Introduction from Arizona

From: "Leo A. Martin" leo1010 at attglobal.net> on 2002.08.18 at 18:35:15(9212) Hello, Not remembering much any more other than plant names, I can't recall whether I've introduced myself on this list. I just joined the IAS after being on the Aroid-L for a while. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, and mainly grow cactus and other succulents. I'm in the local Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society and a member of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America. I don't have a greenhouse but do have a nice sunroom that stays above freezing on our few cold nights each winter. I grew up in southern California with a little time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As an adult I've lived in San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson, St Louis, and Phoenix. My aroid experience for most of my life was limited to growing Philodendron selloum in California, Syngonium, Dieffenbachia (which I still can't propagate from cuttings--they all rot), and liking jacks-in-the-pulpit (Arisema?) in Milwaukee parks. A few years back while living in St Louis a good friend in the Henry Shaw Cactus Society gave me an offset of Amorphophallus konjac. Since some of my favorite plants are the stapeliads, asclepiads with large, star-shaped, often foul-smelling flowers pollinated by flies, I liked Amorphophallus at once. I've found a number of A. are quite easy here in Phoenix as house plants despite low humidity. It's too hot and arid outside for them. I haven't bloomed any yet but they aren't big enough yet. I'm not sure what I'll do when they are ready to bloom; probably I won't want them in the house, though the dogs won't object. Now I've learned of other stinky aroids like Dracunculis and Helicodiceros. Mediterranean climate plants do well here if summered in a closet, so I'm looking for these to try. I do a lot of seed growing as well. In St Louis the Henry Shaw Cactus Society helps care for the MBG cactus and succulent collection in the C-3 greenouse, across an aisle from the aroid greenhouse. I remember wandering into the aroid greenhouse on the rare occasions it was unlocked and admiring all the different Amorphophallus and others. Don't worry, I don't steal. Leo +More -- Leo A. Martin Phoenix, Arizona, USA Cactus and Succulent Society of America http://www.cssainc.org Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society http://www.centralarizonacactus.org Henry Shaw Cactus Society http://www.hscactus.org

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