Yo Lou..I've had one in the ground for 20+ years here in Merritt Island. Other trees have grown up and over it (very crowded yard) so only about 1/3 of it is in the sun but I get plenty of fruit from that portion. Should be fine growing in Floral City. Ned

My one oxyphora did ok this year (my first year growing it). This photo was taken in mid October when it was blooming the best. It liked the cool late-season weather. It bloomed ok during summer, but intense heat caused young buds to die. Growth-wise, the plant grew more slowly and remained smaller than I expected. If I was going to keep it in that same spot, I'd plant two of them together to fill in the space better. However, I think that spot is too hot so the current plan for next year is to plant one oxyphora in a sunny, but less hot, spot about ten feet off the left edge of the photo and a second oxyphora in a shadier spot on the other side of the yard that gets only morning sun. It will be interesting to see which plant performs better. The two new locations are also easily viewable from the house so I'll finally be able to see if hummers here like oxyphora. The cuttings I took in late September and early October all rooted quickly. I have three of them growing in 4" pots inside. They grow like weeds, especially under the shoplight(two of them are now in the cool window to keep their growth in check). I've already had to cut a couple of them back. This post was edited by hawkeye_wx on Sat, Nov 9, 13 at 0:00

I went to CR four years ago and had a spectacular time. Flew to San Jose, went to Arenal / La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Quepos / Miguel Antonio Park. In 9 days, I saw a volcano, hiked around the volcano and through the jungle and the rain forest, rode zip lines across the rain forest canopy, swam under a waterfall, went to the mountains, went to the beach, heard and saw monkeys, lizards, sloths, and many other animals, rode horseback through the mountains and across a river, took a three hour sailboat ride, went to the famous hot springs, got a reflexology massage in a grass hut, toured a coffee plantation, rode a bus with locals and their chickens, had great food, did a little shopping, went to a couple cool art galleries and musuems, wore a t-neck and jacket and 2 days later a swimsuit, learned a little Spanish, learned a lot about the country, people, and environment, and always felt safe and comfortable. I went on a guided tour with Gap Adventures (gapadventures.com) on the 9-day tour. I think it was called the Quest adventure. They have dozens of differenet tours in CR, guided and independent. THe one I did was great, because they arranged everything from hotels to transportation to entrance fees to reservations. They got you to an area, told you what cool things there were to do, and then arranged for you to do whatever you were interested in. It was not a tour where everyone does the same thing at the same time and you are kinda trapped and on someone else's time table. You get the same guide for the whole tour and she knew the areas well and knew everyone in the areas we went, so she could always point us to the right people and places for what we wanted to experience. I frankly do not think I would want to try to navigate and drive through the country without a knowledgeable guide-- it's not like AAA will come get you if there is a problem and there is no mechanic or tire store around the corner. The roads are VERY rough and not well marked-- it would make a heck of an adventure, but just think about if that is the adventure you want, or if that would detract from the adventure you really want. I thought the loosely-guided tour was perfect and would highly receommend Gap, although there may be others that are just as good (I am not connected with them in any way, just a happy customer.) OH! One word of advice for San Jose-- If a man pinches you on the arm downtown, just say "No!" firmly and move on. That is the customary way that a man tells a uh, shall we say "lady of the evening" that he is interested. Some men just pinch anyone they think is cute, hoping she's a "lady of the evening"! You'll only experience it right in the center of downtown by the square, though, and if you say no then they apologize and leave you alone. Frankly, you likely won't want to hang out much in San Jose. One day for a musuem or two and the flea market is plenty. It is literally hard to breathe in the city because of all the pollution. Hope this helps. I'd be happy to answer any specific quetions if I can. --A.

I wrote the following for Wikipedia. Some editor cut most of it. I do not understand the Wikipedia editor policy. I hope this helps you understand the importance of the Lambs. Dana and Ginger Lamb were a couple who spent much of their lives during the 1030-40-50's on serious adventures and explorations primarily in the areas of Mexico and Central America. Two of their notable expeditions were the topic of books, Enchanted Vagabonds (a trip from California to Panama in an outrigger canoe of their own design), and Quest For The Lost City (two separate expeditions into the then-unexplored region on the Mexico/Guatemala border, preceded by a conditioning hike from San Diego to the Guatemala border). Both books include photos taken during the adventures, and are utterly delightful to read. They challenge many of our common ideas of the purposes and ways of living, and demonstrate the powerfully developed senses of independence, cooperation, and respect for others that were central to the lives of Ginger and Dana. I had the pleasure of meeting Ginger and Dana in the late 1940's or early 1950's when my father took me to a lecture by them. I remember them vividly, not large people, Dana about 5' 8", Ginger about 5' 6", both vibrantly healthy, intense, sun-browned, and wiry. Their lecture was exciting and enlightening, and shaped much of my future concept of reality. I read their book Quest For The Lost City then when I was between ten and twelve years old, and recently purchased and read it again. I found that reading it now had the same challenging and exciting qualities and effect on me as it did when I was a youth. One of the messages that comes through very clearly is the devastating result of the population explosion that has occurred since the 1950's. Relatively few people know that since the mid 1050's, the Earth's human population has more than tripled. This has caused the loss of the nature and open spaces that were the challenge and treasure of the lives of Ginger and Dana. Another of many lessons is their description of the basic qualities of education and proper child rearing. These and other lessons available through reading the books of Ginger and Dana make the books essential for a true education. Especially now, when young people all over the world simply can not experience the incredible beauty of unaltered nature, this statement is literally true. I would be delighted if persons who know more of the lives of Ginger and Dana would add more information to this article. I am reasonably certain that they have passed on by now, but their lives and their example of humanity at its best can serve the world well if we make the effort to remember and honor them.