Judean date palm 2005, before knowing the gender of the palm tree, Dr. Solowey was hoping that it would turn out to be female, for which there was a 50% chance, because that would have allowed it to give fruit; on the contrary, "if it's a male, it will just be a curiosity." Methuselah flowered in March 2011 and is male. As of 2012, there were tentative plans to crossbreed the palm with what was considered its closest extant relative, the Hayani date from Egypt, to generate fruit by 2022. By 2015 Methuselah had produced pollen that has been used successfully to pollinate
Easter palm life, and rebirth. In time, the willow was adopted as a symbol by Christians in Poland. Easter palm An Easter palm (, ) is a traditional Polish and Lithuanian symbolic decoration associated with Palm Sunday. Barbara Ogrodowska states that the ceremonial palm branch is the "most important attribute" of Palm Sunday in Poland. Communities of Polish emigrants, such as those in the United States, observe the tradition of making of Easter palms as well. Traditionally, Easter palms are prepared on Ash Wednesday, from willow branches (with catkins). As palm trees are not indigenous to Poland, willow branches serve as symbolic