Cycas siamensis Dwarf seeds

[PalmatierMeg]

Do Cycas seeds sink or float when viable?

I have about 8 Cycas siamensis Dwarf seeds that I've tried to germinate for almost a year. They haven't done anything but sit there. Today I took them out of their pot - they still seemed to have some heft - and put them in a tub of water. Right now they are all floating but I am giving them overnight to hydrate. If they are no good I'll compost them.

[tropicalb]

while i don't consider myself an "expert"...they should sink...doubtful (but not impossible) that they will germinate at this point, but it's never a bad idea to just throw them in the yard...they come up sometimes!

also...while it is usually a good indicator when dealing with cycad seeds (especially encephalartos), the whole "if they sink they are viable" thing is not 100% true...and the opposite is also not 100% true...i've cut more than a few floaters that ended up having embryos in them.

Edited January 27, 2021 by tropicalb

[amh]

Don't throw them away yet, sometimes a germinating cycad seed will float.

Do they rattle and float?

I've had a few viable rattlers that sank, but I haven't had any good floaters.

 

[Paradise Found]

2 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Do Cycas seeds sink or float when viable?

I have about 8 Cycas siamensis Dwarf seeds that I've tried to germinate for almost a year. They haven't done anything but sit there. Today I took them out of their pot - they still seemed to have some heft - and put them in a tub of water. Right now they are all floating but I am giving them overnight to hydrate. If they are no good I'll compost them.

Palmatiermeg... are they the silver form? I like to try that one! 

[PalmatierMeg]

21 hours ago, Paradise Found said:

Palmatiermeg... are they the silver form? I like to try that one! 

Green

[Fusca]

On 1/26/2021 at 7:33 PM, Paradise Found said:

Palmatiermeg... are they the silver form? I like to try that one! 

I'm trying the silver form.  It was sold as Cycas sp. 'silver' which might be a different species.  No idea about the cold hardiness of it though, but it's just a germinated seed with one green leaf in a container and is supposed to be able to handle light freezes.  I wonder if anyone else is growing it and has any additional info?

[Paradise Found]

On 1/28/2021 at 11:03 AM, Fusca said:

I'm trying the silver form.  It was sold as Cycas sp. 'silver' which might be a different species.  No idea about the cold hardiness of it though, but it's just a germinated seed with one green leaf in a container and is supposed to be able to handle light freezes.  I wonder if anyone else is growing it and has any additional info?

I Think the  C. S. silver form is said to be hardy to 30F. I think starting out green is normal.  As far as hardiness goes, There might be better result from someone else. 

 I was planning on getting one cycad sp. silver too come spring.  It will be a potted cycad in my garden. 

[PalmatierMeg]

Out of 9 seeds, 1 sank and 8 floated