Hello pgold, I can help you on this one. Try Ayers, it will bloom in April almost every year for you in big D. It is also much better quality than Orient (even though I like Orient) and is fireblight resistant. I wish I had as many chill hours as you get in Dallas so my Ayers would fruit every year. I would consider it very unusual for Ayers to fail to set fruit due to lack of pollination. My opinion is that a single Ayers will make plenty of fruit. Moonglow is another good opinon but Ayers would be great. Thnaks, Scaper

The seed industry has set certain standards. I checked into the expiration/sell by date issue. That is a new requirement this season set by the industry. Your seeds are viable for alot longer than the dates on the packaging according to a company representative. Seed companies are required to do a germination test every six months. Also, vegetable seeds have a longer shelf life than flower and herb seeds. We're still using basil, dill and cilantro from 2003!! Our seed which we received last December, didn't have the expiration/sell by date. They must have flown under the radar. Our next big shipment of seed is due the end of February. I'll be watching for the dates even though the lot numbers, germination testing, and percentage will also be listed. Reseda Mignonette is technically an annual; however, it did come back for us. The second year produced longer, 36" stems. With the celosia, Chief Mix, you'll be able to save seed for next season. FWIW Johnny's Seeds have very high standards. I wouldn't be concerned about those dates on your seed packages. Trish

FYI Schedule of events for the Eastern Iowa Garden and Landscape Show: Main Stage 10:00 - Lee Zieke and Lindsay Lee, Willowglen Nursery 11:00 - Lucinda Mays, Heritage Gardening on IPTV 12:00 - The music of Mike Maas and Carlis Faurot 1:45 - The Mays and Lees Panel Presentation Formal Garden 12:00 - 2:00 - Master Gardener Presentations Courtyard of the Visitor Center 12:00 - 2:00 - Brucemore Cutting Gardens Demonstrations Brucemore Landscape Tours - 12:00 - 2:00 IronBelly

I swear I posted a reply to this thread! Somehow it never made it in though. Anyway, Yeah, please post a photo of the whole palm! Id love to see it! Looks like yours is a boy. My bit 7 footer is a boy and it bloomed rather profusely for about a month. It just opened its last bloom spathe about 5 days ago. I think it was the 7th or 8th inflo that it put up. My other one that has about a foot or so of clear trunk has not bloomed yet. I'm hoping that it is a female so I can pollinate and get seeds. SO what caused the spear pull? Cold? If so, how cold did the palm get? Just wondering. That info is valuable to those of us who also have large trunked ones. Theya re one of my favorite palms too! I love how graceful they are, and I also love that they are the complete palm tree look, but in miniature. Although I have seen a few in Florida that were approaching 15-20 feet tall. Cant wait to see the photo of the whole thing! =o) Here are a couple photos of both of mine, and the blooms from the big one. Small, three trunked one. This one I've had for exactly 12 months and it has put on a good 6" of clear trunk in that time. Bid Daddy Big Daddy's flowers