Germinating Old Seeds

[sonobeau]

Does anyone have any tried and true methods for getting old seeds to germinate that doesn't involve cutting the seeds open? What is the oldest seed you've ever successfully germinated and how did you do it?

[oasis371]

As far as I know, palms are not known for long time viability of their seeds.

[Fusca]

Tropical palms tend to have short viability.  Desert palms tend to have quite long viability.  The following links discuss a date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) that was germinated from a seed over 2000 years old!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judean_date_palm

https://www.jpost.com/Health-and-Science/Medicinal-date-palm-from-oldest-known-seed-planted

@sonobeau some of the palms that are commonly planted in your area are candidates for long-term viability.  Braheas and Washingtonias are good examples.  I have experienced germination of Brahea armata, Washingtonia filifera and even Sabal mexicana from seeds that I knew to be well over one year old (no idea of exact age) without any special treatment.  Other seeds like Acrocomia aculeata take a long time to germinate.  I have personally collected fresh seeds of Acrocomia aculeata which took 2½ years to germinate!  Braheas tend to take a long time to germinate also and can be 'de-lidded' by exposing the embryo to speed up germination by cutting, but it doesn't sound like you wanted to do that.  Washingtonias, even old seeds, tend to germinate quite rapidly and I've even seen some germinate in water during a 4 day soak prior to planting.

[Steve Mac]

On 7/18/2020 at 10:52 PM, sonobeau said:

"methods for getting old seeds to germinate that doesn't involve cutting the seeds open?"

Scouring seeds on sandpaper to thin the outside of the seed helps a lot of hard shelled seeds including palms.

Google, 'scarifying seeds'.

[Antti]

I've got 4 seeds of Caryota urens from EBaY a year ago, no one still germinated... suppose old and inviable ...