Hello Teengardener - I used to grow quite a few different Rhipsalis and (/or) Hatiora, and have found that different types have different light and temperature tolerances. What one did you see? Can you describe it if you don't have the name? At the moment, I only grow what used to be called Hatiora salicornioides. It's a very tolerant plant. It's currently about 4' from a south window, but behind a few other plants. It does get direct sun, but not for the whole day (and I live in MA, where the sunlight's pretty weak in winter, sigh). I usually put it outside in the shade in the warm months, but it does okay when left inside, too, in the same window--because it's a S window, it doesn't get much direct sun in the summer. The plant makes little yellow flowers, primarily in fall but also in spring. Mine is budded, currently. I grow and fertilize it like its relatives, the holiday cactus. They are epiphytes, and, for me, do best in a loose/chunky mix that drains freely and doesn't ever get totally dry (but is never soggy). They all bloom, mostly in shades of white, yellow, pinkish white or greenish white. The flowers are significantly smaller than the flowers of most other jungle cacti but have a delicate beauty. Many rhipsalis also form decorative berries that stay on the plant for months. In my experience, they're fun and easy plants. Amanda

In Dave's Garden's Plant Files, there are 198 common names with "Lady" and 866 cultivars. Here are a few: Common Names: Naked Lady (Lycoris squamigera) (Amaryllis belladona) Lady's Tears (Tradescantia virginiana) Our Lady's Lace (Gallium odoratum) Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina) Lady Bells (Adenophora confusa) Our Lady's Tears (Convallaria majalis) Eleven O-clock Lady (Ornithogalum umbellatum) Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) Lady of the Night (Brunfelsia americana) Pink Lady (Cassia javanica) Cultivars: Lavandula 'Lady' Rosa 'Lady Banks' Heliconia psittacorum 'Lady Di' Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red' Passiflora 'Lavender Lady' Passiflora 'Lady Margaret' Iris 'Lady Friend' Hydrangea macrophylla 'Lady in Red' Blechnum gibbum 'Silver Lady' Leucanthemum x superbum 'Snow Lady'

The "tri-color" (not the scientific name, thought I saw Rose-Marg????? something once) foliage is pretty darned interesting. Folks plant Bradford Pears all the time for the 13-20 days worth of flowers they have. Tri-Color is GREAT for a few months out of the year if you like that type of thing, and I do. Next county over someone in the parks department likes them. I've seen two. Later in the season when the pink whitens out one of them crisps up a little. Its not the most attractive thing. The other just faded to the white edge. My tiny 1 foot grafted one stayed strong all year, the pink did fade but all 30 or so of its leaves stayed attractive, weird. Its on the corner of the dampish part of the yard. I gave it about 1/2 gallon of water every 4 days or so w/o rain. Gets sun probably 10am to 4pm or 5pm over the summer.

Hi Julia, Here's a link to a site that may help you. It doesn't tell you what the combining forms mean, but it does give you pronunciations. Click on any word to actually hear it. But---A LOT of people have different pronunciations, so as long as people can figure out what you're looking for, don't worry about it too much. As the intro at this site says, "...if you can't remember the preferred pronunciation of a plant name, just say a chosen interpretation with conviction." I don't have it, but the book Meldy recomends looks really excellent. Good Luck, Skybird Here is a link that might be useful: Fine Gardening Pronunciation Guide