I've kept hips for several years and the seeds still germinated for me. You can try soaking them but it might not help. Rose hips are very hard. I just use a good sharp knife an cut them open. Don't worry about cutting the seeds, they're even harder than the hips! After you get them out of the hip clean them really well to get all the bits of hip material off of them. It's thought that there is some kind of enzyme in the hip material that inhibits germination. I put them in a fine sieve and scrub them against the sides under running water. Again, this won't hurt them. Then you can soak them in some hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes. This will keep some of the mold down. Wrap them in a damp paper towel, seal the towel in a plastic zip bag and put them in your fridge for a few weeks. When you check them don't be worried if there's mold on the towel. It doesn't hurt them and there are some studies they say certain molds aid in germination. If they've germinated you'll be able to tell easily. The little greenish white root will be sticking out of the seed. Carefully get the seed out of the paper towel and put it in seed starting mix. If you have starter trays that works best. If not start it in a cup but make sure it's starter soil not potting soil. I don't pot up to potting soil until they have at least 2 sets of true leaves. Put it under lights if you have them. If not in your sunniest window. Like the others have said it will not be "The Doctor" but it's own new variety and depending on how it was pollinated can look behave totally different. Have fun!

I don't check in here very often either, but I posted the following some months ago: Thought I'd drop by and share my experience on this thread. I'm eight years post-menopausal. My main symptoms were hot flashes (w/night sweats) and emotional swings that included some impressive rages. At the time I was also having heart palpitations and some chest pains, and had been diagnosed with lupus. In addition, I started menopause about 35 lb. overweight and added ten more once it was underway. I argued with three doctors who wanted me to take HRT. I felt, as I do now, that for most women menopause is like childbirth: a natural process rather than a medical condition. Although my mother died before reaching menopause, I felt I would come through it in better shape if I didn't mess with nature. I added hawthorne with motherwort to my supplements, which helped with the palpitations, and took a couple of doses of a homeopathic remedy (essence of pit viper!) for the rages. Other than that, the biggest changes I made were to my lifestyle. I traded my "healthy" high-carb, mostly vegetarian diet for a low-carb, high-protein one and lost my excess weight. I upped my consumption of tofu and soy milk for isoflavones. I joined a gym. And I went out and got a full-time job. These many years later, I am no longer going to gym, but I'm taking up yoga. I had to quit my job to take care of my husband, but I'll eventually go back. Almost all the weight is still off. The hot flashes are long gone, along with the rest of the symptoms. I stopped the hawthorne, etc., ages ago, but still take vitamin supplements. I still eat (and enjoy) the soy foods. I'm often told that I look a lot younger than I am. My health isn't perfect, but I'm convinced HRT would have made things worse rather than better. I'm so glad I didn't listen to those doctors. Kris, another objection I had to HRT is that the most popular prescription, Premarin, is created from the urine of pregnant horses, resulting in a horrendous situation for the rigidly confined mares and the otherwise unwanted foals they are forced to produce on a regular and rapid basis. There are tons of books out there on alternative approaches to menopause. Try a search on amazon.com. Best of luck, Susan

Your posting offers no information on the conditions your plant is experiencing. But I will put it succinctly. Cycas revoluta is not a good "houseplant". They want to be outside. They prefer a subtropical Winter (cool even chilly temperatures but protection from hard frost) and long, warm to hot subtropical summers. Slight to moderate frosts are not a problem for them btw. They want a well-drained soil with plentiful moisture in the Summer growth season. They grow seasonally. So typically they will show a growth spurt from Spring into Summer (assuming they are summering outside). In my zone, they will push one growth spurt per season (so maybe up to 20 new leaves will develop in a season). In Florida, they can push two growth spurts. Mine get wheeled out in early Spring (March) then wheeled into a sheltered area before a harder frost (December). So, March through November they are outside, basically, in full sun with maybe a bit of protection from the hottest sun. Indoors, there is not sufficient sun for the foliage to mature and growth indoors is actually deformed. Mine are kept cold enough in the Winter months to inhibit growth. The cold temps also reduce problems with scale and mealy bugs with this species. Sorry I can't be more optimistic. I have other species of cycads but these too don't get into the house. Maybe someone might suggest a species or genus of cycad more tolerant of home conditions. I happen to really like Dioon but don't know how they would do in an average home.Good luck!

Depends on the storage conditions, humidity and temperature. What have you got to lose ?