Pindo germination

[nexxogen]

Hello.

Does anyone have some advice on how to germinate butia capitata seeds? I have been unsuccessful so far. I crack the outer shell, pull the seeds out and put them in a moist coconut coir perlite mixture, but they never sprout. I have read that they require a temperature of 40C to sprout, but I wasn't able to provide them with that since I can't get a heat mat and it was spring when I tried sprouting them, so I couldn't use my heating system. Now it's winter and I can try and put them near my radiators, but I'd like to hear if anyone had success with sprouting these seeds.

 

[Tyrone]

Heat is the key and patience. They can take years to come up. A few this year, a few next year, a few the year after. 

My area is a little cool in summer for my the seed that falls off my tree to germinate in large amounts. However I sent about 400 seed off my tree to a friend in Port Hedland in the Pilbara region where 40C plus heat is very common in summer. The seed I sent him has gone berserk and germinated and growing like crazy. 

Now it's winter for you, just let your seed go back to room temperature and rest a bit. I'm certain they need to know what season they are in and a cooling period is good. Next summer give them all a good soak in water and find the hottest sunniest part of your yard and put them in a black pot, and bake that pot in the sun. Let the top of the soil dry out a little between watering then give em a good soak. These are a savannah land palm so that would mimic the hot sunny conditions with the occasional thunderstorm coming through and soaking them. Your seed should start to germinate then.

[Fusca]

I agree with Tyrone - patience is needed, heat and cool as well.  I did the same - cracked the hard shell in a vice and then set them in the refrigerator for a few weeks before planting since our winters can be pretty mild.  The heat got them going.  I've also obtained sprouted seeds from the old leaf boots of the mother tree which is much faster!

Jon

[Laaz]

I don't know how you have so much problem germinating butia. I don't even bother anymore. As I've said before, they germinate in the boots of the mother tree no problem. I just walk around my neighborhood & pull the seedlings from to boots of the parent trees.

 

[Tomas]

I wanted to experiment a bit with the delidding technique and collected some butia seeds. In this way they started to germinate in two three days at 25-30°C.

Edited December 29, 2018 by Tomas

[The Germinator]

Thanks for the hot tip Tomas. I have not been real successful with Butia seeds. I guess I did not wait long enough and figured the low germ rate was my fault. Time to flip the lid on these bad boys and give them another try. Laaz there is a local tree in Friendly Hills that has a volunteer growing out of one of the leaf bases.

[Laaz]

They are like sabals here, anywhere the seeds fall they sprout.