Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Question for the Hive Mind: Large-Seeded Plant

Another plant ID question from e-mail. I'm pretty sure I've seen this plant on-line somewhere -- the enormous green seed is pretty distinctive -- but I couldn't come up with a name, if I ever knew the name in the first place.

So does anybody have any leads? I'm told the seed came from China, if that helps anybody. Pictures may need to be opened in a separate window to view detail.




6 comments:

Ivynettle said...

Looks like Castanospermum australe to me (which I'm not sure I've ever seen IRL, but definitely in books)

Tom said...

Agreed with Ivynettle, it looks just like the one I used to have. They're another "lucky" plant, this time being the "lucky bean plant"

Anonymous said...

what an interesting looking plant! The seed part itself is kind of ugly but I guess that's what makes it so interesting! I love the way the leaves cluster in the middle and then fan out like a palm!

Ali said...

I second the name Castanospermum Australe, my local home depot sold these with a big sign saying "magic bean" plant lol, I was almost tempted to buy it.

mr_subjunctive said...

Yup. I think that's what it is.

Doug said...

These were HUGE this year. Native to Australia, there was a farm that was selling these and staghorns by the thousands to greenhouses, specifically in the midwest!

I caved an bought a few since they are so ornamental; the bean eventually falls off.. did yours? we named our first Tum-Tum (like tumor.. ha..) and had to re-name it Betty once the bean piece fell off.