Thanks for your appreciative comment. I’m hoping that someone in Panama will see your comment here and will reply. If not, you might consider joining the Gardening in Panama yahoo group and posting your question there. Very knowledgeable people belong to that group, and if anyone can answer your questions, someone within that group will be the one to do so.

As you probably tell, this blog is focused on learning the names of the plants that I have seen here in Panama, mostly in the wild. If I were to try to grow the sandpaper vine myself, I’d probably locate it growing in the wild someplace, take a cutting and try rooting it. Whatever happens in your search for the vine and the dwarf fruit trees, I wish you plenty of luck!

Mary

My name is Patrick and this site is GREAT! I live in the coronado area and I was hoping someone might have some information on where I may be able to get some cuttings of the sandpaper vine or A major nursery in Panama that has these BEAUTIFUL flora. On a side note has anyone heard of dwarf fruit trees here they are only 5 feet tall but produce regular size fruit. If anyone has information it would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerly,

Patrick

What a nice comment – thanks! Welcome to the world of plant sleuthing.

At any rate, it’s been an interesting exploration into the borage family, and it’s been really a pleasure getting acquainted this way.

Mary

My Father, Irving got an offer from the Fruit Co. to go to Panamá and look over the accounting, for the accountant in Panamá had passed away. Here he met, and married Yvonne, my mother. Sometime later, my mother heard Irving singing a song in Spanish, and she said to Irving: “Where did you learn that song?” “Ho, that was way before I met you.” Yes but, how… it’s a Panamanian song.” “Well, a girlfriend I had taught it to me…” Yes, that’s right… it was my mother roommate.

Anyway, and getting back to botany & poetry, our family were the first city folk who built homes in El Valle, even before the road was built. So my grandfather prefabricated the house out of wood and Celotex, and it had to be carried down to the Valley floor by mule.

We grew up in that cozy little house of cardboard that grew through the years, where most of all of our family honeymooned. The house was finally taken down last year, after more than 70 years to make way for a two story modern home that now belongs to my brother Irving. But I will never forget that chair where my father would sit with a view of “El Gaital”, the most prominent mountain in the volcano caldera that is El Valle. One day, after Irving passed away from cancer, and that his ashes lie buried just a bit off from his favorite chair; I sat there and heard the laughter of our children playing in the river. It was a windy afternoon, whit the wind swirling the drizzle that is typical to El Valle, and this is what I wrote:

Gaital

Amber glow presages the pall of ending day
and in this hollow of fleeting solitude,
there linger in my thoughts
times past present,
of loved ones gone and still to come.
The distant voice of youth begotten,
chimes of cares not yet foreseen.
In this slumberous crater of earthen fires
suffuse in drizzle,
our kin have webbed fine strands of life’s tapestry.
And though time will bring asunder,
we still remain in dreams anew.
Joys and sorrow swirl in the winds around us;
yet, we must foresee our path beyond,
where loves can stay and live anew.

So, back to the Boraginaceae liana, I really enjoyed the discovery process with Mary and Michael, and looking forward to whatever else there is to know about this wonderful plant that came to my home on its own, born on wings and pop and is a source of great pleasure to winged and not winged dwellers of our Las Cumbres home.

John

Good work! I’m impressed with your sleuthing skills. Nice presentation of the evidence – good going, John!