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natives_and_veggies

WANTED: Have: stuff of amateurs

Ok, This post is not for most of y'all because you're all growing really impressive and difficult stuff to grow.

I'm looking for the rookies like me. I have been learning to air layer and grow various things from cuttings and seed. I don't have anything any of the pros here need or want. But maybe there are some budding amateurs like me who are filling out the hedge (like me) and would like to trade a few easy basics.

Here's what I have:

Pride of Barbados, also called dwarf ponciana, blooms outrageously. Stunning. Has thorns.

Persian shield (seems to me best kept at about 1 foot high.)

Unusual crotons (more interesting than the ones you find at HD, but still basically crotons. I have a weeping variety that's really pretty, and the easiest to root.)

Golden dewdrop (a native that has lovely purple blue flowers that I often see a Tiger Swallowtail on, and other butterflies. but it has a wild growth habit.)

Chinese orange (i'm told these are one of the few oranges that grow true from seed. They're tiny, sour and good for marinades or cocktails. prolific and easy)

Jasmine

Chenille

sapodilla (mine is a giant tree, with amazing fruit. the little seedlings I have will take a long time to make a tree like mine, but it's a beautiful tree and if you have the time and the space, I have seedlings.)

plumeria cuttings (mine is a little distressed, and I'd warn away from its cuttings, but they've already made trees in friends' yards, so I figure it's fine. Mine is a very standard light pink.)

Random heliconia: I have a basic red with white/yellow inserts, an orange with blue inserts and a nice red with orange inserts, but they're all really basic, and prolific.

Giant heliconia: I have one that has leaves the size of bananas, with gorgeous red and yellow flowers a foot high or more, except they flower deep inside the plant, so you have to cut them and bring them in the house to really enjoy them. But, it's huge, easily 20 feet high by 25 or 30 feet wide. And makes a nice screen. But a bit difficult to dig.)

What I'd love to have:

a native florida pepper plant

A brug cutting, any color

anything native that's pretty

any crinum bulbs (i've been eyeing some under the metromover, seed bulbs are about to be ready. do you have any ready to harvest?)

any bromeliad pups

a yellow plumeria cutting

anything else that grows here without much help but also won't take over my yard. I'd love to have any fruiting or flowering tree or bush that will surive my low water, low fertilizer, no pesticide yard.

Anyone out there in Miami, or greater South Florida want to share with an amateur?

Comments (10)

  • barbcoleus
    15 years ago

    Well those plants don't seem amateurish to me. What kind of chenille plants do you have? The big ones or small. I'm interested in both types. I have bromeliad pups. I'm on the gulf coast so I suppose we could send each other plants through the USPS and if they're small enough it won't cost an arm and a leg.

  • natives_and_veggies
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I have to assume my chenille are big because they grow pretty large. But they don't mind cutting back. I don't have a picture, but put a link at the bottom of what mine look like. Mine don't look quite as stunning as this, but pretty close. They're really easy plants to grow. Mine got bugs at one point last year and just fought them off, with no help from me. The flowers tend to get darker red when it gets really hot, which is nice because that's when so many things just stop blooming all together.

    Instead of sending the large cuttings I have rooted, why don't I try rooting a smaller piece for you, so I can send it more easily. Honestly, you can get these for $9 at HD, so no need for us to be paying shipping more than that. But if we can do it cheaply, I agree, why not trade.

    And if you have small pups, I'll take em. I have an area that I'd like to colonize with bromeliads.

    Send me an email at susannahnesmith (at) yahoo.com and I'll save your address and air layer you a little chenille cutting. It takes about six weeks for them to develop roots, but then I think I can pack it with a tiny bit of wet paper towel and as long as the USPS doesn't lose it, it should work.

    S

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • coffeemom
    15 years ago

    You have mail.

  • wanna_run_faster
    15 years ago

    Hi Natives,

    I have a good sized yellow plumeria rooting, along with a pretty rainbow. I ***think***the yellow is aztec gold, and it is very fragrant. The rainbow is mildly fragrant.i experimented with water rooting them (it was working last time I looked!) I also have a nice size frosty pink (maybe 3 or 4 feet tall) brug rooting. At one point, I had about 10 and this is my all time favorite for it's ability to just keep blooming ...and blooming. I can also start rooting a piece of Tiara Brug for you. I'm west of Fort Lauderdale buy hubby goes down to downtown Miami on a regular basis if you're anywhere near there.

    I would be interested in any of your crotons and most definitely your monster heliconia!

    TTYS,
    WRF

  • jeepboy27
    15 years ago

    Im in Ft. Lauderdale and is interested in some of your plants. I have brugs and yellow Plumeria

  • natives_and_veggies
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Wanna run,

    I have a yard that is only a little more advanced than the backyard challenge, so I'm interested in everything you have. My crotons are kind of neat, one is a weeping one that roots really easily, another looks like a gold dust, and another doesn't look like anything I've ever seen at the big boxes _ it's got a mitten shaped leaf, more or less, green with yellow speckles. The weeping one, which is the prettiest, is also the easiest to root. I have a little one now in a pot, after rooting it in water, that you're welcome to. Or I'll cut you bigger ones and can practically guarantee they'll root in water. the other two are a little more difficult. I've only succeeded once with the mitten-shaped one, meaning, of course, now it's become the one I'm completely taken with. It's difficult so it beguiles me. silly, I know.

    Anyway, I work in downtown Miami, at the Herald. And I live in the city, in the north end.

    send me an email at susannahnesmith (at) yahoo.com and let's work out a trade.

    and jeepboy27, I think I have sources for brugs and plumeria now, but I'm getting almost evangelical about my unusual crotons. They are really neat. More people should grow them. You want to come down and get some cuttings? I've got plenty of persian shield too. Both root in water, without even using rootone or anything. They're easy. send me an email and we'll work out when and how. (with a name like jeepboy, i suspect my boyfriend of the honda civic will want to be here :)

    Susannah

  • michelle1977
    15 years ago

    Hi Susannah,

    I don't even know what these are so they don't sound very amateurish to me. :-) I just posted my HAVE list so if there is anything that interests you, let me know. I would be take what ever you think would do ok in north fl.

    My email is Michelle@keepsakeworld.com

  • natives_and_veggies
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Michelle,

    I was just looking at your list and I'm not sure that any of it would work down here, sadly. I so miss daffodils and tulips, but they don't stand a chance down here. I don't know if any of my stuff will grow up there, but all of it can be bought at regular big box stores for about the same price as trying to mail them. Oh well, we're just too far away to share. :(

    Susannah

  • michelle1977
    15 years ago

    :-)

    Thats ok, we can still learn lots and share stuff online!

    Thanks

  • Randy Ritchie
    15 years ago

    You have mail.....

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