I too am EXTREMELY SENSITIVE to poison ivy and recently broke out in a similar rash after being careless while propagating my all time favorite plant, the philodendron micans. I also suspected that had to be it so I took a fresh cutting and dabbed the sap several times in my arm and didn't wash off for a few hours. Somewhere between 12 & 24 hours later, I started feeling that familiar itch and watched as my test patch gradually spread out the size of a dime and rose up with the little tiny bubble pattern I'm used to seeing with poison ivy rash. THIS SUCKS! I'm in the middle of battling it right now and in my research found this helpful article. I also read another helpful tip that said the sap from these plants can somehow penetrate through standard medical gloves so thicker gardening type gloves should be used when propagating and caution should also be taken when refreshing propagation water. I plant to purchase some thick, SOLID rubber gloves that can easily be thoroughly washed. NOT those gardening gloves that have a breathable section at the back of the hand and wrists! You should also clean the tools you use and the work area. Rubbing alcohol AT LEAST 70% grade is known to be effective for cleaning tools that have come in contact with poison ivy so I plan on implementing that. As well as never shortcutting again by taking rushed cuttings and not doing the basics like laying out a protective mat and immediately washing my hands afterwards. I lazily let my NUMEROUS cuttings drop to the floor (CARPET!) and I know I didn't wash my hands right away like I normally do. A couple hours later I laid on this floor in a tank top and got a mild rash a day later across my upper back and shoulder area as well as my ear lobes which I believe is from handling my earbuds right after propagating my favorite plant. PLEASE MAKE MY PAIN WORTH IT AND LET THIS BE A LESSON TO YOU... PUH-LEAZE!

You should try the local Tropicals forum or UBC Botanic Gardens Forum. I'm especially interested in this 'Lagerstroemia' thing. Here is a link that might be useful: Tropicals Forum

My neighbor has the pond lillies and they winter just fine here in Michigan. Were you refering to growing in preformed shallow store bought ponds? I've had two in my own spring fed hole with a never freezing run off. Mine are still too young to bloom maybe next year.

Hmm...interesting. I hadn't heard of a cucumber lemon before. I googled it, and the pics I've seen so far look similar, but not quite right... I'll have time to look into it a little further tomorrow. However, the fruits on my plant never turn yellow, like I saw in some of the pics -- they stay green. Also, my flowers aren't yellow -- they are definitely a brilliant orange. Thanks for the guess, Leona! Oh, and no, the vines are not thorny. They stay very fleshy and pliable, and easily swing around in the breeze from the fans. Each year I've been cutting the whole thing back to about a foot tall (it quickly resprouts), and the bottom part has by now gotten just the slightest bit woody, but is still less than 1/4" thick.