RESULT - I know what it is now!

[Squash64]

Last week I posted this pic of some seed pods which I thought I had saved from a tree in Sicily -

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Artichoke sent the link to www.theseedsite.co.uk and I looked through it but couldn't see anything resembling my seed pod.

I emailed the seed site and sent the photo.  I had an email back today, identifying it as Aristolochia and as soon as I googled it I recognised it!

It was this climbing plant - not a tree! - near the apartment in Sicily and I remembered saving the seed pod from it.

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Now I've just got to see if any of the seeds germinate.

Many thanks to Artichoke, I would still be in the dark without that link.

[Squash64]

[emmy1978]

The wonder of A4A! How great! Best of luck with yours.x

[mat]

Wow, i'd have liked to have saved seeds from that too.  An amazing flower, though is it frost tender?  Where will you grow it?

[tomatoada]

It looks gorgeous.  What month does it bloom?   Could you grow one on your allotment for open day?

[Squash64]

Mat - I found this about it on the web-

Growing Environment: It is quite adaptable and can be grown in subtropical areas, tropical areas, and any place where temperatures don't frequently drop below 30F. It also does well in low light conditions and can be grown indoors. Will tolerate high humidity or arid climates with little rain, although irrigation should be provided. Grow in full sun or shade. Pretty flowers will sometimes have a fragrance, which can be smelly, but the scent doesn't drift from the flower. Will also grow well in pots.

If any of the seeds germinate I will try one outdoors but I have a feeling it will be too cold here.  I will try it in my porch which is heated.  If any seeds germinate!

Would you like some seeds?  PM me if you would.

[Squash64]

The wonder of A4A! How great! Best of luck with yours.x

Thanks  :)
I would never have remembered what it was without Artichoke's link.

[Squash64]

It looks gorgeous.  What month does it bloom?   Could you grow one on your allotment for open day?

It was blooming in November in Sicily.  It was growing all over someone's fence and the flowers were amazing.  My son looked at the back of the flower and there was a sort of chamber with dead insects in it.

I can't imagine one would be ready for the open day, but I'll give it a go!

[artichoke]

Absolutely delighted to see this result, and what a stunning flower. I've seen one at Kew, where I used to work, and I think I remember one at Cambridge Botanical Garden - it was their Plant of the Month when in flower.

[Squash64]

One of the things I love about Sicily is the fact that what we would think of as exotic flowers grow like weeds everywhere!

I only go there in winter (October/November or February) but there are always beautiful flowers in bloom.

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[mat]

Thanks for the offer Squash, but unfortuanely I don;t have a greenhouse yet, so don't think I dare try it with the temperatures we can get in the winters ;-)  let us know how you get on with it

Mel

[asbean]

I loved Sicily, though I only went there once, in early December, to Palermo. The climate was like a nice early day in May in England, and was a joy to walk around.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Is it pollinated by flies? It's the sort of colour you see in flowers which imitate rotten meat. A lot of them don't smell bad to us (not that I've got much sense of smell), but they're presumably convincing to the flies.

[Squash64]

Is it pollinated by flies? It's the sort of colour you see in flowers which imitate rotten meat. A lot of them don't smell bad to us (not that I've got much sense of smell), but they're presumably convincing to the flies.

It does look like a piece of meat, I hadn't thought of that before!
There were a few dead insects in a chamber behind the flower.  I haven't got much of a sense of smell either but the description I found says that the flowers are 'smelly' whatever that means!