Starting a Washingtonia from seed

[Fallen Munk]

On 8/4/2022 at 8:00 AM, Will Simpson said:

Wow , they grow fast . In 4 months mine went from blades of grass to real plants .

March 

Four months later :

 

 

That's impressive!  I have some that I germinated from seed two years ago that are just now getting to that size.

[DreaminAboutPalms]

On 8/4/2022 at 10:00 AM, Will Simpson said:

Wow , they grow fast . In 4 months mine went from blades of grass to real plants .

March 

Four months later :

 

 

How did they grow that fast? They need temps in 90’s and tons of sun to grow and you can’t be getting a lot of days like that in March April and May no?

[MSX]

10 month old.

Fertilized row vs unfertilized, no difference for now.

Red outside, green inside. but why?

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by MSX

[SailorBold]

That's amazing growth... awesome!

[MSX]

1 year old. First overwintering

Edited December 17, 2022 by MSX

[jwitt]

Nice cotton palms!

I like how you use the rocks.  

You had a question about the red on the petiole. The pic is from a native filifera stand near Palm Spring CA..

[MSX]

First crash-test

Snow

Freeze

 

 

Houston, we have a problem!

 

 

[DreaminAboutPalms]

Exposing to cold is best way to filter out the weaker specimens. I have held onto 8 specimens out of the ~100 I germinated, and after leaving them exposed to the elements this past freeze in December in the low teens 4 of the 8 have zero damage, 1 was nearly completed fried, 2 have varying about 50% leaf burn, and one just on the tips. 

[Chester B]

I’d be putting those potted ones under cover. Those are temps that can freeze the pot solid and that is almost certain death to any palm. 
 

Palms in pots aren’t nearly as hardy as those in the ground. 

[Arecaceus]

On 1/15/2023 at 7:21 PM, Chester B said:

I’d be putting those potted ones under cover. Those are temps that can freeze the pot solid and that is almost certain death to any palm. 
 

Palms in pots aren’t nearly as hardy as those in the ground. 

My first tought as well. But I actually did this to a seed grown filifera as well, which I later planted out. But not -14°C plus snow LOL. This winter I had a very small P. canariensis in a 11cm pot just forming its first split leaves outside during the cold spell in Western Europe Dec '22. It was covered and next to the wall but due to the duration of the frost it froze through. With all of that I bet it has seen temperatures down to at least -3/-5°C in a WET POT. It's not showing any damage yet. NONE! And it has seen enough warmth by now to show any damage. Still can't believe it! But it's one of two survivors of a formely very neclected community pot. The other P. canarienis has been planted out last year and protected (covered) during that cold. Also NO DAMAGE yet. If they actually make it into the summer... WOW!

[MSX]

On 1/17/2023 at 5:09 AM, Hortulanus said:

My first tought as well. But I actually did this to a seed grown filifera as well, which I later planted out. But not -14°C plus snow LOL. This winter I had a very small P. canariensis in a 11cm pot just forming its first split leaves outside during the cold spell in Western Europe Dec '22. It was covered and next to the wall but due to the duration of the frost it froze through. With all of that I bet it has seen temperatures down to at least -3/-5°C in a WET POT. It's not showing any damage yet. NONE! And it has seen enough warmth by now to show any damage. Still can't believe it! But it's one of two survivors of a formely very neclected community pot. The other P. canarienis has been planted out last year and protected (covered) during that cold. Also NO DAMAGE yet. If they actually make it into the summer... WOW!

I keep mines in a bone dry soil, regular soil from the future planting site. Watered last time in the mid-fall, and the snow we have is dry like dust, so there's almost no impact on soil moisture

Sun exposure after a polar night

Edited January 19, 2023 by MSX

[Arecaceus]

10 hours ago, MSX said:

I keep mines in a bone dry soil, regular soil from the future planting site. Watered last time in the mid-fall, and the snow we have is dry like dust, so there's almost no impact on soil moisture

Sun exposure after a polar night

I'm very pumped to see how it all worked out in spring. 👌

[MSX]

Potted & unprotected overwintering report : No survivors

Garage palms have been repotted & continuing in the second year of life

16 month old

[MSX]

1 year 7 month old

Mid-season condition

[Dwarf Fan]

MSX was the garage heated? If not was the low temp inside the garage where the survivors came from?

[MSX]

8 minutes ago, Dwarf Fan said:

MSX was the garage heated? If not was the low temp inside the garage where the survivors came from?

The garage is not heated and ins't insulated, so during the coldest nights we had to quickly insulate the doors using materials at hand to seal the space (blanets, foam sheets, that was funny as it strongly recalled "The Day After Tomorrow" lol), so with this setup the lowest temp inside was -5C(23F), luckily all potted stuff survived

[Dwarf Fan]

4 hours ago, MSX said:

the lowest temp inside was -5C(23F), luckily all potted stuff survived

Wow, that Filifera variety is lucky you guys were so vigilant well done!

[MSX]

Planting the first baby in its permanent location. First Washy from scratch is now ready to rocket!

[SM458]

Which Washingtonia are these?

[Colin1110082]

Maybe I should try these from seed 

[ChicagoPalma]

On 1/16/2023 at 6:09 PM, Arecaceus said:

My first tought as well. But I actually did this to a seed grown filifera as well, which I later planted out. But not -14°C plus snow LOL. This winter I had a very small P. canariensis in a 11cm pot just forming its first split leaves outside during the cold spell in Western Europe Dec '22. It was covered and next to the wall but due to the duration of the frost it froze through. With all of that I bet it has seen temperatures down to at least -3/-5°C in a WET POT. It's not showing any damage yet. NONE! And it has seen enough warmth by now to show any damage. Still can't believe it! But it's one of two survivors of a formely very neclected community pot. The other P. canarienis has been planted out last year and protected (covered) during that cold. Also NO DAMAGE yet. If they actually make it into the summer... WOW!

I've had a small date seedling surive 24F in a pot otuside

[MSX]

21 hours ago, SM458 said:

Which Washingtonia are these?

Washingtonia filifera 🚀

[MSX]

3 hours ago, Colin1110082 said:

Maybe I should try these from seed 

these are definitely worth trying, easy to germinate, fast growing

[SM458]

3 hours ago, MSX said:

Washingtonia filifera 🚀

I’m growing Filibusta. Stole more robusta seeds from work. 😅

 

[Ltapia]

10 hours ago, MSX said:

Washingtonia filifera 🚀

Do you have any of these seeds for sale?

[Leelanau Palms]

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/72408-washingtonia-filibusta-fayetteville-nc/?do=getNewComment

[MSX]

21 hours ago, SM458 said:

I’m growing Filibusta. Stole more robusta seeds from work. 😅

 

Stolen plants always grow better!

Be it filibusta, robusta or filifera, any of them infuse a garden with the California vibe!

[MSX]

13 hours ago, Ltapia said:

Do you have any of these seeds for sale?

Unfortunately I don't have any right now as I germinated all the seeds I had. But if you are in ABQ area check out this location 3905 Rayado Pl NEW ABQ NM 87114, the hardiest washies in your area grow there!

[Silas_Sancona]

14 hours ago, Ltapia said:

Do you have any of these seeds for sale?

Best place to obtain the purest filifera possible is straight from specimens near Palm Springs / Anza Borrego, or from CA native plant nurseries that offer seed from specimens in that area.

[Ltapia]

58 minutes ago, MSX said:

Unfortunately I don't have any right now as I germinated all the seeds I had. But if you are in ABQ area check out this location 3905 Rayado Pl NEW ABQ NM 87114, the hardiest washies in your area grow there!

Thanks yes I got seedlings from there I think there hybrids though lol .

[SM458]

2 hours ago, MSX said:

Stolen plants always grow better!

Be it filibusta, robusta or filifera, any of them infuse a garden with the California vibe!

Yup! 🤣 

I stole seeds from a shopping center for the hybrid, and my work property has pure Robusta. 

[MSX]

California fan palm & california pepper growing happily together

And these are getting ready for the next future project - a little ABQ: Washy & Sotols combo

[MSX]

Getting in size!

[Las Palmas Norte]

9 hours ago, MSX said:

Getting in size!

 

It would seem yours and mine have some similar characteristics.