What's the secret caring for Poinsettias. It's been years since I bought one, but this year Walmart had variegated leaves so I couldn't resist. I didn't notice until yesterday, the container it's in doesn't have drainage. Why and when does it need pruning and how much should be removed? What type of light? Can it be summered outdoors? I know they're cold sensitive, so it'd have to live in the LR which is warmer, but air is a little dry. Do they need lots of humidity? Here's a pic of my first Poin in years. Other Euphorbias are easy to care for, but I've never had luck w/Poins. What's everyone's secret? Thanks, Toni

I had them last year. Bought them at Lowe's in late summer 2006. They are supposed to be OK for zone 7, but I was advised (Garden Web) that I would have to mulch well and even then it was "iffy". So I kept them in containers under grow lights for the winter. Planted them late spring just to be on the safe side. There were very pretty. BUT, they took lots of attention because they require consistent moisture and the drought made that hard to deal with. The ones I had were white. While very pretty, I decided they were too much trouble to move under the grow lights again. I left them in ground over winter well mulched. They did not survive. Whether this was the cold weather, or affects of the drought, I can't say.

Anyone had Orthosiphon Aristatus (Cat's Whiskers) plants for trade? Please take a look at my trade list- SEEDS: *Acalypha hispaniolae (Cat tails, Kitten's tails) *Agstache rugosa (Korean Mint) *Albizia julibrissin (Silk Tree, Mimosa Tree) *Alcea rosea 'Nigra' (Black antwerp Hollyhock) *Allium (Purple Tall Chives) *Allysum Carpet of Snow *Amaryllis Red *Angelonia *Annona squamosa (Sugar Apple, Sweetsop) *Antirhium majus 'Montega rose bicolor': *Ardisia squamulosa tree *Arrowroot- Red *Arum italicum *Asclepias currasavica (Orange and yellow butterfly weed) *Asclepias currasiva 'Silky Gold' *Asclepias tuberosa (Orange) *Asian Gummy melon *Astromeria Parrot Lily *Averrhoa Carambola (Belimbing, Star Fruit) *Baby's breath *Balsam Heirloom Impatiens - single/double flowers *Bauhinia purpurea (Pink Orchid Tree) *Belamcanda Candy Lily *Blanket flower *Bulbing Fennel *Butia capitata (Pindo/Wine/Jelly Palm) *Cactus Prickly Pear *Calamondin orange *Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry) *Camillia, pink *Canna seeds - mixed *Capsicum annuum 'Medusa' (Medusa Pepper Plant) *Cassia Alata *Capsicum 'Medusa' (Medusa Hot Pepper) *Cattail, Dwarf (Aquatic) *Centaurea cyanus (Bachelor buttons) *Cerinthe major purpurascens (Blue Honeywort) *Cherimoya/Atemoya *Chimonanthus praecom (Wintersweet Shrub) *Cichorum endivia 'Curly' *Clematis Autumn sweet *Clematis Nelly Moser' *Cleome hassleriana (Spider flower) *Cornus florida *Crotalaria spectabilis *Cypress Vine, White *Danish squash *Duranta erecta *Datura purple swirl *Datura, white with purple cast *Daucus carota (Wild Carrot) *Delphinium consolida (Giant Imperial Larkspur) *Dietes vegeta (African Iris, Butterfly Iris) *Dioscorea bulbifera (Air Potato Vine) *Echinacea (Pink Coneflower) *Echinacea Tennesee *Emilia javanica (Tassel Flower) *Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Ear Pod Tree, Elephantâs Ear, Monkey Ear) *Gaillardia x grandiflora (Indian Blanket) *Madagascar Jasmine vine *Gomphrena purple *Gourds, ornamental 'Small Autumn Wings' *Grapefruit *Guava *Gypsophila elegans (Baby's Breath 'Convent Garden') *Helianthus debilis (Beach sunflower) *Hibiscus cannabinus *Hibiscus sabdariffa (Florida Cranberry) *Hibiscus Texas Star, Red *Hollyhock, mixed, single *Honeydew melon *Honeysuckle (red-orange) *Ipomoea hederacea (Morning Glory lavender-pink) *Ipomoea quamoclit (Cypress Vine) *Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag Iris) *Jerusalem cherry *Koelreuteria Paniculata (Golden Rain Tree) *Kum Quat *Lagerstroemia indica 'Rosea' (Pink Crepe Myrtle) *Lantana mixed colors ­ seeds *Larkspur, Giant Imperial *lathyrus perennial blend *Lathyrus odoratus 'Ms Willmott' *Leucaena leucocephala (White Lead Tree) *Leonotis menthifolia (Lionâs Tail) *Liatris spicata (Gayfeather) *Lily Star Gazer *Lemon, yellow, thornless, very juicy *Liriope Muscari (Lily-turf ) *Lychnis calcydonica (Maltese cross) *Malva moschata (musk mallow) *Marigold, Tiger Eyes *Marigold, mixed *Medusa Hot Pepper *Melia azedarach (Chinaberry) *Merremia dissecta (Alamo Vine) *Merremia dissecta *Mexican Petunia, âChi Chiâ, pink, tall *Mexican Petunia, dwarf blue *Mexican Petunia, dwarf pink *Mexican Petunia, dwarf white Mirabilis jalapa (Four O'Clock)-different colors *Mimosa tree *Momordica charantia (Balsam Pear) *Moonflower, white *Morning Glory - Grandpa Ott, Heavenly Blue, Star of Yelta, Jamie Lynn,Rose Silk, Scarlet O Hara *Morning Glory - Ivy leaf *Morning Glory - tricolor *Morus alba - white mulberry *Mucuna Pruriens (Bengal Bean) *Musa Velutino Pink Fruiting Banana *Myosotis sylvatica (Forget-Me-Not) *Nerium oleander , pink *Olea europaeae (Olive Tree) *Optunia humifusa (Hardy Prickly Pear) *Orange fruit, Florida *Orange Trumpet Vine *Podranea ricasoliana (pink trumpet vine) *Papaver *Papaya 'Caribbean Red' *Perilla frutens (Shiso, red) *Periwinkle pink with white center *Periwinkle white with pink center *Phyllostachys pubescens (Mosso bamboo) *Platanus occidentalis (American Sycamore tree) *Pomegranate *Poppy (mixed) *Portulaca magic carpet mixed colors *Prunus spinosa *Pyracantha coccinea lalandi (Scarlet Firethorn) *Radermachera sinica (China Doll, Serpent Tree, Emerald Tree) *Redbud *Robina viscosa (Clammy locust) *Rosa Canina (Wild Rose) *Rhubarb *Sabal bermudana (Bermuda Fan Palm)* Sabal palmetto (Cabbage palmetto) *Sago Palm *Salvia coccinea âCoral Nymphâ *Salvia coccinea Hummingbird Sage *Salvia farinacea (Mealy Blue Sage) *Sapium sebiferum (Chinese Tallow, Popcorn Tree) *Senecio bicolor (Dusty Miller) *Senna alata candlesticks *Senna didymobotrya (Popcorn Cassia, Peanut Butter Cassia) *Sesbania panicea (Scarlet Wisteria) *Stachytarpheta urticifolia (Blue Porterweed *Stachys cretica *Sunflower mammoth *Sweet Pea *Sweet William *Talinum (Jewel of Opar) *Tecoma (Yellow Bells) *Tithonia (Mexican Torch) *Trumpet Vine, Orange *Trumpet Vine, pink *Urena Lobata (Caesarweed) *Withania somnifera 'Ashawaganda' (Indian Ginseng) *Zinnias, mixed More seeds - vegetable/fruits Angled loofah Apple, granny smity Bean, tricolor - gold, purple n green Cantaloupe 'vine peach Carrots- Big Top Danvers Half Long Chinese Greens- choy sum, sawi kangkong chinese chives gay lun gun choy Cucumber - Fuzzy gherkin Picollo di Parigi Honey Dew Royal Golden - fruit weights 10-15#, red sweet tender flesh Shark Fin (only 2 seeds) Swan lake Eggplant - Apple green Casper, white Chinese,Ping Tung Fennel - bulbing Trieste Smokey Bronze Gourds - 'crown of thorns', ornamental heirloom - birdhouse Autumn Wings, small, ornamental Long, black from India Maize, japonica Zea Mays, ornamental Black Aztec corn Melons- Asian Gummy Canoe Creek, green n orange, football shape, >20# wt charentais Chinese Winter Jenny Lind, heirloom cantaloupe, light green flesh, 1-2# wt Woman - Ukranian Heirloom, extremely sweet n fragrant, yellowish-white flesh, sz 7-10" (Gd for northern climate) mustard okra - Burgundy Green Lady, hybrid long horn Peppers, hot- Chinese chilly, hot Greek pepercini Scotch Bonnet Serrano Thai chilly, regular Serrano Thai chilly, purple Sweet Pepper- Alma Paprika Green pepper Pumpkin Chinese Pumpkin (From China) Small pumpkin- for pies Radish, red boy Rhubarb Rutabaga Salad greens- loose leaf red salad bowl big hoss butter lettuce red romaine Sorghum - Broomcorn White Popping Squash- Crookneck, yellow Danish Sphaghetti Winter squash Tomato - Cherry/grape Hess Pink Brandywine Speckled Roman, heirloom Tig Rovy Watermelon- 'moon n stars' Sweet Siberian PLANTS/CUTTINGS: Abelia Edward Goucher- cuttings Abelia Francis Mason- cuttings Acalypha hispaniolae (Cat tails, Kitten's tails)-plant Ajuga reptans 'Valfredda' Ajuga reptans 'Bronze Beauty' Allamanda schottii Bush, yellow - cuttings Aloe Vera American Agave (Century plant)-­ pup American Agave, variegated - pup Aptenia ice plant - cuttings Artimesia vulgaris 'Oriental Limelight' variegated Asperagus densiflorus "Sprengeri' - plant Calamondin orange - plant Callisia navicularis (Chain Plant) - cuttings Callisa repens (Bolivian Jew) - cuttings Canna Peach Gigantum rhizome Canna Florence Vaughn rhizome Canna Bengal Tiger Catalpa Soutern - cuttings Chickasaw Plum cuttings Chrysanthemums: yellow, violet Clereodendrum bungei Climbing Aloe -plant Conferate Jasmine - cuttings Cyclamen Cyperus involucratus (Umbrella Palm) - cuttings Cynotis somaliensis (Pussy Ears) - cuttings Delosperma cooperi (Hardy Yellow Ice Plant) Ice plant, purple Ice plant Aptenia Epipremnum pinnatum 'Aureum' (Pothos) Fig tree - sweet n juicy - rooted starts Gardenia - cuttings Gaura, white - plants Gaura, pink - plants Golden pothos - cuttings Heliconia Hanging Crab Claw Hibiscus Rose of Sharon 3-in-1 - plants/cuttings Hibiscus Rose of Sharon minerva, purple Hibiscus Rose Of Sharon, white cutting Hibiscus Rose of Sharon 'Blue Bird' cutting Iris yellow flag Japanese Boxwood - plant Jasmine shrub cuttings (from overseas with small white star-shaped, single-petaled fragrant flowers) Kalanchoe diagremontiana (Mother of Thousands) Kalanchoe fedschenkoi - plant Kalanchoe tubiflora (Chandelier Plant) - plant Lantana Camara (Lantana, mixed) Lantana creeping purple - cuttings Lemon, yellow- plant Lily, pink - plant Lily , white- plant Live Oak Seedlings Longanberry plant Lonicera sempervirens (Coral Honeysuckle) - cuttings Lonicera fragrantissima (Winter Honeysuckle) - cuttings Loropetalum (Chinese Fringe Tree) - cuttings Mexican Petunia - tall, Purple Mexican Petunia - tall, Pink Mexican Petunia - dwarf, purple Mexican Petunia - dwarf, Pink Mint, chocolate - plants Nephrolepis cordifolia (Southern Sword Fern) - plants Odontonema strictum. Red Firespike - plants or cuttings Oleander (have 4 types) - white, pink, yellow, red - cuttings Optunia ficus indica (Smooth Prickly Pear) pads Palm Pindo - seedlings Philodendron 'Brasil' cuttings Plumeria, white -cutting Podocarpus macrophyllus (Buddhist Pine) - cuttings Pyracantha Scarlet Firethorn - rooted starts/cuttings Rain Lily Pink - plants Rain Lily white - plants Rose cuttings - Almost Black Rose cuttings - Knockout, pink Rose cuttings - red climber -profuse bloomer Rose cuttings - shrub, huge blooms, pink - profuse bloomer Russelia equisetiformis (Firecracker Plant) - select either red or yellow Salvia Coral Nymph Salvia coccinea Hummingbird Sage Scilla Society Garlic Variegated Soceity Garlic Spider Plant - green Spider Plant, variegated Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Variegata' Trachelospermum jasminoides (Confederate Jasmine) cuttings Tradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart' Wandering Jew variegated cream and green - cuttings Wandering Jew Variegated green and white stripes - cuttings Wandering Jew Green with white flowers - cuttings Weigela, pink - cuttings Wisteria Purple -cuttings

I thought of you. Finally got time to read the garden section of today's Dallas Morning News. They have two. Both are said to be avilable at HD and Lowes. I have not heard of either. They are new. You can find the article online. Title "New Arrivals..." sometimes they change the title from the actual paper. Emeral Snow Loropetalum. Green leaves(yes green!) with white flowers. Big bloom in spring. Sporadic bloom through summer and fall. 3 ft tall 4 ft wide. For sun or shade Jubilation gardenia. Compact reblooming, same blooming habit as above. Garden Glow dogwood. A deciduous shrub. 2-3 ft tall. White flower clusters followed by pale blue berries in summer. Bright red twigs in winter. (looks nothing like a dogwood!)