Pamela, I have to admit that when I saw them for sale 6/7 years ago here in Cyprus I was surprised. Having only heard of them as tropical trees growing in almost mangrove-like conditions in coastal swamps my first impression was one of; 'Here we go again, someone else who hasn't done their homework regarding the plants they foist off onto an unsuspecting public. Charge a lot and then shrug their shoulders when the poor sucker comes back and complains that the plant has died'. Being ever the 'sucker' with the excuse that I'm experimenting, or 'pushing the envelope' as I believe the expression goes, I bought one. I took it home, chose a spot where it would be shaded to a certain extent from the worst of the sun and it's roots would be constantly in the shade, gave it a load of TLC for the first couple of years and waited to see what happened. Once it decided that it was not going to expire it shot up looking for the sun to the extent that last year we had to lop off the top to prevent it from touching the electricity cable leading from the poles outside on the road to the house. This seems to have bothered it not one iota and it is still flourishing. All this in an area that has no irrigation and is certainly nowhere near the swamp-like conditions that the books say it is said to favour. Then again I have yet to meet the plant that has read a book.
