Struth! Hookers Lips land judge in hot water

PUCKER UP TO THESE IF YOU DARE

David Ellis

TALKING in one's sleep can be fraught with problems – as many a night mumbler will attest.

And a mate who just recently hit the jackpot in fatal sleep-talking revelations, says his wife was probably well-justified in waking him at 2am to demand an explanation as to whose were those "hooker's lips" he was mumbling so enthusiastically about at that unholy hour…

And remarkably when he started blurting out, she accepted his explanation instantly, rolled over and went straight back to sleep. The reason? This mate's both a gardening fanatic and flower show judge, and just the day before his sleep-talking episode, had been invited to adjudicate at a show in America that would include an almost Holy Grail of exotic plants, Psychotria Elata.

For those who don't know, this highly unique plant is a native of Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Panama in Central and South America, and is hugely popular as a potted gift in the United States because of its fiery red bracts – that look just like they could be, as one of its common names suggests, pouting red "Hooker's Lips."

And here was my mate dreaming and sleep-talking of the day he would soon be heading to the US-of-A, to help judge a show of such exotic "Hooker's Lips," and which, by the way, are not just highly popular patio-plants in the 'States for their bizarre shape and colour, but also for their ability to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

And sleep-talkers.

 

PHOTO CAPTION:

[] LITTLE wonder butterflies and hummingbirds pucker-up to South America's "Hooker's Lips" plants. (Gloriousmind.com)