Beautiful creature and lovely pics!
Here are two of our D. imperialis which is under glass and one of the
D. excelsa which is in the garden:
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...y/P1040521.jpg
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...y/P1040520.jpg
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...y/P1040518.jpg

The D. imperialis is quite a young one and does have buds at the top.
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

It's a good job that Ray is some distance behind the Imperialis in the
2nd pic
otherwise it would look as if you were going to give Jack and his bean
stalk a
run for his money.