Q

uestions commonly posted in an Indonesian gardening mailing list will be centered around: "Does anyone here know how to deal with root mealy bug?" or "Please, I need some information about how to grow Aglonema."

With just a click away, plant lovers can get lots of information about plants, especially the ornamental ones.

Adeniumania, for instance, has been a center for Adenium lovers across the country.

Ahmad Dahlan Kandi, better known as Alan, a member of Adeniumania, said he joined the group about four years ago when he started to have an interest in ornamental plants.

He decided to join the group after he wasn't able to grow Adenium himself.

"My first experiences in growing the plant ended really badly because I didn't have an idea about the ornamental plant," Alan told The Jakarta Post.

"I bought 100 Adenium seeds which cost Rp 1,000 (US 9 cents) each, but unfortunately there was only one that survived. Even it died three days later," he said.

He then started to search for information on the internet about ornamental plants and found Adeniumania.

"It (joining the group) is an easy way to get to know the A-to-Z on how to grow Adenium. I also got the chance to meet new friends with similar interests," he said.

He said that he also joined some other groups, like the Indonesian Croton Community (Komunitas Puring Indonesia) and the Indonesian Aglaonema.

"I want to keep myself updated by taking part in any gardening mailing list. I also have a website, www.kebonkembang.com which has good articles about ornamental plants for plant lovers out there," Alan said.

In the mailing list, the hobbyists often share experiences on growing plants and offer step-by-step tips. They can also get information on product prices as well as nurseries or complete plant collections with big discounts on offer.

Many hobbyists also get together in the mailing list to promote certain ornamental plants. Members of the Indonesian Croton Community, for instance, established the group to raise the plants' popularity.

"Many people know croton *Codiaeum variegatum* as a plant growing wild at cemeteries and they do not consider it an ornamental plant," Achmad Zulfikar, a member, said.

"Through this group, we want to promote crotons to the public. We want to show people that it is a beautiful plant.

"I myself decided to grow croton in my garden because it is a tough plant, which can grow anywhere. Croton is easier to cultivate than other ornamental plants, like Adenium, for instance," Zulfikar said, adding that the plant started to get hobbyists' attention last year.

He said croton was commonly regarded as a houseplant. In the wild, garden croton is an evergreen shrub with large leaves.

Zulfikar said his group aims to promote local croton, which is so far less popular than those from India, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

"A croton from India, like seribu bintang (a thousand stars), can be Rp 1 million per pot, while the local one costs far below that. The Indian croton is more expensive since it is a rare collection item here," said the 34-year-old.

"However, few people know that local crotons are as beautiful as the imported ones and they are also sturdier," he said.

"We've held some regular gatherings and in the near future we plan to hold a croton contest in the city," he said.

The group also has many other programs in the pipeline.

"There are many kinds of croton hybrids in the market, but there is no agreement among hobbyists on what local names are for them," Alan said.

Some name the croton based on its color or leaf shape, such as puring dasi (tie croton) and puring tokek (gecko croton).

"Of course, those plants have Latin names, but those names are too long to remember. So, we thought that it would be better if each plant had a common local name," he said.

According to Zulfikar, there are more than 100 hobbyists on the mailing list.

Some use the network to sell their products and it is also common to find some members auctioning their ornamental plants.

"Sometimes, it is more practical to buy plants from fellow hobbyists than to stroll from one nursery to another to find a certain plant," he said, adding that he could spend between Rp 25,000 and Rp 2.5 million for a plant.

"I don't mind spending a lot of money to get good ornamental plants. Well, I just like the plants. They can make me happy," said the hobbyist, who also grows Aglaonema at home.

Tharie Widodo, an Adenium farmer, said she met many customers and business partners through Adeniumania and the Indonesian Aglaonema mailing list.

"I liked gardening since I was a little girl. I dreamed of studying at a school of agriculture, but it never came true," said Tharie, 37. "So, I decided to learn how to farm Adenium and get into the business. The online groups are a great promotion tool for my products."