What is the story behind AA co-founder bill Wilson and his plant?

Answer 1

A "Friend of Bill" gave me cuttings from a plant on March 1, 2008 that was passed down through AA and was said to be with Bill W when he died. so the story goes. I still have not found any info on this. I received a cutting of the "Bill W. Plant" at a Florida AA convention, this explanation was attached: " "Bill W. Plants" These Swedish Ivy plants are descendants of the plant that was in Bill Wilson's room when he passed away January 24, 1971 in Miami, Florida. Lois took the plant home to Stepping Stones in New York where she cared for it until the mid 80's. She gave the plant to her housekeeper who in turn gave it to Michael Manning of Atlanta, George. Lois asked that she pass it on to members of the A. A. fellowship in memory of Bill. Michael has taken pieces of this plant all over the world, she brought it to Washington in July 1998. This is a true A. A. plant because every time you pass it on, 2 new shoots replace the only that was given away and your plant grows stronger. Easy to care for, loves sun and likes to completely dry between waterings, place cuttings in water to root and then plant. " This plant is also sometimes called a "Creeping Charlie" plant, and it's rumored that Ebby Thatcher brought it originally to Bill W. when he was in the townes hospital where he had his original spiritual conversion. Bill supposedly gave it this name after a friend of his named Charlie that kept creeping up on Bill's back porch to sleep. I have a large plant of this type that was given to Dr. G. in San Diego in 1973 by Lois W., and then passed on to my first Sponsor Shedrick M. sometime around 1980. I was given the plant, as well as a short letter that's supposed to accompany cuttings of the plant on July 4th, 1995 on my 20th AA birthday. It's rumored to be the original plant, though it's probably impossible too know the truth about it after all this time. The idea of the plant, and the sharing of some of the common threads of our history is what's really important about it.