It was a much longer trip in those days Katrina, I-10 speeded it immensely. Back then I think I remember two nights on the road, with I-10 it can be done with only one overnight but it's still a grueling drive. 1100 miles if I remember correctly.

Oh believe me, there's no comparison in the great food of southern Louisiana and the Shreveport area. And the people are different too, they seemed more like Texans. I prefer the people and culture in the south, and of course the Gulf. I love the ocean.

Thanks for posting the link, I didn't realize it was just a new thread that needed to be started. Sometimes I don't speak the lingo.

Russ

I wasn't speaking it either because I knew you knew how because u posted it further up. I should've named the thread differently. The way I worded it sounds like its only for u to look at. My brain was running on empty by that time, now my fresh morning brain is wondering why I did that :-)

I didn't see the link. Where did you post it?

New thread. It says "Posting for Russ".

Totally missed it. Thanks

Thanks a bunch for posting that Katrina!! Hopefully many others will enjoy seeing those fantastic sans.

I found another website with sans, has this been posted yet? Click on each issue, unfortunately it's another German site.

http://www.sansevieria-online.de/doku.php

Russ

I'm going to repost that first one so more people can see it. It's probably getting overlooked because of the generic heading I put.

I hadn't seen this one. I can look at Sans all day long. Even the one who look similar have a certain little something. Thanks for that link.

Too bad there's not more sites, especially ones in English. The Germans are certainly interested in sans though. I'd love to live next door to Ernst Specks' nursery, I'd be checking his garbage every darned day.

Russ

Heck yeah. Just call me Ms. Dumpster Diver!

I noticed references in some of these issues (or was it the ISS journals?) to C&S journals - it may be we have plenty written about Sans here in the US but not in a devoted journal - articles in houseplant trade publications or the C&S journal(s). I ordered the DVD/CD of the back issues of the ISS journals finally.

NextO, I belonged to the CSSA for many years and have a shelf full of old journals that are a treasure. You're right, we may have missed some good info on sans by not having a subscription.

I enjoyed the journals from ISS from their beginning, and I still refer to them often, sometimes just browsing the pics. But I had serious personal difficulties with one of the members and when his articles started showing up in the Journals, I quit ISS. I've always been a fan of Juan Chahinian and back him to the hilt.

But the DVD of back issues sounds interesting. I have 1 thru 16, do you know the last issue the DVD covers? Also, what did it cost?

Russ

Cut & pasted:

Here is a message from Alan Butler regarding a DVD of all the back issues of Sansevieria:

Those who ordered the DVD of the Sansevieria journal will be pleased to know they are being posted this week. Those who have yet to order you do not know what you are missing! All 33 issues in a fully text searchable format. These would cost you 231 pounds in hard copy. The DVD costs less than a tenth of that price. Number 33 among other things contains a new key to the Sansevieria species!

Alan Butler, Chairman of the ISS

I hope you will consider purchasing this DVD, and membership in the International Sansevieria Society (ISS). The DVD and membership are available on the ISS website. Future issues of the journal will be edited by Robert Webb and myself. Please let us know if you would like to submit articles, or have suggestions for articles of interest.

Thanks!

Alan Myklebust

Tucson

Russ - oddly enough - I can't locate the website (ISS) again. It's gone. Here is a link showing it existed and where it should be Sansevieria sites so although I ordered a disc, I haven't received it. Strange. I think I remember it went up to 2014.

Russ here is the page for the Journals and disc

Hey kids, thanks for all this terrific info. I've corresponded wih Alan Myklebust a few times and have some sans from him, he's a friendly guy and fantastic grower of sans in Arizona. I don't know Alan Butler personally but he's one of the stalwarts of the ISS and a leading expert in sansevierias. He was the caretaker of the National Collection of sansevierias in England when he was located there, but not sure he has that responsibility now that he's elsewhere, I think Spain.

If I have to join the ISS to get the disc, I'm not sure I'll do that, but I'll look into it.

Thanks, Russ

Russ, how long have you been growing Sans? I ask because u know everybody and are a wealth of information.

I didn't join Russ, I just ordered the disc. Thanks for the background on these gentlemen.

Thanks NextO, I appreciate you letting us know about this. Anyone who hasn't seen the ISS Journals is really missing a great wealth of info on sansevierias. You turn the pages and the complete, dedicated focus on sansevierias is wonderful, you're literally swimming in sansevierias!

Katrina, I grew a few common sans over 40 years ago, I was focused on aroids in those days. Phildendrons, dieffenbachias, epipremnums, etc. I became interested in sansevierias about 20 years ago, and in the late 90s I got a generous gift of several huge boxes of sans from a wonderful lady named Alice Waidhofer in Stockton California. She is a pioneer sans collector, and was needing to cut back on her collection for age and health reasons. I don't remember how she got my name and knew of my sans interest, but I'm glad she did. She donated her big specimens to The Huntington Botanic Garden but a couple of collectors, myself included, got smaller plants, bits, pieces and stems of relatively common, uncommon and rare sansevierias.

The other collector that received boxes of sans from Alice was in Georgia, I've heard he lost interest and moved on to other things.

Since then I've added quite a few sans and they're a prime interest for me now. I love aroids equally though, and one of these days I might have to make a choice because of sheer volume of plants I have to maintain.

Thanks for asking and I appreciate the compliments.

Russ

Wow...just wow! You and plants go way back ;-) I can't imagine u choosing between two loves you've known and nurtured so long. And for Ms Alice to donate her precious plants. I'm sure she had a short conversation with each one before she boxed it.

The Sans journals sound like great reading and even greater learning.

Russ - that is a great story about Alice passing the torch to you - and you have carried it well.

Thanks for those photos Russ. Some sans really have some thorny tips. I have the greatest respect for my pinguicula.

Those are incredible Russ! Beautifully grown! I tried to get my hands on a rhodesiana recently but couldn't. Yours is stunning! I assume it is a tons of sun, desert grower?

I love the markings on the aubrysiana as well. Such a pretty plant. I have a thing for those hahlii! seeing the regular and blue side by side is so striking.

Does the bagmoyensis have the same growth pattern as arborescens? Or as sp. 23251?

And lastly, your brother's kirkii!! Wow! Now that's the way to grow Sansevieria! Thank you for sharing part of your collection.

Russ, how do you ever tear yourself away from your collections? They command attention! I appreciate you putting them so close together because their differences really stand out for me. Being green to Sans, sometimes it's hard to see their subtleties.

How old is the sp.23251? Does it stop growing at a certain height or age?

Is your brother as serious a collector as you are? His kirkii v pulchra is to die for.

Barb, I cut off the tip of some of my sharp pointed sans, if I get stabbed I go and get the snips. Ping's are especially bad with the spine being very long on some clones and they're wickedly sharp and stiff.

Vitorama, the rhodesiana has been getting direct sun part of the day, light shade the rest. It's super slow, this one's the largest so far. I'll see if I have an extra I can send, but it would be small.

On the hallii's, I have the species, Blue and Lundi, but the big species is my favorite. I had a tiny Pink hallii many years ago but lost it. Does that nursery in your area have them?

Arborescens and bagamoyensis are look-alikes as far as I know. Chahinian says these two have been controversial in their identity, I'm not sure what he means by that but he does indicate they are separate species. His descriptions are the same other than arborescens leaves attaching to the stem all the way around, making them very hard to pull off, while leaves of bagamoyensis are narrower at the stem so don't attach all the way around, making them much easier to pull off. They both grow to 6 or 7 feet tall, I can't imagine a more secure fence if they were planted close together in a row.

Katrina, sans are just one of the many kinds of plants I think are fascinating. It'd be hard to pick favorites.

Chahinian says sp. Lavranos 23251 grows to 7 feet with leaves to 30 inches long. I didn't know that until you asked and I checked his old book, I had no idea it grew that big. So my biggest being a foot tall has one heck of a long way to go! I don't know how old mine is, but at least several to 5 years.

Brother Roger is a recently retired naturalist and an expert in Florida native plants, but he has no collections of any kind. He has an acre of mixed trees and plants but that's it. His wife does have a collection of orchids. I have an acre+ and I'd kill to be able to have avocado trees like he does, but winters are too cold here in central Fla.

Russ

Russ! That's so funny you asked about the pink hahlii because I was doing a little dance seeing it wasn't on your list, hoping we could trade! My local nursery doesn't have it, but I sure do. With a list like yours I don't have much to offer, but I had to smile at that possibility.

What do you mean by the "big species"? Is that different from the species or are you saying that the species is just large?

I just purchased a blue but I'm not sure what Lundi looks like. I'll have to refer to Chahinian's book for reference. Is it possible that you and I traded many years ago? Maybe the pink bat you say you used to have for something?

Hi Lori,

I meant by 'the big species' that hallii is bigger, thicker, more robust overall than the other types. My Blue hallii leaves are narrower, and Lundi is even more narrow. Lundi leaves have different colors and some indistinct banding. Leaves on my plants are always very curved, hallii and Blue hallii not so much.

You know, ever since I saw your name I've been meaning to ask if you remember trading with me many years ago. Your name keeps ringing bells, familiar from long ago, but I've not been sure. You didn't mention it so I thought I must be mistaken.

I do remember losing the small Pink Bat though, I sure hated to lose that one, a very special sans. Do you think it might have come from you?? Now that would be amazing, a very small world indeed!

If you have an extra Pink hallii, I'd be glad to trade any number of sans for it. If not, I'd sure like to see a pic of your specimen.

I see that Chahinian in his book on species says that he's seen numerous variations of hallii's that bridge the color gaps between the species, Blue, Pink and Lundi.

Russ

I can't believe it, Russ! I was thinking the same thing about your name ever since I read it. I was thinking, 'I traded with a guy from FL a million years ago' but I didn't see pink bat on your list so I thought it mustn't be you! Too funny!

I remember trading my pink bat a long time ago with a guy from FL whose collection had been devastated by a particularly virulent outbreak of mealy bug. Was that you?

Anyway, I haven't separated my pink bat since I traded that one piece with you. It is a one-growth-per-year plant for my windowsill gardening in NJ so I'm never in a hurry to cut it up, but I will be happy to trade a well rooted piece with you. Here is a picture of my plant.

A close up piece

Let me know if that is ok with you Russ and I'll work on separating a piece for you.

BTW, mailing the other tomorrow. I'll email you the tracking number.

Lori

What a neat story. That's a beautiful plant.

Thank you very much on both counts, Barb. Small world, right?

Hey Lori, I have old files with notes and comments about trades I did decades ago. This morning I looked through those and there you were! It's a list of sans I apparently sent you, unfortunately I didn't put a date on this particular note. It would have been interesting to know what year it was. The note says I sent Jade Dwarf, Jade Marginated, grandis, Midnight Star, Bantel's Sensation, Black Gold, Silver Queen, Okeechobee, transvaalensis, and dooneri which I listed as LK, the person who sent it to me in Denmark, because it was unidentified. I use her initials here for privacy reasons.

The fact that I used the incorrect name Jade Marginated and didn't know the LK plant was dooneri tells me this was 12 to 15 years ago. Wow, who'd have thunk we'd cross paths again!

Thanks for sending plants, I'm working on yours and everyone else's requests.

Great to know you, again!

Russ

You guys are something else. Small world with people who run in even smaller circles! Great group

Russ- You traded all those plants with me for one pink hahlii???? I know I didn't have much to trade so that was one amazing gain for me! I always wondered where my grandis came from. I thought it was a Bob Smoley buy. Now I know it is yours! Also, the Jade Dwarf Marginated I have, clearly from you, is the only Hahnii-type I have ever had long term success with.

It is amazing it has been that long and even more amazing you have kept such complete notes! It is GREAT to know you again after all these years Russ!

Lori, you did send me more sans for the Pink Bat.

I found three sans with your name on the labels, one is an unidentified sans which you said had come from Guatamala, I assume from a collector or trader there or perhaps indirectly.

You also sent trifasciata Manda's Dwarf (?). Apparently wasn't sure of the ID, it has turned out to be regular trifasciata but I still have it.

You also sent a canaliculata dwarf.

Do you still have these??

You may have sent more sans, these are just the ones I've been able to find and verify. It won't surprise me if I run across some more. I didn't have the Manda's or the Guatemala sans on my lists, but I've added them. Just shows how incomplete my lists are.

The labels have the date of our trade on them, Oct 2005, so it's been 11 years!

Yes, it's great that we've met again. I sent a long email in response to yours regarding our trade, but I don't think it 'went'. It's not in my Sent Mail. But I'd like to have all the sans and succulents you mentioned, including the opuntia.

Russ

I don't even remember having some of those Russ! Wow! I know I had a huge collection but had to move a lot, lost some, had life drama, whatever, so only kept a few but kept them well. Guatemala? I wonder what that one was. I used to work with a lot of Guatemalans when I worked at a nursery, though I don't recall obtaining a Sans from any of them. Would you post a picture of that one?

I don't have any you mentioned. The Mandas Dwarf came from Bob Smoley. I remember ordering a few plants from him back then. I have regular caniculata but not dwarf. Interesting. I do have a dwarf caniculata-looking one but others have posted pictures and I'm thinking it must be cylindrica dwarf. I bought it awhile ago at Whole Foods, of all places, stuck in a pot Mikado style.

2005! Wow! I think when I originally posted on this gardenweb I did under the name gardenmadness. I tried to resurrect that name but my password was ancient history. Too many passwords to remember one from that long ago!

I wondered why you didn't respond to my emails, lol, lost in cyberspace no doubt. I try not to hijack other people's threads but it just seems that happens to all of us sometimes. I'll work on getting the rest of those plants together. If it ever gets warm here again!

I'll take a pic of the Guatemala one and post tomorrow Lori. I have several in a 1-gallon pot but I'll try to find an immature with the ruffled edges on the edge of the groove. Very attractive.

On canaliculata, the so-called dwarfs can stay small indefinitely, but they can suddenly start growing to full size at any time. Considering full size is 2 feet tall, I guess all of mine from different sources are dwarfs, from 4 to 6 inches tall.

Is the sans you bought at Whole Foods narrow and has distinctive banding? There is a sans going around they're calling Japonesa, usually planted as many single rooted leaves in a pot. Maybe this is how Mikado is being marketed.

Russ

I think it was Barb who determined that Mikado is more like a style of planting, with the branches truncated and rooted in the ground, rather than a variety or hybrid itself. That is what I was referring to. The one from Whole foods looks different so far from the one I bought on eBay labeled Mikado, that I posted earlier in a separate discussion. Sorry that is confusing.

Anyway, here is the one I bought at Whole Foods. A piece of it anyway, as it has matured.

Ugh, it posted the same shot and I don't know how to delete. Here is another shot

Any thoughts on what this could be Russ?

Lori, I get it now about Mikado as a style rather than a particular sans. I did some Googling and read several threads about it. I'm thinking Japonesa is the same thing since they're pots of many single, rooted leaves, although I've only seen the same plant used when I see that name. I've received a plant that was grown from the leaves and it looks very similar to one of my hybrids, I think it was Stellette. I've lost my Fernwood, but based on pics it could also be that sans.

Your plant from Whole Foods looks like it could be cylindrica, if you have a cylindrica already how does it compare? I don't see a channel on the leaf, if there is then it's not cylindrica.

I think I see 3 plants in the pot, but the way the bigger leaves are pointing left and then right, it looks like a single fan that's been planted very deep rather than many single leaves cut and planted together Mikado style. Then there are two smaller plants on the right growing at soil level, I suspect these are offsets from the big plant that's been buried. Have you dug down to see what's going on?

Russ

I have seen that Japonesa in a local nursery. It had that braid in the center and a bunch of pups around the edge. Just looked weird with that braid in the center. But yes it did look similsr to Fernwood. I don't know how tall it would grow. Don't you just wonder how yucky the plants are that are left after they make leaf cuttings every time they grow a new leaf.

Russ, this is a transplanted and divided plant, so I do know there is no central plant planted deep. These are all leaf top cuttings that were planted by the grower. In fact, when I went to transplant them, the lighter soil made many of them fall and one pot I have looks a sloppy hot mess. I didn't take a picture of that one because of it but I will when I get get home so you get an idea of the growth pattern.

i do have what I believe is a cylindrica at home but it is huge! the leaves are 3-4' long so it is hard to compare. Unless, of course, that is not a cylindrica either. I will post more pictures.

Barb- I've seen braids but never braids with babies! How odd!

Here ya go. Japonesa.

Ohhh that poor baby. Could be beautiful, but I don't think it's cute with the braid and new growth.

Well, if Japonesa is Fernwood, then I have it. A collector named Fred sent me some to identifiy, and I thought it looked like Stellette, a trifasciata hybrid I have. I don't know who invented the braiding bit, but I'd like to give them some 'advice' on ethical marketing of plants. What a dopey idea.

Interesting Lori that those leaves of yours are all independent cuttings, sure had me fooled.

Russ

Barb, the crazy thing about that plant is why would you bother braiding the plant knowing all the other plants will come in like you are showing. It detracts from the original intent. What are you supposed to do, braid all the babies too?

I think we should start a new group, PETS, People for the Ethical Treatment of Sansevieria.

Russ, here is the clise up if the one I transplanted and I guess I didn't plant it deep enough because it just collapsed and grew differently.

Close up of new growth.

Vitorama, I love this.

"think we should start a new group, PETS, People for the Ethical Treatment of Sansevieria."

Maybe these novelties are popular in some parts of the world, but I can't see it. No paints, braids or restrictions, please. Just let them grow with no torture.

Someone posted photos of a haworthia on a succulent group I follow on FB. The colors were so unnatural, I questioned the photo, or if the plants were dyed. They insisted the plants were true. Black and orange? Black and yellow? Blue and red? I don't see the appeal of plants like that and you can't tell me injecting plants with dyes is good either.

Vitorama, They may be using food coloring....maybe. Is there is anyone here old enough to remember way back in the days of yore when schools actually had money available for teaching? In elementary school (before color TV) our 3rd grade teacher had us fill a two glass containers (this was before the fear of glass breaking and threats of lawsuits) with water. One with warm water and the other with cold water. We added food coloring to each then added a stalk of celery. The celery in the warm water container was first to absorb color. Movement of molecules etc. Ok I'm done. Lol

k

You are dating yourself, K! lol. wish my teacher had done that. I saw that a lot in the floral trade. Fake colored flowers. Hate it.

I've seen the colored succulents here, mostly haworthias. What I'm seeing is paint, not dye. Yellow, red, orange, etc. Pitiful!!! Not to mention the glued-on straw flowers. I pull off as many as I can without being eyeballed by a clerk and thrown out of the store. At one time the flowers were on a piece of wire and stuck into the plant, now they're glued.

I'd like to glue some flowers on the forehead of whoever thought of this, and then paint his head purple.

Russ