Mucuna sempervirens 2 seed "Velvet bean"

This is one you will surely want to try in your conservatory, possiblytrained under the roof. From China and Japan, where it is a popularplant for decorating pergolas, it is a vigorous, evergreen climber withlustrous, deep green leaves. The flowers, however, are something ratherspecial: a dramatic purple-black in colour, they are produced in large,hanging bunches of twenty or more blooms. Each individual is threeinches or more long and is more like a small, bizarre, tubby bird thanyour ordinary, normal pea flower. These are followed by 16 in. long,velvety seed pods.