I tried the following during August 2010: Obtain seeds as fresh as possible. Remove the reddish aril (aril was quite oily) completely by washing with water and gentle rubbing. File a small area of seed (black/dark brown) with an emery board. Soak in water approx. 2 hours. Mix 2 parts multipurpose compost and 1 part sharp sand. Fill clear colourless plastic pots (has layer of grit at the bottom) with compost. Water the compost and allow water to drain from the bottom of pot, Make a hole (about 1cm-cube or approx size of seed) at the edge of the compost with the pot, put seed in and cover with compost. Stretch clingfilm over the top of pots and tie with rubber band. Put pots on foil-lined tray to reflect light and in sunniest spot in the house. I watered sparingly from the base of pot after planting if the compost looked dry. After 32 days I had 1 (of 12 seeds) germinated. I found it useful to read this article (found it by google) Revista Arvore Print version ISSN 0100-6762 Rev. Arvore vol.28 no.3 Vicosa May/June 2004 doi: 10.1590/S0100-67622004000300002 "Seed germination and removal of Michelia champaca L. (Magnoliaceae) in eucalypt stands: the influence of the aril" "Germina��o e remo��o de sementes de Michelia champaca L. (Magnoliaceae) em talh�es de eucalipto: influ�ncia do arilo" by Giovano Candiani, Mauro Galetti and Victor Jose Mendes Cardoso

Flower: I forgot to mention the sweet Olive.... it is the best I just love it, I go out on my patio and front porch and have to smell it every time.. it is the most beautiful sweet scent of apricots, I have 4 that are blooming right now and it's so different from any other plant I ever smelled, I ordered a synthetic oil on ebay and put it all over my house on flat cotton wipes, I even put it in the vents of my heater, it is really nice. I have 4 michelia figos that all have buds on them, they smell like very sweet ripe bananas. I also love the smell of honeysuckle, I bought a couple six packs of ground cover honeysuckle and planted them in hanging pots near my patio door, I think it will be a wonderful waft when they all come into bloom. I can hardly wait to smell them, this is my first season with all my fragrant plants. If your just getting started on fragrant plants be careful it's very very addicting but fun!!!! My other most favorite is brugmansia (Angel Trumpet), they are absolutely THE BEST! The differnt colors vary in fragrance, some smell a strong honey vanilla, others smell like a sweet lemony citrus, and another smells like a white flower scent like jasmine with the honey also. They are wonderful only smell at night, I have about 7 now and growing more, the ones by my front door smell my whole living room up when the door is open on a warm evening. So..... enjoy!!!!!! P.S. brugmansia's are very easy to root from a cutting....just stick it in water for a few weeks and stick it in the ground, they grow like weeds.

Hi dho1655 - your tree look well established so I don't think you have to worry. Here in Southern California, I've seen both Michelia Alba and Michelia Champaka trees hard pruned and it bounced right back with gusto. However, if the tips are turning brown, you should trim it so that it won't continue further downward. Please do keep us posted of your progress. Kasie

Aloha Steve, Well, Wally's World (Walmart) seems to have cleaned up their act so I'm considering lifting my personal boycott of them. I've been through their garden area several times lately and not heard a single frog peep. The webbed stowaway in question is the coqui frog from Puerto Rico which is very invasive and spreading across the islands. It makes a really loud noise at night and they multiply in incredible numbers so if your area gets infested with them it is hard to sleep at night. I'm considering getting another invasive species, the Jackson chameleon established in my area so if the frogs do move in hopefully the chameleons will eat them. Maybe guinea hens too. They are used in places on the mainland when there is a tick infestation. Coqui frogs are about the size of your thumbnail and don't need water to breed so once they get established they are really hard to get rid of. The assistants at our local stores are extrememly friendly and as helpful as their sometimes limited database will allow them to be. It's just the little extras, such as the frogs, that I object to.