I bought a small (6 leaves or so but most likely a cutting propagation) stephanotis exactly one year back. It was indoors for the winter in a sunny SE window, had a cool unheated month in january, grew some last fall winter, a lot more in spring outdoors in partial western sun but no buds till I spied tiny buds yesterday. I am not sure what triggered the blooms, the ironite I fed a couple of times, some epsom salt a month back or so, the watering getting neglected to the extent that leaves become soft, droopy, wilty, the dry cold windy weather off late. Anyhow, I am thrilled. I will update how this turns out.

Okay, Medo and CarolynP effectively twisted my arm! I'm in! I see some things that I can fill requests for, too, which is going to be such fun! I am concerned over the names that noone else has picked to send to yet. Is there any way we can pick from the list of people that haven't been picked yet to be sure we're sending something to everyone? I'd love to volunteer to send things I have to several of them to be sure to spread the holiday spirit more evenly. Just LMK how you want to handle that issue, Kym, okay? I'd be happy to wait until you get a list from other people of who they're sending to before I pack up my seeds. Here's my list. The first two are my biggest wants; the rest are simply in alphabetical order: 1. Fruit - (anything that makes good fruit for eating/canning when grown from seed) *BIGGEST WISH* 2. Vegetables - (just about ANY not on my list as I'm collecting seed from tons of stuff to hopefully have an insanely huge stash to plant from and share) * Bay Laurel Tree (Bay Leaves) * Berries (any edibles) * Chinese Lantern (prefer named varieties) * Corn, Ornamental - (any variegated variety) * Custard Apple - (any variety) * Figs - (any variety) * Grains, Ornamental - (any variety) * Grapes - any named * Hazelnut Shrub/Tree (or any edible nut shrub/tree that comes true from seed) * Kale - Redbor * Lettuce - Merlot * Miracle Berry / Miracle Fruit * Passion Fruit Vine - (I would like to grow any named varieties) * Saw Palmetto * Squash/Gourd/Pumpkin - (any uncommon varieties) * Tomato - Hawaiian Currant * Tomato - Ildi * Wonder Egg (tropical fruit plant) Blessings, Angela

JimShy compiled the following information and accompanying list dealing with houseplants that are fragrant. Posted by: JimShy z7 Brooklyn, NY (My Page) on Thu, Jun 10, 04 at 12:26 Fragrant Houseplants: First, the FAQ inside the FAQ! 1. Fragrance is not a science what smells fantastic to one person smells awful to another, or has no smell at all. This is partly genetic, partly personal, and wholly olfactory (sorry, couldnt resist the Batman-style rhyme!), so there is simply no substitute for smelling the plant yourself. Dont take our word for it, or anyone elses, go with your own nose! 2. A lot of other factors go into the scent of a plant: whether its getting enough sun/fertilizer/water, the time of day, the age of the plant, etc. The exact same species can smell different from one individual plant to another. Some folks also think that moon phases, astrological alignments, sunspots, El Nino, Superthrive, eggshells, their grandmothers tea, and the interest rate on 30 year Treasury bonds also play a role. The point is, if something seems to work for you, keep at it! 3. This list is not exhaustive, and will be added to from time to time. 4. There are plenty of scented plants that are not normally considered houseplants, which obsessed, er, dedicated growers are nevertheless trying to grow indoors. This list is mainly those plants that are known to be fairly good growers in the home. I also left out most, if not all, flowering bulbs that are usually purchased in bloom and thrown out when done. Fragrant bulb FAQ, anyone? 5. Plants smell their best when they are grown their best; take the time to learn the right care for your plant, and how it grows best in your home. Ok, enough already, on to the list! Plants are listed by scientific name, followed by common name in parentheses. Key: es = evening scented (after dark) ns = night scented (only late at night) Acacia baileyana, dealbata, farnesina, longifolia Aglaia odorata (Chinese perfume plant) Allamanda cathartica, schotii (neriifolia) are mostly es Alpinia: many of these have ginger-scented leaves and rhizomes Araujia sericofera (Cruel plant) Aristolochia (Dutchmans Pipe): gigantea some other aristolochias are scented, but not in a good way! Begonias: some hybrids are lightly fragrant Honeysuckle, Jim Wyrtzen, Lenore Olivier, Tea Rose, at least two species, solananthera and venosa, are more strongly scented Bouvardia longflora (Fragrant bouvardia) Brugmansias (Angels trumpets): most are fragrant (es), except for sanguinea and some of its hybrids Brunfelsias: americana, jamaicensis and isola are es, others are day-scented Buddleja: most are scented, b. asiatica blooms in winter indoors Bursera: fagaroides, macrophylla, simaruba all have scented leaves and wood Callistemon citrinus (Bottlebrush): scented leaves Carissa macrocarpa Cassia didimobotrya: leaves smell like buttered popcorn! Cedronella canariensis (false Balm of Gilead) Cestrum: aurantiacum, nocturnum (night blooming jasmine), parqui (all es), and diurnum, which is day-scented Camellia: some sasanqua cultivars, sinensis, some hybrids very difficult indoors Citrus: all have scented flowers, often the leaves smell nice too try some in a Thai curry! Clerodendrum: bungeii, phillipinum, trichotomum (all get very big) Coffea arabica (coffee) Coleonema pulchra (Breath of Heaven): scented leaves Coronilla valentina Cryptocereus anthonyanus (rick-rack cactus) Datura (Angels trumpets): most species are fragrant (es) Dombeya: wallichii, hybrids Dracena fragrans (Corn Plant) Duranta erecta: some cultivars are fragrant Echinopsis: oxypetallum, other species and some hybrids (ns) Epiphyllum (Orchid cactus): anguliger (es), crenatum, oxypetallum (ns), a few hybrids Eucharis amazonica (Amazon lily) Gardenias: see the gardenia mini-FAQ Gelsemium sempervirens (Carolina jessamine) Genista canariensis (Scented Broom) Hedychium coronarium, gardnerii, some hybrids Heliotropum arborescens (heliotrope): cherry pie fragrance Herbs: many herbs are scented, of course, and many can be grown indoors see the Herb Forum for suggestions Hermannia verticillata (Honey Bells) Hibiscus arnottianus Hoyas: acuta, archiboldiana, australis, bella, carnosa, fungii, lacunosa, nummularioides (pubera), obovata, obscura, odorata, paziae, pubicalyx, serpens, shepherdii, tsangii, verticillata, and many more Illicium floridanum (Florida Anise Tree): scented leaves Ipomea alba (moonflower) Ixora barbata, fragrans Jasmines: almost all species are fragrant, except for mesnyi, nudiflorum, and rex. Lantana camara: scented leaves Magnolia coco: es Malpighia glabra and punicifolia (Barbados Cherry) Mandevilla laxa (Chilean jasmine) Michelia figo fuscata, skinneri (Banana shrub), yunnanensis Mitrostigmara auxillare (African gardenia) Murraya: exotica, paniculata both called (orange jasmine), koenigii (curry) Neomarcia gracilis (Walking iris) Nerium oleander Nyctanthes arbor-tristes: (es) Ochna serrulata Orchids: many, many orchids are fragrant; here are just a few that are particularly good houseplants: brassavola nodosa, some mini-cattleyas, cymbidium "Golden Elf, " dendrobium kingianum, Neostylis "Lou Sneery," oncidium "Sharry Baby" (smells like chocolate!) See the Orchid Forum for more suggestions Osmanthus fragrans (Sweet olive) Pachypodium lamerei, saundersii Pandanus odoratissimus (Screw Pine) Pandorea pandoreana Passiflora: many are fragrant, including alata, caerulea, helleri, phoenicia, trifasciata, and many hybrids. Pelargoniums (scented geraniums): all scented-leaf geraniums have guess what? scented leaves Pereskia aculeata (lemon vine): climbing, leaved cactus with lemon-scented flowers Pittosporum: eugenioides, tobirum (mock orange) Plectranthus: many species have scented leaves; some are very strongly scented (think kitchen cleaners) Plumeria: most varieties are scented Pogostemon hyeanus (patchouli): scented leaves Polianthes tuberosa (tuberose) Primula (Primrose): some modern hybrids are lightly scented Prostanthera Psidium (guava): most varieties have scented flowers and lightly scented leaves. Quisqualis indica (Rangoon creeper) Reseda odorata (mignonette): scented flowers Rhododendron: vireya species and hybrids; many are scented and can be grown indoors. Some smaller Maddeni-type cultivars might also fit indoors. Rondeletia leucophyllum (es), splendens (ns) Sanseveria: though not often seen, most snake plants have small, scented flowers Senecio: confusus (mexican flame vine), pendularis, Sinningia tubiflora Stapellia: flavopurpurea is the only species in this genus with a pleasant scent! Stephanotis floribunda (Madagascar jasmine) Strophanthus gratus Tabernaemontana: divericata, holstii (Butterfly gardenia) Tecoma stans Telosma cordata Tillandsia: yes, some air plants have scented flowers: crocata, duratii, straminea and some others see the Bromeliad Forum Trachelospermum: asiaticum, jasminoides (Confederate jasmine) Verbena: some cultivars are scented Vigna caracalla (Snail Vine) Viola odorata (Scented violet) Wrightia religiosa Zingiber: culinary ginger (zingiber officianale) and some other species have scented leaves and rhizomes

I am envious of all of these amazing sambacs. I've only killed mine. I think it's too cold st night here or something. Alas. Dar, I've had Chlidanthus fragrans for several years and still no flowers. I keep it in the greenhouse, which is warmer but less sunny than outside. Any hints for getting into bloom? Maybe I need to douse it with more fertilizer or give it more sun. My trachelospermum is doing well tho. We are selling this house, unfortunately, and I will truly miss this plant, among others. Lilium pricei First flowers for the year on the Plumeria. And my Antirhinum hispanicum which smells like honeysuckle.