Fascinating stuff, enjoyed your anecdotes very much. I try not to use slang much on forums but probably do often without even realizing. Sounds like one of my fantasies... trying to translate tropical plant info from a native source, because I'm there, going to use it.
That's cool to hear, Greene, and Jonna about the dry season. The more I play with zone-pushing and microclimates, the more evidence there is that drainage/dryness are critical for a lot of things.
Thanks so much for the interesting side-trip here. Love the way it is planted in the original pic, BTW. I use this little guy at the base of potted plants that are tall and have a boring "naked dirt" surface if something else isn't added at their base(s.)