Welcome, Joeswife and Seray! I'll help in any way I can, with what I know and have experience with.

Thanks for the invite LariAnn.

Steve

Room for one more?

Christi

Welcome, Steve and Christi! Plenty of room for everyone here!

Thanks for the welcome! Love the smilies. http://cubits.org/aroidforum/t...

Edited to say I was seeing how they worked. lol

I made it here as well. Thank's Debra;-) Hi Steve and hope all is well in Arkansas.

Looking forward to learning more concerning the Araceae family.


Rachel

Phew, what a relief to see familiar faces

yay! we are here! well, I am here but from work.. sure am glad.

I don't know how all of you are surviving but we're having a tough winter in NW Arkansas. The last snow was more than one week ago but we still have several inches on the ground. More is predicted for the next week and we rarely see snow at all.

My collection is well protected under Lexan but the gas bill will be a bear next month! LariAnn is far more astute about the technical aspects of growing aroids than am I but I love to dig into how they grow in nature as well as the technical aspects of their individual structures. I'm always glad to try to help but will never consider myself any form of an expert. I am most pleased to have been invited to be here!

I do have to stick in one "ad" though! I serve as the corresponding secretary of the International Aroid Society and encourage all of you to consider joining. We're working hard to make the IAS more responsive to our members and you will be seeing what I hope will be a lot more non-technical articles in our publications.

LariAnn has articles coming up in our print and electronic material and I am encouraging her to send in even more. I have an article coming up in the August issue of Aroideana which is designed to help non-tech growers to understand some of the "words" used in describing our plants. I know it can be tough to figure out what some of the articles are saying so the goal is to help you to use the technical articles in the book.

We must include those since Aroideana is a recognized scientific journal but we do hope to make it more "user friendly". If I can help any of you with questions regarding the IAS please drop me a note. If you haven't considered joining please visit our site: www.Aroid.org.

By the way, for the first time you'll see some unexpected surprises in the next issue of Aroideana. I wish I could "spill the beans" but you'll just have to join to find out! The only way you can get Aroideana is to be a member unless you wait a year after an issue comes out. Only then do we offer them for sale.

Many of you may not know but LariAnn won both of the top prizes at our Miami plant exhibit and show in September. I was one of the judges and we all found her plants to be stunning! I hope ALL of you will plan to join us in Miami the third weekend of September this year. LariAnn is always there so if for no other reason please join us just so you can meet her!

If you have suggestions how you'd like to see the IAS serve you better please post it here or drop me a note: [email protected]

We need your input in order to make the IAS what we'd all like to see it become!

Oh my goodness it's the ExoticRainforest guy! How exciting to see you here, I have so enjoyed visiting your website since I first came across it a few years ago!! I think it's an extremely popular website, the closest many of us will ever get to visiting a rain forest!

Steve, you may not consider yourself an expert in growing Aroids but you must be pretty close if you can keep all of those tropical's healthy and happy in Arkansas! I linked my sister to your site and told her if I ever get to visit that area I sure want to see it in person!

So glad LariAnn invited you to join here, your expertise will help us all!

I will check out the IAS website and consider joining, thanks for the link.

Lin

Me too. I went to Atlanta Southeastern flower show and did not see one mention of IAS and believe me I was looking. Saw some great ideas and did get a few pic. Took this, this AM. Wish it were better.
Charleen

Lin, I am honored.

I'm just like all the other "aroid nuts" on this or any forum and just love the plants. I know what I know because folks like Dr. Tom Croat, LariAnn, Leland Miyano, Pete Boyce and many others have shared information with me. When I began my site in late 2005 all I wanted to do was make sure that information was shared with others.

Growing aroids is not difficult and I firmly believe anyone can grow them if you just take the time to listen to good advice. LariAnn has always shared good info with lots of folks and I am very thankful for the help she gives to everyone, especially me.

As for a visit........COME ON DOWN! We host hundreds of people every year and all we ever ask is you call us in advance so we can sweep off the walks and clean up the dead leaves. I am constantly amazed at what happens to my plants just because we try to treat them like they are still in the forest.

I've also been lucky to acquire several plants that appear to be brand new species and Dr. Croat is helping to either figure out what they really might be or to eventually give them a name. I send him photos all the time and take dried specimens to the garden in St. Louis on a regular basis.

If you look up Philodendron Limon on Google you'll see one of those plants. That name is just my working name for now but we're very close to having it ready for Dr. Croat to publish. In fact, a name has already been selected but that has to remain a secret for now!

Speaking of visits, there will be a meeting of the MidAmerica Chapter of the International Aroid Society on April 24 at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Lots of folks have said they will attend and we want to invite everyone to spend the day with us You don't have to be an IAS member to attend! Just tell us you plan to be there. I've been asked to do a short photo presentation explaining how we built our "rain forest".

One of the "prizes" for the day will be a tour of the research greenhouse led by Dr. Croat. You'll see thousands of aroids that most people never get to see since the greenhouse is not open to the public. I've been fortunate to all but have the run of the place for some years and what you'll see and learn is amazing!

If you'll be anywhere near St. Louis near the end of April please come be a part. If anyone would like a schedule just send me a note: [email protected]


Thanks again! And my special thanks to LariAnn.

Steve

I wish the IAS could have a display at every show in the country! We are an all volunteer organization but if anyone would like to represent the IAS at any show I know the board will provide you with the material. Just send me a note!!!!

Steve

Wow. This is gonna be great!

Oh Man ExoticRainForest!!!!!!. I have spent hours learning at your site. I love what you did with your jungle, too. I love just looking at your pics!! I am excited that you are here!

LariAnn: I made a list of my aroids, and named the list aroidia. I thought you should know. I'm not trying to plagiarize, just wanted a nice name for the list

Hi Steve

Good to see you here. I'm a member of the IAS and glad to see it represented.

If you haven't been to the Missouri Botanical Gardens it will be worth the trip. Especially in April when you are tired of the snow!

Serey, glad you're a member. We need all the good folks we can find.

Dawn, you and Stephanie appear close enough to join us in St. Louis! We'd really like to have a bunch of aroiders there. Besides, the garden will be gorgeous and if you've never seen their tropical rain forest under glass you'll be in awe!

Steve

I would think it would be a dream come true, the Rainforest. I have been to your sight and it is beautiful Really enjoyed it.
Charleen

I'd love to, but with a carload of kids, it may not be so enjoyable for me. Now something they love, they are a lot of fun Would they have a philo goeldii available? I'm better off not knowing

Come on Charleen and Dawn, you both can follow me and bring the kid's too;-) We will have a blast and learn alot as well!

Dawn, where have you been hiding all your lovely plant's