Lytocaryum weddelllianum from seed

[Kai]

I wanted to start a topic on this for some time now, but never really got the time for it. As a working professional with two kids of respectively 3y and 4mth and a busy household, writing about my favorite palms and uploading some pictures to go with it, mostly gets last as priorities have be set. So this has been on my mind for quite some time.

So what happened?

Well, I was getting a little annoyed that seeds of my favorite palm species were allmost never available at the usual seed dealers, especially in the last few years. Even though I have a very nice adult plant in my living room, I felt a strong urge to germinate a batch of seeds again. I think many of you guys will understand this. I decided to search the forum for members who offered some seeds in the past. I ended up sending Len Geiger a PM, asking if his palms were seeding and if possible send me some. Of course I would cover all his expenses. Luckily for me Len was happy to help out and told me the flower stalks had to grow and mature. It would take a couple of months before seeds were ready, so I waited.

In the meantime I received a picture of the flower, around May 2015

I was delighted. Keeping detailed photo archives of most of my plants, the seeds forming on the flower stalk is a new and magical tough to the Lytocaryum album.

Around mid July 2015 I received another picture of the seeds ripening off. At seeing this picture I was jumping up and down in excitement.

In September I went on holiday and when I returned home on September the 23rd 2015, a thick envelope was lying on my doormat. I couldn't wait opening the envelope and when I did I found about 50 fat and round Lytocaryum seeds. They appeared extremely fresh and were all perfectly formed. I soaked them for a night in rainwater, but taken the freshness of the seeds into account this probably wasn't even nessecary.

Next I put the seeds on top of a barely wetted germination medium in a tray closed with a lid and put it on a shelf in my kitchen at room temperature (around 20 C).

October 1st 2015 I found the first few germinated seeds and germination continued for a month and half untill 100% germination was reached! I have never had seeds of this quality before!

After potting up the germinated seeds, it took some time before the first above ground growth was spotted. Around november and december many first spikes were emerging.

June 2016 the seedlings look like this:

I just love the way these little guys go pinnate at their 2nd leaf allready! By this time I had allready given away many seedlings to other palmnuts in the Netherlands. Also many people who initially never had any interest in growing a palm, were moved by my story on these plants and ended up asking me for one. Which I happily gave to them of course with detailed instructions on caring. I think that these seeds that Len sent me eventually sent a positive ripple through the palm-space continuum. You're the best Len! Thanks again!

 

 

[Pal Meir]

Very nice story!  Where does the mother tree stand? My babies don’t know where they come from …  And the last seeds I received in March 2013 weren’t fresh at all . Here some pics documenting their first growth (germinated between 2013-04-01 and 2013-05-08):

[PalmatierMeg]

Great story. Hope these seedlings grow well for you.

[Pal Meir]

And now 4 months later?

[Kai]

And now, 4 months later the seedlings have found their home in a small section of a mildly heated greenhouse. Together with some other palms from my collection.

The crate on the left contains the wedds. Sorry I don't have a better picture. Next time I visit my greenhouse section I will shoot some pics.

[User00]

On 12/13/2016, 9:32:55, Kai said:

And now, 4 months later the seedlings have found their home in a small section of a mildly heated greenhouse. Together with some other palms from my collection.

The crate on the left contains the wedds. Sorry I don't have a better picture. Next time I visit my greenhouse section I will shoot some pics.

nice green house,

[Kai]

Little ones getting larger...

 

[Pal Meir]

So it is 17 months old today, very nice!  – For comparison 3 of my Lyto wedds when they were 18, 15, and 12 months old (size of clay pots is Ø12xH12 cm):

[Kai]

On Thu Mar 2 12:56:16, Pal Meir said:

So it is 17 months old today, very nice!  – For comparison 3 of my Lyto wedds when they were 18, 15, and 12 months old (size of clay pots is Ø12xH12 cm):

Yes it looks like your Lyto's are at 17 months one leaf ahead of mine. This can probably be explained by a slight repotting setback as I repotted all my palms into the seramis pine bark mix.

[Pal Meir]

1 hour ago, Kai said:

Yes it looks like your Lyto's are at 17 months one leaf ahead of mine. This can probably be explained by a slight repotting setback as I repotted all my palms into the seramis pine bark mix.

Those 3 palms were also repotted in January 2014 from tiny Ø8xH9cm clay pots into Ø12xH12 cm ones. And in 2015 into Ø14.8x17.4 cm plastic containers and in Aug/Nov/Dec 2016 into even larger pots, always without any setback:

[Kai]

Today, many of the seedlings that I germinated from the seeds that I got from Len have found their way to other enthousiasts. These pretty little seedlings seem to appeal to even non-palmfreaks and have found their way even as far as Poland.

About 15 little plants remain part of my collection today and one of them has got me wondering as to what it exactly might be. All seeds came from the same infructence, so we might be talking about a hybrid or a natural occurring deviation. There's no way to be sure but anybody who wishes to comment and share expertise is very welcome in doing so.

Ok I won't leave you in the dark any longer, here are some photo's:

For comparison. The seedling on the left is a Lyto wedd I consider a normal one and the one on the right is the seedling I was talking about.

The way the leaves curl is what I consider to be very unlike Lyto wedd...

Even the 8th leaf is still not fully pinnate, which appears more Syagrus-like. Note: most Lyto wedd seedlings have their 2nd leaf fully pinnate, sometimes even their first leaf.

When Len sent me the seeds he told me there might be some hybrids (couldn't guarantee species purity) because he had at the time a floring queen and a L. hoehnei not too far away from the Lytocaryum.

What do you fellow palmtalkers think I might have here?

[susanv]

Kai....I am very interested in growing a weddles.   Do yu have seeds or plants for sale?   I know this rticle is from several years back, but I am hoping.....this is the most complete article I have found on the topic.