Thanks for the nice comments...I appreciate them. This plant is a shy bloomer but was listed as having blue flowers. We'll see. Yes, it laughts at the heat just like the green-leaf types do, though it needs a fair bit of water to do so, but it's unbothered by sunshine and heat as far as I can tell. I got the duranta at Tera's garden in Phoenix, and I got the agave as a freebie from a neighbor who was discarding excess pups. Thanks again! Take care, Grant

At my old house I could leave them outside for all but about 4 months of the year. They can take a light frost. They spent their time in the shade of very tall oaks around the house. The yard had only one tiny spot of almost full sun and thats where the potted citrus and guavas lived as well as the normal in-the-ground veggies. At my new house (1 year as of today) I have very little shade and lots of wind (just like OK) so the tree ferns are sheltered along with the rest of the tropicals. I started off with 5 big ferns and lost all but 2 to the high heat and drought last summer along with some sort of mealy bug investation. waaaaaaaaaa A warning about using them near where you walk to sit - the species I have give off very itchy 'hairs'. You can't brush against them without noticing it. I can't believe that more folks don't grow potted citrus here. The warmth and humidity suit them well as patio plants and most of the time our winters are mild (frosty nights with 50 degree days). There are a few that grow in-the-ground types, but not as many as you'd think.

Hi Karen... Yes, talked with Rosemary and it seems it's just dust on some of my plants. I love to take pictures, and I have a photo album devoted solely to my plumeria collection! I have a Pacific Pearl that's going to bloom soon so I'll take a picture of that for you as well. (Didn't you get one?)My family thinks I'm nuts (in regards to going from zero to 20 plumerias in the course of 4 months)but I don't care...I have my plants :) I hate living in the city, so the plumerias give me my own little paradise to escape to...Soon I'll have a tropical jungle in my backyard, but at least it will be pretty and smell good :)

Awwww! Baby psitticine(parrots and related birds)have GOT to be some of the homliest babies anywhere; they give a whole new meaning to the phrase, "so ugly it's cute", don't they? Kinda hard to believe that they can grow into some of the most strikingly beautiful birds on the planet-the proverbial Ugly Ducklings if ever there were! What a cute little Cockatiel, though. Sharon McKenzie