Unless you have met the rigorous requirements for import permits into Hawaii, it is illegal to import plant material into Hawaii. For good reason. Besides which, you can easily obtain C. renda in 1-gal. pots for around $5 - 10 on island. As for potting up your seedlings, you could very carefully move them to a community pot with fast-draining soil to be set outdoors in a shady area. Do not allow the soil to dry out, or the seedlings will die. Be sure the temperature is maintained above 50F. It's a tricky stage because while they must be kept moist, they will also be subject to fungus.

I have two small ones that I've kept alive and happy now for about 1 year indoors. Bought as smaller, but full 1 gallon palms. Aside from keeping them in standing water I take it a step further and warm the water they are in. I do this two different ways. One palm I have is in a tall sided hanging basket "tray" that I keep water and the Lipstick palm in. That sits on top of a heated grow mat like you'd use for seed germination. All that sits inside a indoor mini greenhouse that has a mini 4 inch fan inside attached to a timer that turns the fan on 15 minutes every hour to provide a breeze inside. Palm has been growing in there, slow but steady. The other one simply sits on a plant shelf open air but next to other one in front of East facing window. I bought a black kitchen sink wash tub at Walmart and also a wire rack for the bottom that fits perfectly inside the tub. I then bought a submersible aquarium heater and have it set to 85f and it sits on the bottom under the rack. Palm sits on the rack. Both of these methods provide the standing water they need that is also warm like their native environment and adds the humidity they like as well, but the humidity isn't as important as making sure the soil stays very wet. The thing you have to really keep an eye on is the water level. Since it's warm, it can evaporate faster so you have to keep adding to it often. I use either RO water or collected rain water, never tap water. Hope this helps and GOOD LUCK! BTW they are easy to find and buy through Ebay. Scott Omaha

Good luck. Probably the only state you could get someone to trade one to you from would be from Florida, and I think almost all palms from Florida are prohibited entry into your state due to the Lethal Yellowing quarantine. This was news to me, but apparently its true. It used to be that if a palm was seed grown and grown off the ground it could go, but not now. Times have changed apparently. Your best bet would be to let go of the money and buy one from a reputable dealer in Hawaii. Kapoho Palms has them in a one gallon size for $10, but I believe they have a $100 minimum order...maybe you could get a few pals together and go in on an order together to save money.

Thanks Susan for the holler ;o). Wax myrtle is Myrica cerifera. I have read articles where the early settlers would use the wax of the berries to make candles and have seen this wax for sale somewhere on the web and it wasn't cheap. I would like to make this wax for my own use and again while I've seen directions for doing so on the web I would like to hear someone say, "Yep I've done this and it works." 'Course at that point I would pick their brains for details and ideas of use ;o) Mike Here is a link that might be useful: Wax myrtle