Hey there! Congrats on the Self-Sustainability endeavor this year. We're trying to do as much home growing of food ourselves this year too! I'd love to work out a trade with you. I'm interested in your: Golden Gooseberry Chocolate Joe Pye Anagalis Arnensis (is this the blue or orange variety?) Speckled Roman Paste tomato Ruta Graveolens I have in trade some: mixed Hostas Sweet Meat Squash Gaillardia Rudbeckia Rose Campion ... I could put quite a few easy to grow varieties in your package as I have plenty of extras. Just email me if you're interested. Thanks! ~Wendy

WOW, that would be some Hedychium! If you find out anymore info, and perhaps even a source, please let us know! I have had the Alpinia Bihai mentions in my garden since 7/25/99. Every winter since it was planted, has been just cold enough to kill off that summer's growth(meaning no flowers the next year) This winter, to this point, has not been cold enough to do that, so MAYBE for the first time I will see it bloom! I am very excited about the possibility!!

It sounds like some of your neighbors have been growing runner beans. The flowers are very attractive to bees, which will cross-pollinate them from a great distance. Your "sports" are most likely crosses. There are many white flowered / white-seeded runner beans, such as "Emergo", "Pole Cannelini", "Bond's Orcas Lima", and "Jacks Bean". "Painted Lady" has bi-colored flowers, and white & brown seeds. "Tocomares Chocolate" also has bi-colored flowers, with seeds that are all brown, or brown & white. You can see a photo of "Tucomares Chocolate" blossoms in the Pole Bean Spacing thread on this forum. Chances are that one or more of these has crossed with your runner beans, especially if you grew one of them in the past. My guess would be "Painted Lady", since it is fairly popular. Seed Savers Exchange offers it.

Some people refer to Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Night Blooming Cereus or Dutchman's Pipe) as "Christ in the Manger". It's a night-blooming orchid cactus which is highly perfumed. Here is a link that might be useful: pic and info