A growing library of plant stories from Earlscliffe. Search by name, or filter by one or more tags.
Please note that this is a work in progress and not all plants have been uploaded or have complete information.
Showing 38 of 38 plants.
Aeonium arboreum is a branching, rosette-forming succulent from the Canary Islands that brings a sculptural, drought-tolerant presence to mild, sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, though it needs protection from frost and winter wet to thrive.
A striking, branching succulent with glossy rosettes of deep purple-black leaves that darken in full sun.
The Fiery Century Plant (Agave ferox) is a striking, heavily armed succulent from Mexico, valued more for its intensity than for widespread cultivation.
Aloe maculata is a spotted, clump-forming aloe that performs well in mild, well-drained gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering reliable structure and winter colour with moderate frost tolerance.
Aloe polyphylla is a rare and striking spiral-forming aloe that can be grown in cool, well-drained conditions in Ireland and Britain, but requires careful management of moisture to succeed.
Aloe striatula is one of the hardiest succulents available, thriving in well-drained gardens in Ireland and Britain, where it provides a reliable, architectural presence with bright summer flowers.
Aralia spinosa is a hardy, suckering shrub or small tree that thrives in Ireland and Britain, offering bold, tropical-looking foliage and strong resilience, but requiring space due to its spines and spreading habit.
Araucaria araucana is a distinctive and hardy conifer that thrives in Ireland and Britain, combining dramatic architectural form with strong resilience despite its endangered status in the wild.
Beschorneria yuccoides is a hardy, non-spiny, agave-like perennial that thrives in mild, well-drained gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering elegant structure and reliable performance.
Brugmansia sanguinea is a colourful Andean shrub often grown as a container or protected plant in Ireland and Britain, offering vivid trumpet-shaped flowers but little tolerance for frost. Grows outside all year round at Earlscliffe.
Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’ is a hardy, sculptural conifer that performs very well in Ireland and Britain, offering dramatic weeping form and blue-grey foliage where space allows.
Cordyline obtecta (C. baueri) is a broad-leaved, palm-like evergreen that suits mild, sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering a more tropical look than C. australis but with reduced hardiness.
A graceful flowering tree with large white bracts and layered branching, bringing one of the most spectacular spring displays of any temperate woodland species.
Daphne bholua is a fragrant winter-flowering shrub that performs well in sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, rewarding careful siting with one of the most prized scents of the season.
Davidia involucrata is a distinctive flowering tree that thrives in sheltered, fertile conditions in Ireland and Britain, rewarding patience with its unique “handkerchief” blooms each spring.
Desfontainia spinosa is a distinctive evergreen shrub with debated taxonomy that grows best in cool, sheltered, acidic gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering unusual red and yellow flowers where conditions are carefully matched.
Dicksonia antarctica is a hardy tree fern that thrives in moist, sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, providing a lush, tropical appearance with good tolerance of cool, damp conditions.
Echium candicans is a bold, blue-flowering shrub that thrives in mild, well-drained coastal gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering strong architectural impact but limited tolerance of cold and winter wet.
Echium pininana is a spectacular biennial that can thrive in mild, well-drained gardens in Ireland and Britain, producing towering flower spikes but requiring protection from frost and winter wet.
Echium wildpretii is a dramatic biennial that can thrive in mild, well-drained coastal gardens in Ireland and Britain, producing spectacular flower spikes but with limited tolerance of frost and winter wet.
Embothrium coccineum is a vivid, red-flowering small tree that can thrive in mild, acidic, sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, rewarding careful siting with one of the most striking displays among temperate trees.
Eucalyptus leucoxylon subsp. megalocarpa is a small flowering gum that can grow in sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering showy blooms but requiring warmth, drainage, and protection from exposure.
Euryops virgineus, commonly called honey euryops or river resin bush, is a South African evergreen shrub in the daisy family, Asteraceae.
Fascicularia bicolor is a hardy bromeliad that performs well in coastal gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering dramatic red-centred flowering and good tolerance of wind and moisture when well drained.
Furcraea parmentieri (often mislabelled as Furcraea longaeva) is a bold, trunk‑forming succulent with a dense crown of blue‑grey leaves, capable of producing a towering flowering spike before dying.
A graceful, fast‑growing deciduous tree with large heart‑shaped leaves and spectacular hanging clusters of berries that resemble bunches of grapes.
Juania australis is a rare and elegant Chilean island palm that is largely unsuited to Ireland and Britain, requiring frost-free, highly sheltered conditions and remaining a specialist collector’s plant rather than a reliable garden choice.
Jubaea chilensis is a slow-growing but hardy feather palm that can thrive in mild, sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering exceptional long-term presence but requiring patience and good drainage.
Luma apiculata is a hardy, coastal-friendly evergreen that performs well in mild, sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, valued for its beautiful peeling bark and year-round structure.
Melianthus major is a bold, architectural shrub that can thrive in mild, sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering dramatic foliage with moderate frost tolerance and good regenerative ability.
Metrosideros excelsa is a spectacular flowering coastal tree that can grow in only the mildest, frost-free parts of Ireland and Britain, offering vivid red blooms but requiring exceptional shelter and climate.
Musa basjoo is a robust, fast-growing banana that brings a tropical look to Ireland and Britain, surviving winter through its roots and regrowing each year in sheltered, fertile conditions.
Phoenix canariensis is a classic, large-feathered palm that can be grown in very mild coastal gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering strong visual impact but requiring significant shelter and protection from cold.
Puya chilensis is a dramatic, spiny bromeliad that can succeed in mild, well-drained coastal gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering strong architectural presence but requiring careful siting and protection from winter wet.
A dark‑leaved ornamental elder combining finely cut, near‑black foliage with soft pink flowers and the resilience of the native hedgerow elder.
A fragrant, evergreen shrub with glossy aromatic foliage and peppery berries, suited to cool, sheltered gardens where it brings subtle structure and culinary interest.
Tetrapanax papyrifer is a fast-growing, suckering shrub that brings a bold, tropical effect to Ireland and Britain, combining reasonable hardiness with dramatic, oversized foliage.
Wollemia nobilis is a critically endangered “living fossil” rediscovered in 1994 that now grows surprisingly well in sheltered gardens in Ireland and Britain, offering a rare link to ancient prehistoric forests.
This page is periodically reviewed and expanded. Last substantial update: 9 July 2026.
