ShadyGreenThumb said:Catching up here during our cold winter. I got my shopping list of Ti's ready for spring!! I also think a shopping trip in Hawaii is in order.

Cheryl,
In September, we were invited to go to Kauai with our neighbors this January. They rented a four bedroom house on the beach. 'Only had to buy our tickets. DH slipped off last stair and fractured ankle two weeks before Christmas. Ortho surgeon said to keep boot on for at least six weeks, so we cancelled trip. The day we would have left (this Wed.), DH had appt. with surgeon. He said X- rays looked good and he could walk without the boot in the house. We probably could have gone to Hawaii.

What a disappointment to miss a trip to Hawaii, Sandi! I guess that on the bright side, though, your DH is healing pretty fast

Yes, Ibis, he's doing pretty well. The long plane ride would have been too much for that ankle, though. We lived on Oahu for three years. I really miss it. Would have enjoyed picking up a few cordylines and plumerias, too!

That is really too bad. Here's a little sight of the islands for you (and I LOVE Kauai)

That is so sad but I am betting your husband's surgeon would not have OK'd a long plane trip. Walking is one thing but sitting for hours after recent surgery is not good.
(LOL, originally I had inadvertently typed "a long plant trip" instead of plane trip. Oops, you know where my mind was.)

Not to mention the long walks to and from the gates at airports! Travel is fun, but can be strenuous!

Still, it's a shame you had to miss that wonderful opportunity, Sandi.

Apologies for hijacking the Ti Plant thread. I saw Cheryl's post and thought I was on the Texas forum. This might just be a good thing. Thanks for good thoughts, we'll have other opportunities.

Well, to get things back on track, this picture just happened to be taken in Kauai. NOID but pretty.

Beautiful coloring! 'Noticed the croton on right side of photo. Did you know they bleed and stain clothes with permanent brown spots?

I didn't know that and I have huge Crotons. Is it the sap that stains? I have been very lucky so far.

Yes. We had a huge hedge of crotons in HI. I took an electric trimmer to them. Leaves and stems were flying all over me. Washed my clothes and when I looked at my t-shirt, it was covered in tan colored stains. My neighbor later told me she had done the same thing.

Meant to add: Those are gorgeous crotons! I buy them here in spring as annuals. They don't care for the cold, wet weather we occasionally have in winter. I just haven't been able keep them happy.

The same goes for bananas, they even stain the walkways if you leave the leaves on the ground.

Dutchlady1 said:The same goes for bananas, they even stain the walkways if you leave the leaves on the ground.

I didn't know that about bananas. Do you think it's from the iron in the water?

It is the latex in bananas, it leaves a very dark stain on anything it touches. I spoke with a banana scientist at a research station where they are experimenting with new varieties and this guy will only wear black clothing so you can't see the stains.

I used to have quite a few varieties of bananas before the Great Climate Change began to scorch our garden! I was always trimming them. Never considered them for staining. Even in my old age, I learn something new! Only have two left, but I'll be more careful around them now.

Here Crotons are usually treated as a houseplants.

When I bring the big croton in the house it sheds all it's leaves. Instead I now set up a seedling heat mat in a corner of my deck and keep it there for the winter. That provides just enough warmth to keep it happy.

@Bubbles What happened? This was in the Texas Gardening Thread. When I posted your quote I was on the Cordyline thread. Methinks there are gremlins in action here?? Oddly enough I answered you about going to Kauai on the Texas Gardening/Is spring here yet? thread and it didn't show up until today?

ShadyGreenThumb said:@Bubbles What happened? This was in the Texas Gardening Thread. When I posted your quote I was on the Cordyline thread. Methinks there are gremlins in action here?? Oddly enough I answered you about going to Kauai on the Texas Gardening/Is spring here yet? thread and it didn't show up until today?

You posted to the Cordyline thread yesterday. I replied and I caused the thread to go off topic. This morning, I split the thread and moved my post and those that came below it. I noticed you had posted your response last night to the Texas forum, so I tried to also move your post this morning, but wasn't successful.

Glad you found us again! Do you grow crotons?

@Bubbles, I have 1 croton. It has been trying to love me back for two years but doing a rather poor job at it. I even propgated one of it's broken branches. It is growing in the turtle habitat. But you know I am sun-challenged here and that, perhaps is what it really wants? I think this spring I will give it a lovely new pot where it will have to start perking up to justify living there. I love the croton varieties. If I am more successful with this one, I will try others.