Tropicals & Tender Perennials: A mystery gift, 0 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
xuling---

My "leaves"on this particular Epi have also never looked like this.

Both my Epis almost died a couple of years ago in the house for the winter.
The fronds got all dessicated and dry. There seemed to be NO life left in them.
I was so worried that i would lose them!
I had some cuttings rooted from my Epi #2. I found two stems that seemed to have some life left to them

SO! i potted those and the cuttings I had into a 10" Hanging basket pot. And--they went "POOF!" and grew
into healthy, robust plants.
I think they had been too pot bound in the 5" ceramic HB that they were growing in.
So--I gave them some "freedom'--and they thrived and bloomed.

Now they are, again root bound in the 10" HB's. I do not know if I should move them on or not.
I have read that they like being root bound--and, maybe that is why they both are blooming at this time.

Where do i go from here? Sometimes a piece breaks off--and i stick it in a small pot and it roots in a matter of weeks.
Then, in about 2 years, I have a presentable, small, new Epi to share. And--so it goes......

Wish I had a sun room---then i could keep some of these tropical plants in it to live happily through the winter.
I don't. BUT--nothing has ever died on me either. Must be meant to be---the way it is.
I do not fuss over plants too much. Either "YOU make it!"--or "You don't"! Gone! It is ONLY a plant!!!

Thanks for your understanding on how all these Threads work. Some people get all pissy if you digress....

I take it you are from China???? Chinese people tend to go crazy over the Wintersweet Shrub.
Would you like me to mail you some Wintersweet seeds??? I have a lot!
BUT--it takes about 5-7 years from seed before they bloom.

Here is my big W-Sweet shrub. It is now about 15 yrs. old. I cut it back last fall, as it was getting too
dangerous for me to climb up a ladder to collect the seed pods. So I pruned it! Pretty hard.
It still bloomed this winter and it has re-grown double its fullness.....AAAGGHHH! Help!!!

If you go to PF and search for Wintersweet Shrub--many of the pictures are from me.
Let me add a link here for you.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/96504/

Gita