Where to find PURESTRAIN W. Filifera & W. Robusta Seeds?

[PalmNut22]

Hey guys,

I’ll be traveling to California soon and want to take the opportunity to gather seeds of both Washingtonia Robusta and Filifera, I’m after PURESTRAIN seeds only. I know it’s difficult to get pure seeds of either species due to their coexistence causing hybridisation but I am willing to ‘go hunting’ for them. I have read that you can do tours in the California desert to collect pure seeds of Filifera, and I’m also thinking of quickly going to Mexico to get pure Robusta seeds.

Does anyone know locations I can visit where either species are so far apart (including hybrids) that hybridisation is virtually impossible and I can get pure seeds? Willing to travel far for them.

Cheers guys

Edited March 18, 2018 by PalmNut22
Title ambiguous

[Darold Petty]

Anza Borrego State Park at Borrego Springs, California. This is east of San Diego.  An easy 1.5 mile hike from the parking lot to a beautiful, but small oasis of W. filifera.  I went about 6 weeks ago, there did not seem to be any seed at that time.  Perhaps others might know the time of year for mature seed?

Welcome to Palmtalk !     

[Silas_Sancona]

Can't speak for Anza Borrego itself but local W. filifera  start dumping seed sometime in late summer, early fall. Have noticed a few neighborhood specimens that still have seed on them atm.  
  Unfortunately, as id assume would be the case outside of habitat, ( like Anza Borrego) i'd doubt seed would be pure since both it and W. robusta flower/set seed at roughly the same time and are planted everywhere around town here.  Always know when seed is ready because Grackles drop seed of both sp. all over the yard, and in several potted things I keep under the Mesquite in that part of the yard at that time. I'm still finding seedlings popping up.

Never know, you might get lucky and find filifera specimens which still have seed on them during your visit to Anza. Regardless, you will enjoy the views, not all that hot yet either, an added bonus when hiking there.. or here..

[The Germinator]

There is an Oasis up in Joshua Tree National park that has naturally occurring filferas. It is called 49 palms and is just a short hike in once you park.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

49 palms is where a lot of my seed came from, but its the wrong time of year. 

[Josue Diaz]

There is a grove of filifera in Kern Canyon at the western terminus of the canyon. They occur on steep, rocky cliffsides. Bakersfield isn't too far away though, and there are washingtonia of both types planted everywhere there. 

[aztropic]

Like others have mentioned,it is the wrong time of year to collect washingtonia seeds.They are ripe and ready in the deserts usually early October.All the viable ones are already sprouting/growing or will be soon, as it warms up.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Josue Diaz]

This is a Google satellite view of the grove in the Kern Canyon.

[xvang01]

There are a groves of filifera line up on both side of kings canyons and peach street. 

[Tom in Tucson]

On 3/17/2018, 5:34:36, PalmNut22 said:

Hey guys,

I’ll be traveling to California soon and want to take the opportunity to gather seeds of both Washingtonia Robusta and Filifera, I’m after PURESTRAIN seeds only. I know it’s difficult to get pure seeds of either species due to their coexistence causing hybridisation but I am willing to ‘go hunting’ for them. I have read that you can do tours in the California desert to collect pure seeds of Filifera, and I’m also thinking of quickly going to Mexico to get pure Robusta seeds.

Does anyone know locations I can visit where either species are so far apart (including hybrids) that hybridisation is virtually impossible and I can get pure seeds? Willing to travel far for them.

Cheers guys

If you want pure (non-hybrid) seed of Washingtonia robusta, I think you'll either have to visit southern Baja California (canyons between Cabo and Catavina) or go to some canyons west of Guaymas, Sonora.

Pure Washingtonia filifera will be a whole lot easier to obtain. For the most part, native stands of both species do not come in contact with one another, and the advice given above concerning the California fan palm is probably accurate. My avatar is a photo of native palms growing in a grove in the southern Anza-Borrego state park. As far as the seeds from this grove are concerned, I collected them off the ground in April where they had fallen months before, and I got over 90% of fast germination from these seeds started the following June.

Good luck!

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