Regarding the clone/seed question
From Ecotree.net , who I find trustworthy for A poly info:
"Cross pollination produces seed which are heterozygous and variable in performance. Hybrid vigor of the F1 generation is very important to the continuance of the population of A.p. plants in their natural habitat and to assure the survival of the gene pool of plants cultivated in botanic gardens worldwide. The production of tissue clones will not produce the hybrids necessary for continuation of this species. I am pessimistic that the plant will continue in its natural habitat because the cross pollinator Malachite Sunbird was also rare back in 1977 when I surveyed the populations of A.p. Cloned plants are exact genetic copies and are all susceptible to the same set of cultural maladies which plague horticulturists worldwide; pests and pathogens that can kill your prized plant overnight. I suspect tissue cloned plants have slower growth and development in their early stages compared to hybrids. "
This care sheet is technical, but FASCINATING. Did you know A. Polys are Rightys and Leftys (i.e. some swirl left, some right), and can change their spiral pattern to accommodate the sun exposure? This is worth the read, I promise.
http://www.ecotree.net/Care&Cu...
Here is a pic of an A Poly covered in snow. This grower has been marvelously successful and has museum quality specimens, and lives in the UK.
