Am I helping these Ceroxylon seeds along?

[JT in Japan]

These C. Quindiuense seeds have such a hard little shell that I thought I would help a few of them along. You can see in this first one I've cracked open that there's definitely something forming inside. I just wonder if it'll have the strength to pierce the shell and come out? I have 200 in a baggie with moist sphagnum moss, on a cool shelf. Has anyone tried something similar? Any success with C. Quindiuense?

JT

 

[Pip]

I didn't do that with the Ceroxylon Quindiuense seeds I germinated and I got 100% germination. I feel you should leave them alone and they will do what seeds do.

[JT in Japan]

30 minutes ago, Pip said:

I didn't do that with the Ceroxylon Quindiuense seeds I germinated and I got 100% germination. I feel you should leave them alone and they will do what seeds do.

How long did you give them, Pip? And did you also use the baggie method, with no underheat?

 

[Pip]

I did do the baggie method with heat mat but on top of the other baggies I had going at the same time. I waited about 4 months for them to germinate. I had Ceroxylon echinulatum germinating too but those weren't as successful about 50% but then I had a couple brown off once potted up. I gave one echinulatum away to another collector and have two seedlings for myself.

[palmfriend]

Hello JT,

two years ago I had ordered one small rps-package with Xeroxylon q. seeds (with about 12 or 13 seeds) and

used the same method as Pip (baggies with heat mat) and got all of them germinated within a few weeks.

No further assistance was necessary and they were all very healthy - no significant loss so far (maybe one or two plants in the meantime).

best regards

 

[JT in Japan]

1 hour ago, palmfriend said:

Hello JT,

two years ago I had ordered one small rps-package with Xeroxylon q. seeds (with about 12 or 13 seeds) and

used the same method as Pip (baggies with heat mat) and got all of them germinated within a few weeks.

No further assistance was necessary and they were all very healthy - no significant loss so far (maybe one or two plants in the meantime).

best regards

 

"A few weeks" sounds great, but I think mine will be closer to Pip's 4 months. I've had mine in a baggie for 5 weeks now. But seeing the inner development, maybe they'll start popping soon. Thanks for the feedback!

JT

[Ben in Norcal]

I have found these to be very easy germinators in baggies or soil.

[JT in Japan]

Well looky looky, I just checked my baggie    And the first au naturelle seed has sprouted. Woo hoo!

[palmfriend]

57 minutes ago, JT in Japan said:

Well looky looky, I just checked my baggie    And the first au naturelle seed has sprouted. Woo hoo!

That was fast! Congratulations!

PS: They are no troublemakers, they grow slowly but steadily.

best regards

[Hamal]

That is my experience as well. At room temperature, they sprout within a week or two and at a really good rate, almost 100% depending on their age I guess. At higher temperature or with a heat mat, it takes longer or they do not sprout at all.

[richnorm]

On 1/28/2017, 2:19:27, JT in Japan said:

These C. Quindiuense seeds have such a hard little shell that I thought I would help a few of them along. You can see in this first one I've cracked open that there's definitely something forming inside. I just wonder if it'll have the strength to pierce the shell and come out? I have 200 in a baggie with moist sphagnum moss, on a cool shelf. Has anyone tried something similar? Any success with C. Quindiuense?

JT

 

Do not do that! 

[JT in Japan]

13 hours ago, richnorm said:

Do not do that! 

Sorry Richnorm, no empty scolding allowed here. I'm not a child (I'm not I'm not I'm not I'm not I'm not!). I need reasoning and facts, even alternative ones.

;-)

[richnorm]

9 hours ago, JT in Japan said:

Sorry Richnorm, no empty scolding allowed here. I'm not a child (I'm not I'm not I'm not I'm not I'm not!). I need reasoning and facts, even alternative ones.

;-)

If you are lucky enough not to crush the embryo you will at least send out a million invites to a fungus party! But seriously, carefully done, de-lidding is a valid technique for difficult seeds and widely discussed on this forum.  However on a scale of difficulty of 1-100, Ceroxylon quindiense would be close to 1 when fresh.  Good luck! 

[JT in Japan]

3 hours ago, richnorm said:

If you are lucky enough not to crush the embryo you will at least send out a million invites to a fungus party! But seriously, carefully done, de-lidding is a valid technique for difficult seeds and widely discussed on this forum.  However on a scale of difficulty of 1-100, Ceroxylon quindiense would be close to 1 when fresh.  Good luck! 

Good feedback. Thanks. I didn't think of the fungus, but it was interesting to peer inside and see the formation going on. I only did three seeds in the press, so I think the batch is safe.

JT

[Plantasexoticas]

My ceroxylon quindiuensis and ceroxylon parvifrons seeds have just arrived so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see how you get on. I'm treating mine the same as my juanias for the time being - at room temperature 15-20 celcius - unless I see better methods.

[Plantasexoticas]

Did you give the seeds any prior treatment? I'd given mine a short soak then straight into moist well drained soil.

[JT in Japan]

15 hours ago, Plantasexoticas said:

Did you give the seeds any prior treatment? I'd given mine a short soak then straight into moist well drained soil.

I soaked mine for about four days, then in a bath of bleach-water for about an hour. They've been in a Baggie ever since. I've peeked, and there are dozens now peaking their little pale nubs out of their shells. Too s ion to bring them out of the Baggie for a photo shoot though...

jt

[JT in Japan]

Quick update: as of today, after app. 6 months in Baggie of sphagnum moss, I potted up 120 sprouts, of 200. Not bad germination rates.