I have no idea what this plant is called, but it is very popular in Korea.

The School Principals have them in fantastic containers with arrangements, and from the moment I saw one, I wanted one.

I bought this one at the Thursday market at Nonsan. This day there was a huge plant stall. It took up the area of at least 5 normal stalls. I looked and looked through the plants, but there was no owner. Other people were also browsing and waiting and looking around.

I gave up and started back to class. The last stall is a rice flatcake stall, where a couple have this antiquated machine that every second, puffs out another flat cake made of puffed rice. A full bag about half the size of a pillow case costs 2,000 won, about $2US, and I always buy a bag or two and share it with the ever hungry students.

As I was buying my bag, a man sitting there wanted to practice his English and started talking to me. Then he said, 'You come see my plants'. Realising he was the plant man, I dragged him back to his stall where he was immediately inundated with customers.

I bought this plant off him for 8,000 won, took it back to the classroom where it now lives, and asked Grace what it was called. She didn't know, and said to me, "It looks like the Ginseng, and you buy this like you buy the Ginseng...you see how much it looks like a man."

I do, and I agree that I certainly selected an amazing shape.

Grin!!!!!