Today the first lot of palm seeds I've ever ordered arrived from rare palm seeds. I really have no idea how to go about getting these little things to germinate. The seeds chosen for my initial try include.

Dypsis pilulifera

Dypsis carlsmithii

Beccariophoenix alfredii

Ceroxylon echinulatum

Ceroxylon quindiuense

The directions say if the seeds appear dry soak the seeds in warm water for up to three days. What is the best way to go about go about this?

Pip, when did you place your order? Did it take months to get like the rest of us?? let us know. a lot of us are frustrated with the huge delay in shipping.

I use a germination heat mat set at 85F to warm a bowl of water and I change the water daily. I have great results.

I placed the order on 10th of January they arrived today so that would be about a month. I was wondering when they would arrive.

I don't actually have a heat mat.

Most of the seeds I have gotten from RPS have done very well. I soak them for a day or two in water, in a cup, then put them in zip-lock

bags with damp, but not wet, peat. I do live in a very and constant warm place. I keep them near the ceiling in my garage, with

windows closed and reisidual heat from my truck, It stays in the 80's all the time and close to 90 all day during the summer months.

The big problem I have had is when they are seedling size. They can dampen off and rot. Even in pots in my front yard. Survival of the

fittest I suppose. Have yet to perfect this phase of seedling life. Of course Pritchardia have done the best and that is to figured on considering

where I live.

aloha and good luck.

Good Luck with those Phil, it is always exciting receiving a RPS package!

Good luck with them mate You're gonna need a heat mat for the first three kinds, imo for the Ceroxylon spss timing is almost ideal for a 'natural germination'.

Pip, when did you place your order? Did it take months to get like the rest of us?? let us know. a lot of us are frustrated with the huge delay in shipping.

I use a germination heat mat set at 85F to warm a bowl of water and I change the water daily. I have great results.

Pip - the are pretty darn reasonable price wise. With such a small lot of seeds, its almost a no brainer.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MT10006-19-1-2-Inch-Seedling/dp/B0001WV010

Baggie method works very well. The heat pad keeps the seedlings tender roots toasty warm after germination.

I'm wondering if Ceroxylon are fine from you

there are of Ceroxylon in australia?

Pip I use a bottom heat tray which I purchased from a hydroponic shop.

Pip, when did you place your order? Did it take months to get like the rest of us?? let us know. a lot of us are frustrated with the huge delay in shipping.

I use a germination heat mat set at 85F to warm a bowl of water and I change the water daily. I have great results.

Dang Josh, I have been experimenting lately on germination in water. Inspiration gave me the texture of mesocarp of some fruits from palms originating from areas with dry summer, such as Chamaerops and Brahea. The fruits-interior of those spss are very fibrus and fairly dry. They ripe by fall and surprise, surprise when late fall and winter bring with it decent rainfall those fruits absorb water like sponges and swell, but they do not rot (outdoors in the fresh air of course). So I thought that those fruits were destined to be used as water storage for the coming spring and summer with germination temperatures! Previously I had noticed despite all information, about how inhibitng to gemination can be fruit's flesh, how easily germinated naturally outdoors in my garden many Livistona chinensis seeds within the fruits fallen beneath and around mother tree.... So I thought further that letting such seeds germinate in the water may simulate the natural way. I had success with Chamaerops and Brahea armata and Serenoa but zero success with Arecastrum, Chamaedorea, Phoenix and Brahea moorei. Only that first successful seeds germinated in room temperature with its natural fluctuation. Then came winter and I placed all other seeds in my propagator set at 95F, but those seeds in water were refusing to germinate. Now you gave me the information a lower germination temperature (29.5 C). I will definitely give another shot.

if you don't have a heat mat, or cannot get one, you can convert a fish tank and aquatic heater for the same purposes. fill the tank with only a few inches/cm of water, set the heater in the water, and position your trays or baggies so that they are partially submerged. if you seal the top of your tank this adds additional humidity if desired.

Thanks for your encouragement.

As it is summer and still fairly hot today the forecast top is supposed to reach the 41c a cool change is on its way the top temperatures rest of the week will be somewhere between 29c to 36c. I think if I soak the seeds in cups in my laundry which is the only room in my house that isn't air conditioned that should be ok without a heat mat. I do have a fish tank but since fish live in it that is not an option. I'll just have to get myself to a hydroponic shop some time soon. I know Ceroxylon sp. don't require and resent heating.

Good luck Pip. I too have a germination mat and seedling tray similar to the one Moose posted with controllable humidity and it works great for small batches.

Seeds are now soaking. Heat mat organised. While the seeds soak I need to organize tje germination media. I found this stuff at the very back of my garden stuff cupboard.

will this product do or should I use something else?

YES and NO! I would not use it exclusively, especially if I could not assure constant airtightness of container and total sterilization of seeds... or at least I would not use it as such for the spss, which reputedly rot (the seeds) easily, for example in this particular case the Ceroxyla.

Edited February 14, 201511 yr by Phoenikakias

I bought small bags of peat moss and vermiculite today while out at the shops. When I got home I unpacked the groceries but left the propagation media at the bottom of the stairs. Out of mind and out if sight.

Went over to my parents place for dinner and came home to this.

The culprits

One day I'll learn to not leave such tempting things out that. One whole five litre bag of peat moss all over the floor and up the stairs. Dave did name them the Borzoi of Doom. Certainly living up to that title.

Very usual, do not blame the dogs ha, ha, ha!

I bought small bags of peat moss and vermiculite today while out at the shops. When I got home I unpacked the groceries but left the propagation media at the bottom of the stairs. Out of mind and out if sight.

Went over to my parents place for dinner and came home to this.

20150215_190839.jpg

20150215_190925.jpg

20150215_190902.jpg

20150215_190819.jpg

The culprits

20150112_172316_20150215200409056.jpg

One day I'll learn to not leave such tempting things out that. One whole five litre bag of peat moss all over the floor and up the stairs. Dave did name them the Borzoi of Doom. Certainly living up to that title.

about 2 weeks ago,

while I was in the garden watching my plants sprouted this summer,

one of my 3 dogs wanted to play with me

is jumped roofs lean against,

and made me fall 2 small chamaedorea Ernesti-augusti

completely broken!dead

while no one can tell me

if there are Ceroxylon in australia?

Sometimes we have to tolerate some deviation by our beloved companions.

There are a few people from Australia who post on threads regularly on palm talk who say they have Ceroxylon of some kind. For me this germination project is really new I usually just buy a young plant and plant it. The only experience I've had with growing plants from seed is in my vegetable garden and a few flowering anual. So I'm more concerned weather I can actually get a few palm seeds to germinate than weather my species selection is suitable for my region. I chose Ceroxylon because I garden in a Mediterranean climate with mild usually wet frost free winters and warm to extremely hot summers although nights are normally cool down a bit. I figured that if I was successful germinating amd then raising I few Ceroxylon sp. I could offer my surplus to the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden in the Adelaide Hills so they could be added to the South American section. I think keeping Ceroxylon moist enough will be my biggest challenge then protecting the young palms from hot winds.

Pip,

how does it works with the customs to get seeds into Australia?

Do you require an import permit, or is everything done by RPS?

RPS does all the work. I believe all that has to be done is that the seeds need to be labeled. I don't actually know anything more but I have a friend who works in bio security I could find out.

Pip, Australian customs have a list of Palm seed allowed to be imported in . It they are not on the list customs will confiscate them. I learnt this the hard way. Do not rely on rare Palm seeds to tell you.

Pip, Australian customs have a list of Palm seed allowed to be imported in . It they are not on the list customs will confiscate them. I learnt this the hard way. Do not rely on rare Palm seeds to tell you.

Obviously I chose the right species then. I think it also depends on where the seeds are coming from.

So, if I buy seeds of a new discovered species, they are going to be confiscated for sure!?!?!

Do you guys know where is possible to find this list???

If seeds are sent from another EU-country, you do not have to worry about this. I suppose that any existed legal restriction is applied only on the first import in the EU.

All this talk about what can or can't be imported to wherever is interesting but really the purpose and reason of this thread in to help people such as myself who haven't ever tried to germinate their palm seeds before.

At this stage I've mixed the seeds with moist but not soggy 50/50 peat moss and vermiculite sealed in individually labeled zip locked bags. The bags are now inside a styrofoam box waiting for the heat mat to arrive via the post.

Some seeds germinate surprising quick and others can be over a year. It is exciting when you finally see them germinate. Good luck.

I usually sow all my palm seeds in coco peat in a zip lock bag.

Then I just wait...

It usually work quite well, the only problem is for species from arid area with hard shell seeds, they need more time and/or a heat source to sprout.

Cheers