Dioon edule cycad coning... again

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The first time you see one of your cycads coning, I can tell you, it's exciting. Cycads have to be a certain age and size before this happens, so it is rare to see. I planted my first dioon edule in about 1997 and it coned for the first time in 2006. Then it coned again in 2008. And it's not quite as exciting the second time, as you realize that there won't be a flush of beautiful new leaves that year, and the leaves that are there will just splay out and look terrible.

I just noticed that it is starting to develop a cone again this year (2012), and I have to admit that I'm not pleased. At first it looks like it's going to be a big flush of leaves, and then you check it in a day or two, and then you finally realize, sigh, it's a cone.

It's cool to see, but I'd rather have leaves. Will have to wait another year.

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