I have 2 on opposite ends of the back tropical bed that I planted over 10 yrs ago. They might be twice the size of debbie's. They're not fast growing for me. They are not a shrub but a vine. OK a vine with 4 ft leaves.I don't think this is the kind of plant you want to plant next to each other for a hedge.Hope this helps.

Yes, your experience helps me much, Coffeemom, a lot. Thanks for helping! :o)

Do you keep your two monsters to a particular height? If yes, how do you do it? Chop-a-roo the top? And then does it just grow back up again from the point of pruning? About how wide is either of your monsters?

This is not a plant you want to put in the ground unless you've got plenty of room for it to grow. This one in our garden started from a one gallon can about three years ago. My original plan was for it to climb the Queen Palm in the first photo. It didn't like the idea and has instead spread out around the palm and is heading toward my African Tulip tree. Total spread is now around 10' in that direction. Several shoots charged toward the pond, but I keep cutting those back - another 5' from the original starting point. Once you get the vine going up a tree it's a very tropical look and you normally don't cause any damage to the tree.

{{gwi:917135}}
{{gwi:917137}}

Ricky, holey macaroni! I'm in LOVE! That's just one singular monster? How do you prune it and what happens at the point of pruning?

I remember seeing a photo of a variegated (I think it was white and green) monster of yours...and Oh how I love that beautiful monster too, lol! If I remember right, it was going up to the crown shaft of a palm.

Yep, just one plant. I cut leaves off as close to the main stem as possible when I prune. If you cut the main stem, it will branch at that point, usually double.

The variegated plant on the dead Washingtonia palm (the photo below) is Scindapsus aureum or common Pothos sold in every Publix and Walmart around the country. The Pothos on the this stump (20' tall) came from a cutting off one the hanging baskets in our bedroom - 2 years ago. The plant in the other to photos, and the one you are thinking about is Monstera deliciosa or Swiss Cheese Plant. It does come in a variegated form as well.

{{gwi:917139}}

Don't be afraid of this plant, especially since you are in Florida. They will do fine and can be controlled.

If you wish them to grow large then just give them a lot of water. If you want to control them, cut back on the water. In nature in southern Mexico, these plants grow along streams. They love the water. And if they get all they want they can grab a tree and climb to great heights. But if deprived of water, they remain controllable. You can also easily prune them back. In fact, if you cut below a node where roots are visible you can take that cutting and plant it elsewhere or just give it away. At one time, I had over 20 (I think) Monstera deliciosa in my front yard in the Cutler Ridge area of Miami just off Old Cutler. You can easily find homes down there with lots of them.

There are variations of the species and some don't grow as large. But you'll have to do a little hunting to find the smaller ones. We now have a tropical atrium in NW Arkansas and I have about 6 growing inside the atrium. The tallest is now almost 8 feet and is currently producing fruit. And by the way, despite what a bunch of websites claim, the fruit is quite good and safe to eat. It tastes like pineapple.

Here's the information on the plant I've uncovered with the help of botanist Dr. Tom Croat of the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Here is a link that might be useful: The ExoticRainforest

Thank you, ExoticRainForest, for the tips and advice! Know what? I think I've read close to every post you've written at GardenWeb, and have saved to my favorites probably just about your whole website, too. lol. (Btw, it's included with the links of info, click number one, in my first post, first paragraph.)

As you can tell from me goofing up the true identity of Fawnridge's potho, I don't really know what I'm doing. I appreciate everyone lending a hand and giving me a crash course in monsterology 101. "You can also easily prune them back."

Is that what was done in the photos of this monster? See how it's pruned to resemble a shrub-form in her front yard? Or, have I goofed up the true identity on that one too??? lol.

Anyway, thanks again everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge. Hoping to give back and pay forward all the kindness shown today.

PS....I'll also hunt down the variety of monster that I purchased last spring (sticky tag on nursery liner only said, monster philodendron; have since found out it's really in reality a deliciosa. lol). The leaves seem large to me, but then, not as large as the ones in that photo of the front yard.

Well, now I'm blushing! Thanks. My website is non-commercial and was created solely to give information. I love to track down "plant myths" and there are a ton of them out there.

I'm just an old "plant nut" but I've been fortunate to make friends with some of the world's best known botanists and botanical experts. If you read the info on my site, you'll note I quote them all the time. Which reminds, me, the International Aroid Show is in Miami at Fairchild Tropical Garden, September 15 and 16. I'll be there and so will a bunch of the smartest people (not me) in tropical plant culture. Please come. I won't be hard to find. I'll be the guy in the wheelchair with a flowered shirt! Please say hello.

Now, as to your question. Perhaps. That plant is not growing as tall as it is capable. But the control can be from either water or pruning. But it does make a nice addition to the landscape and appears to be well grown.

One other note, the plant photo just above was noted as Scindapsus aureum. I checked both TROPICOS and the International Plant Names Index and could not find a species with that name. I also checked the species list and couldn't find a similar spelling in the Scindapsus sp. list. The photo does not look exactly like the plant that is commonly sold as "Pothos" but since many are extremely variable it may be. The correct name for the commonly sold species is Epipremnum aureum. There has been a great deal of confusion and argument among both collectors and botanists on the correct name of that plant. Dr. Croat, who in my opinion is the world's authority, says it is E. aureum. But I'm giving a link below so you can check the information he gave me.

All of you in Miami and the Miami area, come on down to the aroid show! You'll go home with a bunch of new plants and a gigantic wish list!

Here is a link that might be useful: The ExoticRainforest

Apologies, I did find one. Scindapsus aureus. Sometimes I can't read! That one is an older name for Epipremnum aureum.

Okay, you've convinced me to go! I found the map to get there, and found more info here. I'll be the small semi-sorta Asian looking lady with the overwhelmed look on her face. lol.

Hoping to see a lady named LariAnn there, too (from Aroidia Research). Mainly just to shake her hand. She's terrific. I was thinking about purchasing a Rainbow Eucalyptus, but now reconsidering for an Alocasia Portora solely because that's her makings.

Thanks for the info on the Epipremnum aureum. I've got so much to learn and couldn't be happier about it. :o)

Steve, my name is Shirley. Everytime you see a half-breed Asian-type lady whose glasses are thick and seems lost, say something with "surely" in it (i.e., "Surely, you jest." Then I'll say, "Jest a little."). That way we'll know we're each other. lol.

Well, Shirley I'll be on the lookout for you and your glasses! And LariAnn is a sweetheart! I often depend on her to explain things to me.

If I can, may I suggest you avoid the temptation to buy any plants until the aroid show? There will be so many vendors there with so many great plants you'll need a truck to get them all home!

And one other point. Unfortunately, this forum won't allow me to edit my errors once I commit! I should not have said an "older name" in the post above. Older names actually win the prize! That one is simply a synonym name, or another name given to the same plant. The oldest name is the one currently accepted.

Hope to see and talk to you at the show!

Sounds good, I will heed the advice to not purchase any plant until the show, and will bring along a truck.

That's great how you know LariAnn and hold her with such high esteem. Does she know she has a fan club? lol. I've never met her, but wrote to her about Air Pots. Each time she wrote back, I learned very much. I wrote about her on the GW Vendors forum.

Thanks for guiding me thru the shadowy world of synonyms. Spooky place, names appear and fade away. lol.

LariAnn contributes regularly to another plant board and to the Aroid l discussion group (that is an L, not a 1). She is extremely knowledgeable as you already know. And she is always willing to give her time and try to help.

When I was doing my several month long research on the growth of the spathe and spadix of Anthurium regale she contributed daily as did Dr. Croat, Julius Boos and a number of other people who will be at the aroid show.

Although I've exchanged countless emails with her, I've never spoken in person. So this will be new for me as well. But, as with many people I "talk" to daily about plants, she is one of my "old" friends. Amazing how you develop honest to goodness friendships with people you've never actually met. Plants have a way of doing that to people!

I've got lots of friends who will be at the show. I lived in Miami for well over twenty years, and never met many of these people. But that will soon change! And I'll be glad to meet you, and your thick glasses, there as well. Bring a big truck!

Now, to make you want to buy another "rare" and interesting specimen, you might enjoy reading some of LariAnn's input to my research on the Anthurium regale. But be prepared, there are a bunch of pages! But what a fantastic plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: The ExoticRainforest

Thank you for the link, and you're right about the Anthurium regale, the looks alone making me want one. Need to wait till my noggin is not whirling in crazy love over it, and for when I can provide for its requirements, but that plant is going to make me cry (in the good way)....so beautiful...

I read every page you wrote about it. I think it was Day 41 when the first sign of a scent became apparent and I cheered! lol. I guess I really got into reading the progress. Steve, it's just amazing what you did!

I thought you'd like that plant! Anthurium regale is exceptional. Right now our larger plant is putting on a brand new leaf and I'm in hopes it will be larger than the last which is amazingly large already! This plant has now produced three new leaves in a row which is unusual. Normally the plant will alternate between leaves and spathes. So, hopefully, we'll grow another spathe and spadix in the next few months. And I've got pollen in the freezer!

It is truly amazing what Mother Nature is capable of doing! All I did was observe and photograph her work. And as you read, LariAnn helped a bunch! But I also owe a great deal to my friends Julius and Dr. Croat for their continued input. In this case, each of us learned something new as you likely read since Anthurium regale produces its pollen differently that other Anthurium species.

Chance are quite good someone will have a specimen available at the aroid show! And now, I've managed to totally screw up your thread!

lol, Steve! Seems to me you've enhanced this thread! Feels like I've made a new friend...the genuine kind. And although LariAnn may have no idea about it, that's how I feel about her, too.

While reading the pages of the Anthurium regale, the interest, the curiosity, what is the correct word I'm looking for to describe this, shared between all of you, was tangible. Gosh that sounds so corny, lol. But I felt that wonderful feeling (whatever it's called, in every page--hearts and minds---coming together, this time because of a plant). You, LariAnn, et alia, are a dreamteam, where moons, stars, and planets align, only it'd be even moreso greater to see all of you photographed together in real life! Now, then, how about that? lol.

I talked with my husband about the show to make certain if I could have the truck on either Sept. 15 or 16, and guess what? He wants to go too! (Side note: about a month ago, but still to us a newly realized tidbit to share is every plant, every single plant, he's picked out for me, has been an aroid. lol. Gotta love that guy.) Not sure yet which day, or both, that we can make it; he's rechecking his schedule today to make arrangement.

Steve, I'm so glad to have "met" you!

Try to make it on Saturday if at all possible. I'm receiving all sorts of requests to visit private collections on Sunday. I know we won't have time to see all of them, and my main interest is to engage the minds of the folks who will be at the show. Besides, there will be tons of plants there to see! Dr. Croat will be in Ecuador, but a bunch of the very best aroid minds will be there to learn from. And do I love to learn!

Glad you enjoyed the Anthurium regale piece. We really were getting "into" that plant!

Steve, that's perfect, Saturday is the day. I'll see you then and shake hands with you! :o)

Good! Maybe I can get a hug from a new old friend. But my wife and daughter will be there, so no worries!

I enjoyed reading this post. I'm eating the last of this years monstera fruit, but never fear, there are 4 blooms starting for next year.
Have fun at Fairchild!

Wish I could give you a hug right now...((((Steve)))! It'll be great to meet your family, too!
Sooo happy!

Coffeemom, please go to the show, it'd be very wonderful to meet you too!

(Apologies if this is a second post of the same endearment, but I dunno what happened! lol.)

Just charter a bus and bring all your "plant nut" buddies. Promise, we'll have a party.

By the way, there is a dinner on Saturday night at Fairchild. You can contact the International Aroid Society at the link posted earlier for information. Tickets are $20.00. Two big things will be happening. My friend Leland Miyano from Hawaii will be the guest speaker. Leland is one of the top garden designers in the world and author of several books on the plants of Hawaii. If you've been to Hawaii, chances are great you've seen some of Leland's work. He also worked closely with legendary plant collector, artist, and author Roberto Burle Marx in Brazil. And besides that, he's not only brilliant when it comes to plants, he's just a great guy! Shirley, you find me and I'll make sure you meet Leland.

And the other big event that evening is the IAS plant auction. There will be some fabulous plants available, some which you simply can't buy anywhere such as Philodendron spiritus-sancti. There are only 6 of those very rare plants left in Brazil! Only 6! And it is spectacular. But there will be a lot of other great specimens someone is going to get to take home. If you've never seen Philodendron spiritus-sancti there is a page on the plant on my website.

Come have dinner with us and share some time with Leland! But order your tickets now. Space is limited.

Steve, I sent a link of this thread to LariAnn, thinking she might enjoy a nice surprise! :o)

Thanks for the tip about the Dinner, Steve. I'll see to it ASAP. And I'll read the pages for the Philodendron spiritus-sancti (I think it's this one, and this one, for others who're also interested).

Hi all,
This is LariAnn; Shirley just let me know about this thread so I thought I'd show up and greet y'all. I'm blushing over all the compliments!

A little while back Steve gave me such good information about how to grow the Anthurium regale that I now have two nice ones, originally from Dr. Darien in California, growing well, even in the brutal south Florida heat! And yes, I will be at the show in September. I wanted to do a full scale show of my newest hybrid plants, never before shown, but the idea was nixed by IAS officials who didn't want a one-person aroid show at their main annual fund-raiser. Even the best pictures are no match for seeing plants live.

I do look forward to meeting all of those of you who will be there at the show in person. Last year I think there were some folks there from these forums, but I had no way of knowing who was who. We need some kind of way to identify each other, in lieu of pictures.

What do you think?

LariAnn
Aroidia Research

Here are the links for dinner reservations: print out and mail way or see contact info page. Steve, is it a membership only event?

You found it Shirley. That is the one plant I'd love to have in my collection!! My wife would hang me if I bought one at auction.

Certainly glad to see LariAnn show up here. I know how to figure out who Shirley is (surely not) and I'm sure I can find LariAnn, but for any of you that would like to talk about our plants, your plants, our website, or just about anything plant wise, just look for the "old guy" in the chair with the wheels. I'll have on a name tag and always wear a flowered shirt!

By the way, if you haven't considered joining IAS yet, please do so. If you join, and let Trisha Frank at IAS know you're coming, admission to the show is free. And that includes admission to the garden. And that is a pretty good deal! Besides, you'll receive all the IAS printed material which can be very informative and valuable to any "plant nut". You can find all the info you need in the link Shirley posted earlier. You can also find membership information at the top of our homepage. But to make it really easy, I'll post it here.

Hope to talk to you in a few weeks!

Here is a link that might be useful: The ExoticRainforest/IAS

LariAnn, you're here! lol! There was a discussion about how to identify each other, and I think it was, let's all have a leaf pinned to our shirt, or hat....something....like that. Good grief I'm getting sleepy and cannot remember correctly.

Surely not

"I wanted to do a full scale show of my newest hybrid plants, never before shown, but the idea was nixed by IAS officials who didn't want a one-person aroid show at their main annual fund-raiser."

LariAnn, I vote, have your own show. You have a fan club afterall. :o)

(Whenever you hold an event please send me an email notice, and...TIA!)

Wow, with all those fans, I'm feeling cooler already! ROFL!!

BTW, I wanted to extend an invitation to true aroid nuts who might want to visit Aroidia Research during the IAS show time on an almost once in a lifetime pass to see what I'm coming up with. A private show, as it were, and you might even get something to take home!

Let me know if you are interested so we can plan.

LariAnn

Here is a link that might be useful: Aroidia Research

LariAnn & Steve,

It's almost 3 hours in drive-time for us to arrive at the show, and then to return home: with plants sealed up in the back of the truck, I'm thinking we're not going to attend the dinner. Thought about reserving a hotel room but that's complicated too, beyond the plants we'll purchase.

{{gwi:917140}}We have a little weirdo from outer space (she appears as if belonging amongst domesticated household cats), who is entering her tenth year of life on planet Earth. The vet has never given her all the various booster shots--- gives her only the barest minimum because she's never been able to handle anything more than that. Her immune system seems slowly weakening. Super skinny is the way she is, however since her last check up she has lost weight and tops out the scale at just over six pounds. Vet said she's more than likely okay, but the truth is I'm on the edge of plunging into the deep end of worry that her health is compromised. I don't have a current photo of her on this laptop, but the snapshot of her was taken after she won a huge battle of pneumonia.

With all that written down, LariAnn, I'd be very torn up if I missed a private show of yours! I would skip the other show---if it came to that---just so I could directly purchase one of your creations.

My husband just thought of the solution. He's going to stay with Celest and fix things so I can still go, not worry about plants being stifled and still make the dinner and spend the night there if I want to do that. See what I mean about this guy? I just love him! :o)

I was about to try to find you some help on this one! But gladly you got it solved. I'm both a plant nut and an animal nut so I understand completely. See you in just a few weeks. Steve

Greetings,
I do hope that when you all come back from your trip that you let us know all about it and do post photos. So please click away and have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Felix

Just caught the question about the IAS dinner. I really don't know if you need to be a member. Send a note to IAS and ask. Shirley posted the link or you can find it on my site easily. But, since you will need to pay to get in the garden it is just a very few dollars more to join IAS. That way you know for sure you can go to the dinner and don't forget the auction! And don't forget Leland! Besides, in the next year you'll receive for quarterly newletters and the annual volume of Aroidena. I got mine today and what an issue! It is really a book! I'll be reading for the next month!

So join now! Send in your reservations. Wear a tropical shirt. And let's talk plants! Steve

I type too fast! That's four (4) newsletters. And if you're an IAS member you get in free. Just be sure and tell Trisha Frank at IAS you're coming so she can leave you a gate pass.

Since some of you folks have been kind to me, I'd like to make you aware of a situation that appears to be developing on the web.

I post on another site (which there is no need to name) using a different screen name. I did also post (upon occasion) on a third "plant site" using the screen name "ExoticRainforest". The name of that site is totally unimportant and I would not encourage any of you to try to find or use the site.

Some weeks ago I noticed the "language" on the site was far too strong for my use or interest. Then it became increasingly popular to call other users by slanderous terms. They appeared to think it was fun. I dropped off the board. But then I received a request to come back and answer a few aroid questions. While there I noticed one thread I just could not understand. One noted grower had announced he was selling his land and entire collection via a local newspaper. I've spoken to that grower, I just don't know him. Many in that group almost stood up and cheered. The name calling was ridiculous and of no value. I suspect if that type of slander took place on this board, it would be deleted and the writer banned. I told the site moderator I would not be back. He went, well shall we say, "ballistic". Made numerous email demands I call him and explain my actions. He called it a "freedom of speech" issue. I did not respond.

I'm now told (I haven't tried to log back on) I'm being personally trashed on that site. One reader also informed me it was also suggested that someone claim the name "ExoticRainforest" and use it in order to try to slander my name by using the same techniques as many already on the site were using.

I would like for it to be known I would NEVER use foul language on a plant board. I don't use it period. And I would certainly never slander another human being in a public forum. Its just not my style. I enjoy talking plants.

So if you run across a quote by "ExoticRainforest" somewhere after August 29, 2007 and it does not fit the style I use above, it was not me! I have too much respect for other growers and people as human beings.

I trust you understand. And I hope to meet some of you in Miami in two weeks!

Steve

Steve,
Thank you for the information. I certainly understand about the foul language. I feel the same way. It is a matter of morality,immaturity,lack of wisdom and ethics.
I also thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

Felix

Hi Steve...

As one of the people who made the joke on that other website(and it was a joke, that is all) about wanting your screen name, I'm here to correct a misunderstanding. No one ever intended to actually use your screen name in any way. There was a comment made in jest to that effect, but I assure you it was only a jest, and not to be taken seriously. Rest assured that your handle, screen name, etc... are not in peril of being hijacked by myself or any other member of "that other forum".

have fun and happy planting... :)

Chris
Thegreenman

Steve, thanks for conveying upfrontness.

I understand the feeling...and it feels awful. Years ago "Sooth" (my nic) was "taken" for a prank, but in no way was it perceived by me as humorous...it was only just awful. You've done the right thing coming here and saying a little something about it.

*********************************************************

Chris, thanks for clarifying your involvement. I don't know how you knew to come to this thread so quickly to respond in clarification...but it's not needed to be explained to me (meaning: it's kinda celerita squared weird and I'm oddly okay with that).

Have any Monstera deliciosa?

*********************************************************

Hoping everything works out well.

Thanks guys and gals. I can no longer read what is on "that other site" since I've been "banned" for my refusal to take a position similar to the owner and not yielding to his demand that I call and explain my actions. One other poster wrote and told me they too had been "banned" I'm told the owner is calling it a "freedom of speech" issue. Somehow I always thought "freedom of speech" was a two way street. Anyway, thanks Chris for the clarifiction. And thanks to the rest of you for your comments.

Now, back to the plants!

Hello All:

Please forgive me for interrupting, but I feel I must address the comments Steve has made in this thread for they are misrepresentations of the truth. Second, I don't know what Steve's real motivations are for raising this issue in a third party Monstera thread out of nowhere. I was letting it go, but Steve apparently felt differently.

First, I never demanded that Steve take my position and demanded he call me. In our e-mail exchange, I asked him to call me so we could talk this out because as you all know, the written word can be misinterpreted. I even offered to call him right back to save him any long distance charges. My e-mails simply explained my position on the said matter, and I also reminded him that in another dispute he had with another website regarding copyright issues, I offered to post the material he was forced to take down because I believed he had been wronged (it was a binomial name dispute as I recall).

In addition, I reminded Steve that we are beta testing a new version of the site and I suggested if he was so disturbed by the content, he was welcome to join and have a say in the direction of the website.

He ignored all of my REQUESTS to talk it out.

When I was informed of Steve's post above, I posted the full exchange of the e-mail online (which I normally don't do) because I wanted to clarify where the misunderstanding arose. The text is there because while I know our tropical plant site isn't for everyone, and we do get our share of positive and negative criticism, I felt I had to put it out there without filters for my members to judge.

The only demand, as he puts it, is a recitation of reasons he said he stopped posting, which changed depending on who he was speaking to and I rhetorically asked "which is it, Steve?" That's the closest I can see I've gotten to a demand in the e-mail exchange.

In regards to the discussion regarding said grower, there were posts from both sides of the issue, and I started a separate thread speculating what might happen to the property and how we can save the garden. Steve neglected to mention this. He also didn't follow my suggestion to look at the polarizing effect said grower has on the community by looking at the far more hostile and vulgar discussion that took place on the largest palm site on the web. Ours was started by members from that site and seemed like a wedding toast in comparison. In fact, one recently returned member to our site, posted that he was pleased by the "polite" and "informed" exchange we were having.

As to the ban, that is correct and that started when I found out about the mischaracterization of our conversation. As a webmaster, my duty is to protect my website and members from potential disruption, and when he brought up here out of the blue, I banned him. That is my standard precautionary practice when someone leaves under negative circumstances because my board was damaged by someone in early 2005 after he was offended by someone in our off-topic forum. The other person I banned was someone who was lurking on the thread and (according to my site's logs) attempted to logon using other's usernames and passwords. When it seemed Steve was still getting feedback, I started looking for suspicious IP addresses. Many webmasters would try to do the same if I he/she became aware of mistruths being told elsewhere. I have records of all this and can present them to anyone who asks.

I know your most of your minds are probably made up and probably wish this had stayed out of here. I agree and it's unfortunate Steve chose to air this matter here. However, I wanted to present the facts as best as I can (and those who question either version of this are welcome to see the transcript on my website so you can make your own decisions). I used to be a regular in the Tropicals forum years ago and if you remember my style there, it's pretty much the same now...I agree it's not to everyone's liking.

Chris already explained the thread was in good fun. Now after reading his continued misunderstandings (admittedly I have a harsher term for it on my website) about me, my website, and my members, I had to say something. Why Steve is doing this in the guise of a public service warning is known only to him, and my sincere hope (as I have written in my website) that this stop and we both go our separate ways.

Steve is extremely knowledgeable and he has an awesome website. In my "demanding" e-mail, I ASKED him to reconsider and told him the same and his leaving would be a huge loss for us. If this is a demand, then I'm guilty here. You are fortunate to have his expertise.

Thank you for your time and letting me air my version of the events of the past week. Again, I know my site is not for everyone...just tropical plant nuts who also like letting their hair down and having fun while talking about a subject we all agree that we love...tropicals and tropical look!

spectre
Webmaster

Spectre,
"...I don't know what Steve's real motivations are for raising this issue in a third party Monstera thread out of nowhere."

"Why Steve is doing this in the guise of a public service warning is known only to him...."

Well, hoping you'll understand another point of view.

Steve and I are new to each other. With us having "met" each other here on this thread (which went off topic several posts ago and it was very okay with me), I can understand how he might worry for a possible mix up in the future. I'd be the same way, if it were me: I would not want the wrong idea to nip any budding new friendships.

I believe Steve could have logically inferred from my opening post how I surf the Internet for plant info. And I do surf, nerd-surfer-me; he could also easily infer by my posts that I was not aware of such recent troubled waters. And that'd be true too. I didn't know that there were troubling posts written out there on the other plant forums which might be stumbled upon while surfing concerning him as a person. He didn't say where those locations exist---seems more of giving a heads up to new friends found in this thread. No details were actually needed---about a worry of a personal nature existing on the World Wide Web. To me, by being upfront about it, he did the right thing.

A few posts ago in this thread, he knew I'd be traveling alone to the Aroid Show, so that was good reasoning for him to say a little something....as a just-in-case sort of fashion.

Hello Sooth:

I understand and get that part, and there have been occasions on other forums (not mine) where a person will post under another's screen name for the purpose of defamation, flaming, or simply causing trouble. There was a notorious (and bizarre case) on the palm forum about four years ago where someone impersonated a regular and the readers didn't know who to believe.

As a Webmaster (and sharing info with other webmasters), there is stuff that goes on behind the scenes that just wouldn't be believed, so I get where you're coming from, just as I hope you can put yourself in my shoes if you were trying to build a site and see the possible damage misrepresentations about my website can cause.

As I briefly mentioned, I'm going through a revamp which I plan to launch in about three to four weeks which will upgrade our offerings. One of these will be e-zines and articles that inform (without the personality) similar to say an Islands magazine or National Geographic. I'm concerned that these sort of comments can hurt my efforts to recruit writers, advertisers, etc. in the long run, which is why I wrote my rebuttal.

Anyway, I just wanted to have my say. I posted the unedited exchange so people (if they so choose) can see for themselves that I did not bully or demand Steve do anything, and told him that was not my intent. I simply asked. And again, I'm glad to see that Chris came in and confirmed that it was all in jest. I left the thread up so people can see for themselves too. Our site is quirky, sort like a Daily Show meets the Tropical Gardener kind of thing. It's not to everybody's taste, and I obviously don't mind if Steve expresses his opinions; even if he opines people don't go to the site, that's his right. He does not have the right to misrepresent the facts of communications we've had, either public or private, and I just want to counter his misinterpretation of the events with facts and written proof so my website, members, and I are not defamed needlessly.

Sooth, again, I do get your point of view, and I understand Steve's concern not to have his name besmirched. Please understand I also have the same concerns as well.

I've said my peace. We now return you to Abbott & Costello Meet the Frankenstein Monstera, already in progress. ;-)

Having no desire to throw further gasoline on this fire, I've said all I will say. The entire threads have been forwarded to me. If any would like to read what I said when I left the board as well as Spectre's response, send me a private email and I'll forward them to you so you can read the entire content.

I have not, and will not, name the other site.

Several of Spectre's members have sent private email saying they too were disturbed by the tone of several threads.

I did not respond to Spectre because I have no desire to discuss politics in a plant forum. I discuss plants.

Since much of what is written above intends to make it appear I said something more than I did when I left "that other board", I am posting exactly what I wrote. If you can find it (and you won't get the link from me) you should find these quotes word for word. If Spectre or another person wishes to comment further, that is certainly "free speech". I won't be back on this subject.

My only reason for posting this originally was to protect my screen name. And now, I even regret my attempt to do that.

This is the email I sent to the website owner (Spectre)saying I would no longer be participating. He had just suggested I was too "thin skinned" and his site might not be right for me:

"I believe you are right. (name deleted) just isn't right for me. I don't log on to such sites to fight wars. And I certainly don't log on to read why half of California appears to hate (name deleted). I log on to learn something and hopefully pass along some information I've been fortunate enough to acquire. It seems to me you are the one with the really "thin skin". You don't like criticism, even positive. And I've said nothing negative.
So, let's just make a mutual decision. I won't post anymore and you can delete my name from your files. There are lots of good places out there to trade information. I don't enjoy trading insults nor do I enjoy being lectured. I don't owe you an explanation for any of my actions.
I wish you success with your forum."

And this is what I posted on his board as my final post.

"Although I appreciate the opportunity to share good discussions regarding plants with other people of similar interest, I don't enjoy logging on to read the defamation of someone I don't know. And I doubt many who were dumping on (name deleted) him well either. Actually, I have talked several times to (name deleted) and although I never found him to be "fuzzy", I did find him to be very knowledgeable. Enough said.

I received a note from (name deleted)yesterday asking why I haven't been around. Well, I'm not sure. I received a letter from (name deleted) this morning which was more a lecture than a request for information. Again, enough said.

I know I wasn't crazy about the tone of some discussion. As (name deleted) said in a post yesterday, I guess I'm just too thin skinned for the (name of site deleted). So, I'm no longer in the name of site deleted).

I wish you well. And if you have plants you'd like to discuss, especially aroids, I'm easy to find. Just look for the ExoticRainforest website. I'll gladly exchange information. But I won't share insults.

I wish you all well."