Butia species germination tips

[Ampli]

Hello everybody.

Hi have purchased some Butia seeds from the web and now I was wondering about the best and fastest way to get their germination.

As far as I know most of the Butia species (or perhaps all of them) needs temperature fluctuation for a good germination,

so I was thinking to use my home water boiler as a source of heat during the day (the mean temperature of the boiler cabinet is around 35°C) and then cooling the seeds down at 10-15°C on the balcony during the night.

As "sprouting" medium I'm going to use wet pure perlite.

What do the Butia expert think about it?

Is it going to work? Is the temperature too wide or with too high maximum and/or too low minimum temperatures?

Could this temperature regime be applicable to both the mountain species (B. Microspadix) and the cerrado ones?

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I have germinated about 1000 butia oradata and eriospatha seeds in the last two years. Prior to planting I soak the seeds in warm water for 5 days, changing the water each day and keeping the water at 85-90 degrees with a fish tank heater. I then mix peat and perlite and lay down 10" of medium and then place the seeds on top, then cover with 2" of additional medium. Keep the medium barely moist and about 85-90 degrees during most of the day and you will have fresh seeds germinate in as little as 12 days. They will continue to germinate for 4 months. These are very easy to germinate as they are very resistant to rotting.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

FYI - I have also kept the temperature a constant 85-90 degrees without it fluctuating and the seeds will still germinate in the same period of time.

[Ampli]

Hi Dynodaddy,

I have been doing more or less the some as you with all the Butia seeds,

but while this method was working quite well with Butia Odorata and Witeckii,

I haven't got any success with other species, such as B. Yatay, B, Eriospatha, B. Microspadix, B. Lallemantii etc...

Being sure that the seeds were very fresh, I suppose it was the sprouting method that was't working,

this is the reason because I've decided to try a method with a big temperature excursion.

[NorthFlpalmguy]

I let all my cleaned seeds(capitata) sit in the shed over the winter then soak for 7 days, coat in fungicide, and sow. You can also crack the endocarp for quicker germination, like 4-6 weeks. I don't use supplemental heat on mine in Fl heat, it's just not needed. They are slow germinators and there's not much you can do to speed it up besides some tricks to thin the endocarp. I use to germinate thousands per year.

Edited September 7, 2014 by bbrantley

[Brian F. Austin]

I just picked up a few dozen Butia (odorata?) fruit from a medium sized palm here in Austin.

I've been wanting to grow this one for awhile and am very happy I found some fruit. I've heard they take awhile to germinate, but I'm glad TxColdHardy says they can germinate within 2 weeks. I'll use the advice above to keep them at 85-90f.

 

[kinzyjr]

@TexasColdHardyPalms is right.  Heat is the key.