I first met Julius after trading e-mail with him for several years.
During the same period Julius and I were trading e-mail with Leland
Miyano in Hawaii. .During that time the three of us became very close
friends, something I personally treasure.. The very day I finally met
Leland in Miami was the same day I first laid eyes on Julius. He was
exactly jovial man I had imagined. That evening the three of us shared
a wonderful dinner and talked for hours. My wife, daughter and son
were also there and we all noticed a very tight bond had formed between
Julius and Leland. They were quite literally blood brothers as if they
had known each other before birth. For the next several days we talked
almost exclusively about aroids but I am certain of friendship between
the two of them had formed for eternity. Before we returned home
Julius presented me with an enormous specimen of Philodendron xanadu
before telling me the plant was one of the two he had used in his study
with Dr. Croat and Simon Mayo before the three granted a scientific
name to the species. That plant is a centerpiece of my atrium.
Leland often opens his e-mails with "Aloha "in the presence of the
breath of life". I wish that I could be the poet that Leland truly
is, since he can express with words in a manner I only wish I could
duplicate but never been able to master. Please read Leland's greet
again. Leland's greeting expresses exactly the way I would like for us
to think about Julius as well as everything he has done for the
International Aroid Society and the members of Aroid l..
If you have not been on this forum for a long period of time there is
an incredible wealth of knowledge available to every one of us, and a
great deal of that knowledge was written by Julius in response to
questions posed on this forum. With only a simple search you can find
many years of answers to help you grow your plants right here
http://www.hort.net/lists/aroid-l/search.pl Please explore this
resource.
I want to celebrate Julius for what he means to all of us that love
him, and believe me I mean just that. I consider him my brother as
well.
Many people have been sending e-mail to my address asking that I share
it with it with Julius. Since our friend Ted Knight visits him on
almost a daily basis I would like to ask all of you to post your most
memorable thoughts about Julius for Ted to deliver. I've already heard
stories just today about Julius dressed as Santa as well as another
story when he was mistaken by Carla Kostelac at the Missouri Botanical
Garden for an Indian sales and marketing caller. Some of you don't
know that Julius has a very thick Trinidadian accent and is an
incredible West Indian cook. He has hundreds of close friends as well
as casual acquaintances on this forum. Please share all of your
fondest memories with all of us.
Julius never finished high school but is one of the most brilliant
individuals I have ever known. He is completely self-taught but can
carry on a scientific conversation with almost any top scientists in
the world. Let's all remember Julius as he lived and for all you
shared with us.
Please share your stories so Julius can laugh along with us. And Ted,
would you please post again the link to all of the incredible stories
Julius has recorded so we can hear his voice long after he departs us
for his long deserved rest.
Thanks Julius for taking me under your wing.
Steve
www.ExoticRainforest.com
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