I hate buzz names...fads w/e... on the plus side that excites me, thats a plant i have admired from my computer chair only...and searched quite a bit for...I just cant swallow the cost of buying starts online, or the thought of a resonably common extremly fast growing plant is really going to cost 20+ for a start with 3 tiny leaves... theres always lots of nice overflow from agristarts tho, once they start carring something its only a matter of time til it floats thru here : D

Keiko, the brief answer to your question is yes. You take the genetic sequences and enter them into some nifty software, along with other known sequences to provide context (I'd use comparable published sequences from other aroids, and then the sequence from the same gene in something like Arabidopsis), and the software tells you how closely related your sequences of interest are. It won't *specifically* tell you if they are the same genus or species, but it will group the sequences in order of likelihood of being the same genus or species. About all I know is that I have that kind of software on my computer at work (and use it a lot), and that it involves a lot of statistical analysis beyond my understanding. Lisa

Of course! I have 3- 30 gallon pots with ALocasia "Purple Prince", Alocasia loweii Grandis, and Alocasia "Polly" that have been houseplants for many years...the Grandis almost 10 years! They have always been happy in the house, the occasional outbreak of mealies controlled by dishsoap and oil or Neem. These are large multi trunked plants. They have never been outdoor plants. I have a collection of Anthurium andreanums, about 12 off the top of my head, different cultivars, that live inside all the time. They bloom all the time. I have a huge 36" planter with a very large Monstera deliciosa that stays in by the dining room table year round. This plant is truly a "monster" no pun intended. Now, as of last month, I have a nice planter with Anthurium scandens hanging in my bathroom window, cuttings I took from my mother plant which is huge in a 20 gallon pot. Also some pothos (green and white variegated and green and yellow variegated) growing in the window. Also some huge pots of long trailing epiphytic jungle cacti sitting on the top ledge of my shower and trailing down about 4-5 ft on either side of the shower enclosure. Then I have three philos...a "Lemon Lime", an "Autumn" and a "Prince of Orange" that grow in the windows in the sunroom and den. These are year round houseplants. All do very well. I also maintain a very large sansevieria collection indoors year round.

A couple of you might remember my co-worker Calvon who helped me when I had my swap a couple years ago. She's a first time home-owner and a beginning-gardner. We loaded her up with all the left overs from that swap and I think overwhelmed her a little. She works a second job on weekends and won't be able to come along, but she's ready for some new plants. Simple plants that don't require exotic care would be best. If anyone has extras I would love to be able to bring her a few things. Thanks, Kate Calvon at the Swap / 2006