Zaiger was working with different cherry tree cultivars from Spain. It's quite possible—I would even say very likely—they could have used Cristobalina to breed Royal Lee. The descriptions of these cherries sound quite similar to each other in many respects, dark colored flesh, sweet, and good flavor. quote by goyo626: "I tried searching for cristobalina cherry patent info but nothing comes up. Can anyone direct me to the patent info on this variety. The only info I have found is that it is an old spanish variety. Thank you. " I feel reluctant to post this again, because I have already posted in several other places in this message board, but here it goes... There is a low chill Spanish heirloom variety cherry called Cristobalina. It is self-fertile and requires about 200 chill hours. Cristobalina has been grown for generations of cherry growers in Andalucia and Valencia, where winters are as mild as they are in Southern California, and reliably produces fruit despite lack of a cold winter. It is known to flower mid-February and produces dark purple, delicious sweet cherries. The only negative is that the fruit does not have as much edible flesh as other more popular cherry varieties, but thinning the tree can help lead to more full-sized fruit. Of course there would not be a patent on it, and this variety is not widely known in America.

Cynthia, thank you for the photo! Gorgeous!!! Meg, don't water too sparingly ... LOL. The roots need moisture to grow. My theory is after the roots have been twirling around the pot for a bit the plant 'decides' that this is as far as they're going to get and begins the blooming process to replicate itself. That may be why a more mature plant will bloom after the flood and drying period as mentioned above. It 'thinks'; "Well, I may die soon so I better use all my energy to bloom and produce seeds." However, the varieties we grow are sterile hybrids and don't make seeds. The article below says not to use saucers under pots. Perhaps saucers might promote rot in 80 to 90 degree climates like some parts of California and Florida, but with our 105 to 110 + degrees in summer they need all the help they can get so I use saucers. The saucers retain a little water and gives the soil time to soak it up. The peat moss in many potting soils become resistant to absorbing water after drying. I even mix extra water retaining crystals in my potting soil. Miracle Gro contains it already, but not enough IMHO. Sometimes if the soil has really dried out I either set the pot in a tub of water to hydrate, or lay a very slow dripping hose in the pot. Plus there are differences in varieties. I notice some begin blooming later/earlier/longer than others, but all the hybrid varieties available in nurseries bloom well. Do keep us posted. Wishing for you the best blooming bougie in the world! ... :-) Here is a link that might be useful: How to water bougies ... mostly about bougies in ground.

December 2020.... Just made Snowballs (cookies rolled in powdered sugar) and the powdered sugar was the culprit. Tasted terrible. I've made these every year for years and years and this is the first batch I've made that came out bad. First I thought I was tasting soap from my hands... odd but I couldn't figure out any explanation. Rerinsed my hands and cookies still tasted like soap or perfume. I smelled the sugar (brand new bag, not expired) and the sugar in the bag smelled like perfume. I threw it out. Very disappointing. It was Walmart brand, in a plastic bag (no box). I will never buy that again. And I will also be careful about not storing it by anything with a scent. I don't know that I did, but it was downstairs in a bar that once had a scented dehumidifier in it, so that could have been the problem. But I store a lot of food in there (flour, nuts) and have never had that problem before. Glad I found this thread. Makes me feel like I'm not crazy. (Kids thought the cookies were good, at least.) Hmmm... now that I think about it, I've always bought confectioner's sugar in a bag (not a box). So I'm just going to not store it in that downstairs bar anymore (might be picking up a smell there) and I won't buy Walmart brand again (that might not have been it, but better safe than sorry).

callieandkarin, I want to respond first to your Eeeevil Stepparent stereotype. I do not believe that the stepparent is evil in general. Some of the step mothers that I happen to know are among my closest friends that I have known for years. They are all really good people. They are kind, smart, attractive, wonderful women. They are well liked by others. However, when each of these women have remarried, they each married men with children. In every case, I thought that if anyone could pull it off, these women could, because they each genuinely like children to begin with. But in each case, (of the women that I know who have married a man with children) each found it very difficult to like "his" children. Each went on to have new children with their new husband, and somehow things got worse. I am surprised that they cannot bring themselves to like...let alone love, his children, but they do not. Does that make them evil? Of course not. Does it make a wonderful loving environment for a child to grow up in and feel loved and accepted? Sadly, no. Are there legions of stepchildren who are "deeply loved" by their stepparents? I hope so, but I personally do not know any. If there are, please comment on the forum. Are there legions of children who are taken better care of by their step parents than by their bio-parent...absolutely. Because many stepparents have exceptional character and will "step up to the plate" and do the right thing...regardless of how they feel. While the bio-parent may indeed be only self interested, even if their behavior hurts their own children. My response was in response to lee676 saying that "sooner or later he will realize that divorce means parents leaving each other, and NOT parents leaving children". Often parents DO leave children too in a divorce. Most do not exactly mean too. It just "happens". They once lived at home with their children. Divorce happens and they remarry. They now see their own child every weekend or every other weekend, if they live nearby. But you have so many parents (and lets tell it like it is, and say fathers for the most part) who remarry someone, and he ends up seeing his children less and less. For many, many, many children...they only see their own father over summer break, and maybe a holiday or two , because he lives in another state, with his new wife and children. Or perhaps he does not live that far away, but his new wife gets upset when he brings his children to their house, and so the visits are dwindling down to lunch at mcDonalds or something. Yes, there are many that do their best to make the children feel a part of things...but there are many, many who don't...and you cannot pretend that does not happen in divorce. It simply does. Obviously not in every case, but in many, many divorces it does. Sadly. In regards to your comment about Dr. Laura Schlesinger...you have a woman who rubs many people the wrong way...and many times...I disagree with something she has said, or I think that her delivery is rude. However, I disagree with your comment that she is ignorant. She has spent her life talking to people (including children) who need guideance with problems. I believe that she has a unique view from talking to people for the last (I don't know...30 years) that few people have. Whether I agree or disagree with her...I would never call her ignorant. And I respect that she will stand up (alone) on something she believes in, and will NEVER buckle to popular opinion or views, like most people do. They go along with what ever they think will impress others. It takes courage to stand up...alone...and say what people do not want to hear. I respect that because we never see anyone willing to actually do it. And take the heat for what they said, without trying to rephrase it or make excuses or blame. To simply stand up and say that they believe something and not back down to the masses. How many are willing to do that? So ignorant? She is in no way ignorant. Controversial...absolutely.