.
its a ground cover, easy to grow, and makes a good tea.

[Tropheus76]

I have a lot of weird stuff I grow in 9B Florida with mixed results. I have two Texas Persimmons and have had them for years and the biggest one is still barely 8" tall. I have a Mexican Plum tree which does and looks great in the spring and then deteriorates as the hot weather really moves in, but its now about 9' tall. All spice does fairly well but the deer and the other bugs love it. I have a Japanese Raisin and so far its doing fine after an extended dormancy period over winter when some deer ate all of the leaves. I have a melonberry which seems to be doing ok but once again, as it gets leaves the deer swarm it and promptly remove them.

My favorite weird tree is my African Sausage tree which I started as seeds from Silverhill(I think) and got one. It is a beast. I planted it last spring at about 18" and maybe as wide as my pinky. Its currently 8' tall, likely hitting 9 or 10 feet in the next week as I topped it and I have four new shoots going up. Each shoot grouping gains it a foot to a foot and a half, the base s now 6" wide easy. I used a lot of dirty sand in my mounding which I got out of the canal behind the house and when I planted it I raked up several buckets worth of canal seaweed and general muck and put them over the top of the mound before I put down mulch.

[roblack]

This could become a very interesting thread...

mimosa pudica - sensitive plant: plant that actually responds to touch by closing leaves and small twigs retracting. Most people have never seen this before, and are really intrigued.

ashitaba - tomorrow leaf: medicinal herb/vegetable

borojoa : medicinal tropical fruit

raisin tree : jujube relative that develops swollen stems that are sweet and taste something like raisins. Ended up giving this tree to a friend who lives farther north, as I believe it is better suited to a cooler, less tropical climate.

[Viking Guy]

I have a giant pitcher plant.

I know, I win, but don't let that discourage you from posting all those lesser cool things everyone else has.

For #2, I think I will give that title to my black orchid, Monnierara Millennium Magic 'Witchcraft'.

After that, I will say my Viking Berry--for obvious reasons.

[Hana321]

I thought of another couple of odd things i am growing.   A succulent family member known as the Slipper Plant. It grows in stalks that look like reeds. It is completely leafless, and produces odd brightly hued flowers that look like bird heads in profile. I also have a Norfolk pine. Which isnt that odd, except for the fact that Norfolk pines are island natives accustomed to living in mild temperatures near water. I though for sure as soon as it hit 90 degrees, that tree would fry, but it is doing really well. I originally acquired this Norfolk pine in January after the Christmas holiday. Norfolk pines are commercially grown as house Christmas trees. As soon as Christmas was over someone threw this plant out like garbage. I came upon it by happy chance, and I am glad i did.

[Hana321]

I also have a fingered citron. An unusual citrus plant that grows finger like projections. It has no pulp, and is not eaten directly per se, but the fruit is said to be very aromatic, and is used as a freshner for clothing drawers and other areas. It is also a unique ornamental specimen

[stuartdaly88]

Hmm awesome thread!!!
Only weird plants I grow besides rare fruit(weird in SA but not on the forum!) Are psychoactive s and some indigenous:
Khat
Peyote
Various masculine cacti
Sceletium tortuosum
Lithops species(living stone succulents)
Imphepho

Some indigenous fruits:
Snot apple
Pappea capensis
Baobab
Mimmusops and dovyalis species various
Ancylobotrys kirkii
Marula
Etc