AJ & Tamlin -
Wow. I love y'all for trying to keep me from making a fool of myself. (really makes me miss my wife
)
But, anyway, moving right along: let me start off by admitting that you're *probably* right, and stating that I would never conduct experiments with my *only* plant.
(A quick point of order - we're *sub*-tropical, a subtle but significant difference.)
That said, I've been comparing stats. Average highs in Fort Pierce (here) average 8.7C above Melbourne. (passing bit of trivia - just up the road from me is a town called Melbourne, FL, which was founded by people from *your* Melbourne) Average lows average 6.6C higher. Significant, but, I would guess, not a deal-killer. While we seldom get over 35C, with average highs for some months in the range of 33C, I think we have to concede the possibility. And we *do* get below 0C most years, although not frequently and not for long, and I've never known the ground to freeze. And the high temps would be cancelled partially in the soil by higher rainfall in a fast-draining substrate.
In terms of rainfall, we do get significantly more - but canceling out the averages for hurricane season (which have to be pretty nearly meaningless) the difference averages in the range of about 4-30 mm per month. Again, not a deal-killer. Added to which, we are in a long period of less than average rainfall.
About substrate - I hear you about what it grows in in the wild. But I also note that you grow it in peat/sand. This would indicate a range of acceptable substrates. And, truthfully, this is the least important part - the substrate of a plant I grow is the substrate I build for it. A duplicate of its home conditions would probably be a mistake, given our rain totals, but anything from there to pure sand is possible.
In closing, let me state that I *will* grow this plant. Mostly as a good cp-er, following accepted procedures. But, assuming I ever have several of them, 1 or 2 pots will stay outside as long as possible without incurring terminal damage. If that should chance to be reasonably successful, further steps can be considered.
It probably won't, as y'all have pointed out, and then we'll be right back here where we are now. Except that I will have accumulated data to apply toward the culture of this wonderful plant.
Happy growing,
setep (Ron Ruppel)