Hi Jen, I assume you're talking about the newer Thai hybrids having A. rotundum in their parentage. They are fairly difficult for the average home grower to manage, and the reason is the parent plant. A. rotundum is extremely hard to grow, and it's imparted some of it's difficulty to it's offspring. The hybrids require very high humidity and perfect watering. One of the easier ones to manage is the one called 'Green Gold'. It's doing OK growing on the floor of my shadehouse in lower light, along with the rest of my Ag's.

I do see that someone with connections to Thailand is selling quite a few other varieties on Ebay. These all seem to be hybrids of rotundum tho, so I'd be concerned about that. The rotundum hybrids are some of the most attractively colored, having reds and pinks in leaves. I
personally prefer the easier growing hybrids which are still attractive with highly variegated leaves in cream, silver, and shades of green, sometimes with white or pink
petioles. Do you have any Ags for trade, Jen?
Russ

Hi Russ! Thank you for the experienced information. I had a little suspicion that plants with just greens and silvers might be a better investment. I really enjoy having a few little difficult-to-grow oddities, but something large-leafed (like most Aglaonemas) will only really be rewarding if it's thriving.
I've been doing OK with Aroids -- I like to think I've come a long way in the last few years (adding on a large sunroom hasn't hurt!) -- but I don't want to invest a lot in a plant that might just limp along for me.

While little would please me more than having something to trade with you, I'm afraid someone as connected as you are would likely already have the Aglaonemas I have, if you wanted them! I do have 'Stripes' and 'Illumination', both large plants, and a small, recently-purchased plant just tagged A. pictum, with soft, 3-toned green camouflage-spotted leaves.

Hi Jen!
Hi Russ!

Jen...I have to agree with Russ about those Thai hybrids with pink.....I did have one 2 or 3 years ago.....got it from one the the ebay sellers/friends of whom I was a frequent customer (and I can't for the life of me remember whom, at the moment!) He/she gave me a really good deal, manageable for me as I was worried about killing it, too.

I found, too, that it needed much more humidity than I could provide, and I also believe that it needed more warmth than I could provide....I think it needed root temperatures higher than my home's room temperatures.

Seem that with outdoors in Florida being the exception, that combination of root warmth and high humidity is a hard combination to come by!

I really tried, and really thought I'd be able to meet it's needs.......needless to say, it was a dismal failure and a great disappointment.

I'm thinking that EA is marketing one of those Thai hybrids, and I can't help but notice that I've never seen it around here.....I'm guessing that it's because even EA knows that we'd never succeed with it up here in the North and that even our vendors would have difficulty with it!

Thanks, Nan. I'd say that clinches it! I'm sorry you lost your plant, but I appreciate your keeping me from going through the same. I'm not ready to pay the prices at Asiatica/rareplantcollector (which has wonderful, healthy plants, BTW-- I just can't afford lots of them!), but I wanted to have an idea just in case I ever saw one available for less. I'll just keep my eyes open for the "Elite" hybrids, and forget about the pink Thai hybrids for now. It makes me wonder how many collectors did buy when they were selling for a small (and sometimes not-so-small) fortune, and then lost the plants.
I noticed a pink hybrid on EA's site a while back, too! I've never seen them at Rochester's HD...haven't been to LaCrosse for a while -- since doing PT on my arm...gosh, over a year! I think Rockwood Nursery must be calling my name :) ...but right now, hay that needs to be raked is calling louder! Thanks again, Nan!

Does anyone have a pic or know of a site that displays this pic? Thanks, Toni

Toni- I mentioned Asiatica. This has some nice shots also:
http://www.kallus.com/aroids/aglaonema/index.htm
Someone's album:
http://community.webshots.com/album/303120814PjtEBD
a site in Thai:
http://www.aglaonemathailand.com/
If you google "Thai Aglaonema" you'll find more sites!
Some Google images:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&q=thai%20aglaonema&btnG=Search&sa=N&tab=wi
You can see why I'd be tempted, eh? But the silver/green/blue/white ones can be absolutely beautiful, too!

Here is a link that might be useful: More Aglaomenas

Jen....I don't want to discourage you altogether, you know....some of us grow some plants better than the rest of us....we all have our 'niche', I guess,and who knows....this might be one of yours!

I did try a heated seed-starting tray for some of my heat-loving Alocasias/Colocasias/caladiums last winter, and that seemd to help with over-wintering the deciduous ones, so maybe that would work with one of those Thai hybrids?

I have vowed that once I lose a plant, I'm not repeating a purchase, so that's the end of that one for me, unless I'm fortunate enough to own a greenhouse some day.

I got mine for $20 back then....(a good friend, indeed!...and I didn't even have to *beg*! LOL!) and even that was too much for me, as it was a small plant....but at least there wasn't a hundred added to that $20!!

So you obviously found Rockwood? What did you think?
I haven't been there in over a year, and I'm long overdue...I've been 'longing', LOL!!

They probably wonder what happened to me, as I was a regular there when DS's treatments were in LaX.

I really think that EA probably *knows* we'd not succeed with that one up here, so they're not offering it.
Then again....maybe they're showing it on their website to simply show us what's to come...perhaps they're having trouble with it, as well?

Aargh....have fun haying, Jen....it's *always* ready during the hottest spells of the summer, isn't it!?

Nice to 'chat' with you again....I've missed that!

Nan-- "....some of us grow some plants better than the rest of us...." I can't think of any Z4 household grower who grows any tricky stuff better than you do. If it wasn't a good plant for you, I doubt it'd be good for me, either. Don't worry about discouraging me away from these-- there are lots of other wonderful plants I don't yet have; might as well spend my time and money on some likely to reward my efforts!
I loved Rockwood! I stopped there fairly often when I was getting PT on my broken arm. I really should make a trip back :)
I've missed chatting with you, too....I'll e!

Ooojen, wow..!! I've never seen Aglao's w/pink coloring before..boy would I like one though..LOL.
You say they're really expensive? Eventually the prices should drop then we can all buy one or two or three..Toni

Hi friends (^_^)
I have posted a thread of Thai Aglaonema, up to date topic in Bromeliad Forum.
So I would like to share tropical plant lovers here too...

Here is a link that might be useful: Thai Aglaonema hybrids

Ooojen, I noticed you said you come to Rochester sometimes for plants, and I think I remember you saying before that you live in Winona. Have you found any really good nuseries in our area? I've been pretty disappointed (especially with the HD in Roch) and am wondering if I need to go to Mpls to get decent plant selections and good quality. The problem is Mpls is a *long* drive for me (I have some physical problems that make car rides difficult). I've never been a big fan of getting plants off the internet nurseries either, due to bugs and poor quality. I'm just interest to know how another plant lover on the frozen tundra manages to get her plant "fix" in this area---sometimes I feel it's like trying to find a drop of water in the desert!!

The blue ones are lovely, but I think I'll hold off.

Shiver, You can always trade on GW too. I'm not up North but still find lots of unusual things here. I've traded with Nan before (Hi Nan--it has been awhile). Give my trade list a look and let me know if you think we have anything the other would want. I didn't see a trade list for you.

Stephania, I am still drooling over those pinkies. They are still going at $40+ here and that is a bit expensive for a plant that might need babying and might not make it. I'm watching them though. Since you're here, I might as well also tell you that Thailand has jumped to number 1 of foreign places I want to see because of your pics! Are there many plant lovers' tours that you know of?

Well, HI, odyssey3....forgive me, but I don't know who you are!! LOL! Sorry.....you must have changed your ID?

Shiver....Jen has seemingly been absent from here for quite some time :( I do know that she had really good luck finding some 'oddballs' at Target and KMart in Rochester, though!

None of those stores near me carry plants, at all!

Do you ever visit LaCrosse, WI, Shiver?
If so, Rockwood Gardens that Jen and I were discussing above has a nice greenhouse....fun to visit even if you don't find anything you *need*!

Well thanks for the ideas on where to get plants Odyssey and Nan---I know ooojen only comes on here in spurts so I was hoping to catch her. Target no longer sells plants in Rochester, and I've really found the the quality/variety of plants in my area has become BAD. Boo hoo!

It has also become too difficult for me to do trades at GW now, because most of my plants are *very* large and need to be divided---trying to ship huge divisions was costing me a fortune in dirt/pots/packing supplies/etc.

I'll just keep my eyes and ears open. Perhaps I can stop at that LaCrosse greenhouse before the end of the summer. Take care plant lovers!

You're right, the price of shipping isn't what it used to be.

It was so simple and cheap when you could send a PM box virtually anywhere in the US for $3.40......now the size of the box and distance plays a bigger part in the price.

Bummer that Target doesn't sell plants anymore. I recall that Jen said they were often in poor condition.

Yes, do try to get to Rockwood, it's really easy to find.
It's on Theatre Road (128 Theatre Rd., Onalaska is the actual address)...that turnoff is right across from Valley View Mall by McDonald's and the greenhouse is just a hop/skip/jump from the Home Depot...literally just down the road. If I recall, when you're about to turn into the HD parking lot and you look off to the west(I think? I'm really bad at compass points, lol!)you can see the greenhouse. Keep going on the frontage road (that HD is on) in the LaCrosse direction, instead of getting back on Hwy. 16, and when you come to the stop sign you'll see the greenhouse off to the right and ahead of you.

I see they have a website now, but it's 'under construction'...here's a link the their map, though! You can tell I haven't been there in a while, now, as it says they're across from Franciscan Skemp Clinic...and that was *not* there the last time I was there, but that portion has really been under development in the last several years.

I haven't been to that HD in a couple of years, but they had a pretty good selection of plants if the shipment was recent....I got a lot of good stuff there!

LaCrosse Floral had some good stuff once in a while, too, but their prices were quite high. They are on Cass Street, (I think? - can you tell I haven't been there in a while, LOL!) off Hwy. 16, but anyway you take the same turn as to go to Granddad's Bluff and look for the signs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Map to Rockwood Gardens

That's ok, Nan, I guess my screen name isn't that memorable. It hasn't changed. I traded some hoyas for some of your begonias--I only specifically remember sending linearis. It really was a while ago now--probably at least a year, maybe more. My name is Priscilla--maybe that will ring a bell.

Oh, yes! Hi back to you!

I often forget the 'screen names' after seeing so many, but I do remember most of the 'real names' when I see them.
You sent the most gorgeous and healthy linearis cuttings I've ever seen!
And I had to ask you *how* you did it!

I still have that one at home and it grew a lot, length-wise for a while, and now it's growing new shoots out of the soil!

Hope your plants are doing well, too?!

Yes, Shiver...I'd like to know what you might be seeking too.
Have to bring the plants back indoors soon, and might be able to help you out. (A trade isn't really necessary, as I'll likely be out of room as it is.)

Nan, I sent you a private message---hopefully you'll get it! :)

That's very kind, Nan. Just good luck with that plant. Yup, the plants you sent have done great--especially Thurstonii. I love that thing. I've really been nurturing my begonia addiction since our trade!

Really nice to check in with you! I won't leave it so long next time.

just wanted to share my post at another forum.

Izhar

Here is a link that might be useful: My Thai Aglaonemas