Mike, Congrats! 8)

Steve

Thanks steve just luck i guess. Heres the pics it has about a 13" across caudex. I hope its clear its from my phone. The lower pic is where it lives in my yard 9 months out of the year. What sex do you think it might be?

<img src=" " alt="dioon">

<img src=" " alt="DSCI0030">

From that photo, I am pretty sure it is a male. Here is a photo of my receptive female cone from a couple months ago:

Jody

thanx alot. Should I let the cone form or should I remove it ? Will it help it save any energy by being removed?

Did yours get pollinated?

If the plant was outside in a warm climate, I would say let the cone go to completion. However, if you have it indoors now it might not be a bad idea to remove the cone early.

I did pollinate my cone. Since I didn't have any D. angustifoliumpollen at the time, and since I have long had an interest in learning more about cross-pollination in Dioon, I actually pollinated it with D. spinulosum pollen from my large male plant (below; you can actually see a couple leaves from the female D. angustifoliumat the bottom right of the first photo). I don't really expect the seeds to be viable, but it will be interesting to see what happens either way.

I might add that I posted photos of this very pollination event under "wet pollination" in the Illustrated Glossary of Cycad Terms on the Cycad Society's website:

http://www.cycad.org/publications/illustrated_glossary.htm

Jody

I hope your pollinating works. Thanks for the info you very nice plants in your yard. I wish I could do the same

Here are two more cones that I pollinated this year:

Encephalartos ferox(pollinated with E. whitelockiipollen):

Zamia inermis

Jody

Thanks for the photos & info! 8)

Mine started dropping pollen today,

A little closer look and you can see the pollen sacs.

Removed the cone & collecting the pollen as long as it sheds.

Here's a video that shows the complete cone progression: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgtAGhr4Giw

Steve

Holy cow, this is getting exciting!

First of all, Mike, congrats on Dioon coning. Gorgeous plant. Would it take too much energy out of the plant to leave the cone intact, even indoors? 13 inches across? Wow. Looks very cool.

Steve, congrats on the video.
Thanks especially for the pollen close-up, have never seen that before.
Spectacular.

Jody, those specimens are beautiful. Is that a salamander or newt on the cone? great shot.
Do the beetles only show up around the time cycads are coning?

Is it correct to assume that ANY Dioon can/may crosspollinate with another Dioon?
Zamia and Zamia?

If true, all the more reason to keep plants in groups so as to not miss the opportunity.

I'm living vicariously through all you guys.
Barb

I know barb its fun isnt it!! Watching everyone else do well with there plants. You know barb I may just leave the cone and using the method in one of the links keep it in the refridgerator. Maybe someone on this board will need it at some point.

steve ill do just as you did with my pollen.

Jody, those specimens are beautiful. Is that a salamander or newt on the cone? great shot.

Barb, that is a Caribbean anole (Anolis segrei) lizard, which is an introduced species here in south Florida. I have literally hundreds of them in my yard.

Do the beetles only show up around the time cycads are coning?

Yes. But even so, I rare see them at all. I posted a couple photos of the Mexican pollinator (Rhopalotria mollis) on a male cone in my yard last year. Here is a repeat of the photos:

Is it correct to assume that ANY Dioon can/may crosspollinate with another Dioon?
Zamia and Zamia?

Many hybrids have been created in Zamia and Encephalartos, but very little is known about the ability of Dioon species to cross-pollinate and produce viable offspring. I will report back here when the cone breaks apart and I can check the seeds for embros.

Jody

Jody,
I remember seeing that beetle/cone pic when you first posted it.
Stunning even the second time.

So the lizard isn't a second to the beetle for pollinating? Perhaps there's more than one species that can.

We'll watch your Dioon work with interest, Jody.

BTW Steve, I think we all agree that the close-up of the pollen sacs is top-notch photography.

Barb

Thanks Barb, was just good luck with that photo.
(The camera used is an old Ricoh 3.2 mp that cost me all of $20 from eBay 😆

Mike, It's great to see yours coning, gives me hope that mine will someday!
This is the first opportunity I've had to collect & store pollen, just following the procedures in the article.

(Here's the link again for anyone who might have missed it: http://cycadjungle.8m.com/cycadjungle/Collection%20and%20Storage%20of%20Cycad%20Pollen.html )

Here's today's pollen harvest,

I had to improvise on the desiccant, been saving those little packets that come with most everything these days. Cut them open, then cooked in the oven for a couple hours to dry them out 😆

From here, a couple days in the refrigerator while the moisture level drops , then into the freezer for long term storage.

Steve

Excellent pics here ..... and great information ..... and way over my head.

Here is a short video I made that shows the collection & storage process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oemOJNTAcEI

Steve