I fly. Takes too long to drive though I have driven here before. I've never tried to grow the palm seeds and don't plan on it but will collect seeds if anyone wants to try. Siam it's kind of a bright red or a very dark pink.

Hi- My huge white flowering moonflower vine (Ipomoea) is blooming for the first time tonight this summer! I wanted to get photos, but remembered my hubby took the camera to C.A.(darn!) Anyway, it is the most heavenly scented honey- sweet-like perfume I've ever smelled! It was so incredible, I wanted to shout to the neighbors to come & sniff it! My Daturas also smell like peanut butter- that's so weird! Concerning Mandevilla, my neighbor says she overwintered hers in her cold cellar for years, but she got sick of dragging it in & out every winter & spring. Mandevilla's another thing I'm trying this year. Does anyone know what a "purple people eater" is? Some type of Datura? is it hardy in zone 7? How well do double purple daturas grow? Might get them on a trade soon...Thanks for sharing all the info... Kasha77

LOL Thanks on the shoes... Yes, I knew immediately that someone had been in my office... it was an inside job so they were covering their tracks so to speak. Aside from the dirt on the floor, the plant stand was about an inch or so to the right AND they left my window screen up when they stuck the goods outside the window so they could come back and collect them later... How do I know it was an inside job? The windows are the tilt in kind, but the clips on BOTH sides are broken, so the window will ONLY stay in the frame if it's locked. So they couldn't have entered through the window and couldn't have LEFT that way, which means they came through the building. It happened during the Easter break almost everyone leaves by three, except for me, but I was out of the office that day, So she'll grow UP so to speak... I was wondering why she seemed so top heavy. get her something to climb... gotta build something. Thanks!

John Your jade has few problems: it is very etiolated. They need lots of bright light ad sunlight. It is bit re difficult to supply that indoors, but many have that problem...I keep my succulents outside, most in full sun almost all day. But in late fall, they have to go indoors and I use lights for them. Softening stems could be because plant is thirsty (relatively easy to solve), or rotting (worse). If some roots were withering, that could also be from thirst - they would be mostly dessicated; or from rotting - they would e soft. dark and maybe slimy. As long as the trunk is not rotting, all the roots could be gone - just dried up and crumble off; or cut off in case they started to rot - and trunk could be rerooted. I do not know what they are like. If my plant, this is what I would do: unpot it and inspect the roots. Get rid of all dry and rotting. Cut off broken or drying roots to the fresh flesh or entirely. If there are separate root balls for trunks, threat each as separate plants. Decide if you pot them individually - I would, but it is up to you. Even if it is just one plant branching , it could be cut into 2 - but again that is up to you. Prune all long, empty of leaves and/or soft and skinny branches quite severely. I am posting a photo with just a few suggestions. Pls. keep in mind that I can see only 2 dimensional photos and there could be much more to prune: After every cut, make sure the flesh is healthy = doesn't have any dark spots or lines or any marks. That may be sign of rotting. It should be of uniform light color (usually light green or creamy, not dark). Let plant air dry to callus all the cuts. Overnight or whole day should be enough. Depending on your mix, I would add more sifted perlite or pumice, and even grit. Put the cleaned up plant into dry mix. Water only when mix dries up between watering. Use a log bamboo/wooden skewer or chopstick or thin stick to check for dampness deep in the pot (3/4 or even more deep). It is best to do pruning when plant actively grows. I have done it anytime, but maybe you should wait until spring. Sometimes - if there is rot present - it is better to 'help' the plant regardless of season, since leaving it as is could make it much worse. In the meantime, I would get rid of all soft branches to make sure there is no rot in any stems. And, you need to supply better light or plant will just grow same way - skinny and 'contorted' branches, leaves smaller and far apart and so on. Ask if you have any further questions.