Last year my family and I visited Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey. This is one of the last remnants of great architecture left by the once glorious Ottoman Empire that spanned both Asia and Europe. In the courtyard where the sultans and his concubines used to frolick, I found an old cypress tree with an ancient grape vine growing through it. I am not sure about the correct Latin name of this type of cypress, but it may be Cupressus sempervirens, commonly found in Mediterranean area and in many Islamic art. I picked several "fruit/cones" from this tree and collected seeds from the dried cones (they smell divine). One of my friends is able to sprout some of these seeds for me, so I know they are viable.
I still have some seeds available for trade. If you are interested, please D-mail me and send me your Have-List.
L
