RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA seedlings

[TheMadScientist]

Thank You @Palm Tree Jim for allowing me a chance to germinate seeds from your donor palm in Dec. 2020.  I now know a couple of details why I failed.  Thank You to many other PT members for posting some of your germination details:  @Darold Petty, @pogobob, @Tassie_Troy1971 and all the members in New Zealand. The "SEARCH" function is so useful.  When members live close to the ocean and have shade they can rely on, you might be 20+ deg. F cooler than 45 miles north of Los Angeles & 45 miles inland from Ventura.  I was expecting 3 to 6 months to germinate.  The target temperature was 68 to 74 deg. F which isn't found anywhere outside here for months at a time.  Batch #1 was collected 5-27-2022, water soak over night and the RED fruit rubs off with fingers or scotchbrite pad, hydrogen peroxide bath for 10 to 15 minutes to minimize mold, peat moss/perlite moist mix in a community pot (2 liter plastic soda with 5 drain holes, top removed) then onto the garage floor.  Misting each day and in 8 weeks, the first seedling.  Over the next month, a total of 7 seedlings germinated.  Batch #2 was collected 7-8-2022, same process, same timeline, on the floor under the stairway/pantry but this time 22 seedlings germinated.  Potted up batch #1 to 20 oz. cups with drain holes (will lose the lower right in days).  I will hold off an additional month to re-pot batch #2.

BATCH #1

BATCH #2

Edited September 27, 2022 by TheMadScientist

[Palm Tree Jim]

Glad I was able to help and move this wonderful hobby forward.

[Jim in Los Altos]

The fruit just fall off my Rhopies and in two months there are dozens of seedlings coming up wherever the seeds had fallen and become somewhat buried. These are definitely high on the list of easy to sprout seeds. 

[Alexstudent]

so nice , did you use medical hydrogen peroxide ? i have just one at home that is 3% concetrated and i think one that is 6 percent concentrated, i allredy planted seeds a week ago. I also have fungicide , maybe it is the best just to use it ?

Thanks in advance, and your plants are gorgeous 😃

[TheMadScientist]

1 Qt. 32 oz. of 3% that I got from WalMart for $1.00.

[Tyrone]

On 9/29/2022 at 1:53 AM, Jim in Los Altos said:

The fruit just fall off my Rhopies and in two months there are dozens of seedlings coming up wherever the seeds had fallen and become somewhat buried. These are definitely high on the list of easy to sprout seeds. 

Yes I agree that they are easy germinaters. If you have fresh seed and the correct cool moist temps and conditions, within 6 months you’ll have almost 100% germination. 

[Foxpalms]

Here's two from the Scilly isles that are starting to make their first leaf.

[Jim in Los Altos]

1 hour ago, Tyrone said:

Yes I agree that they are easy germinaters. If you have fresh seed and the correct cool moist temps and conditions, within 6 months you’ll have almost 100% germination. 

I’ve had them sprout in hot afternoon sun drenched soil as well. During the summer I dropped a handful of R. baueri fruits in a small depression and just covered them with mulch to bid them and in two months about 50% had germinated in full hot sun but always moist soil. 

[UK_Palms]

14 hours ago, Foxpalms said:

Here's two from the Scilly isles that are starting to make their first leaf.

I haven’t even germinated any of the Tresco Rhopie seeds yet. I will start the process this weekend. I still need to work out locations to guerrilla plant them next year, or in 2024.

[Foxpalms]

22 minutes ago, UK_Palms said:

I haven’t even germinated any of the Tresco Rhopie seeds yet. I will start the process this weekend. I still need to work out locations to guerrilla plant them next year, or in 2024.

How fast do they typically take to get from this to 3 or 4 leaves. They will probably be hardier if they are a bit bigger.

[UK_Palms]

10 minutes ago, Foxpalms said:

How fast do they typically take to get from this to 3 or 4 leaves. They will probably be hardier if they are a bit bigger.

I have started some Chatham Island ones from seed before, with less than ideal results. It took about a year or so to get to 4 leaves. One is still growing, slowly. They aren’t going to be ready for planting until 2024 I think. Possibly 2025. We’ll have to see. How many did you germinate initially?

[Foxpalms]

7 minutes ago, UK_Palms said:

I have started some Chatham Island ones from seed before, with less than ideal results. It took about a year or so to get to 4 leaves. One is still growing, slowly. They aren’t going to be ready for planting until 2024 I think. Possibly 2025. We’ll have to see. How many did you germinate initially?

4 have germinated, two have a leaf starting to grow. The rest haven't. About 1/4th are germinating in the baggie method whilst the others are soaking in water.

Edited September 30, 2022 by Foxpalms

[UK_Palms]

4 minutes ago, Foxpalms said:

4 have germinated, two have a leaf starting to grow. The rest haven't. About 1/4th are germinating in the baggie method whilst the others are soaking in water.

Did you germinate all 500+ seeds mate? If so, you are going to have Rhopies coming out of your ears soon! 

[Tyrone]

9 hours ago, UK_Palms said:

Did you germinate all 500+ seeds mate? If so, you are going to have Rhopies coming out of your ears soon! 

You can never have enough Rhopies. 

[TheMadScientist]

Just walked in from potting up BATCH #2.  I did wait 1 month longer and this allows the roots to develop to nearly 6 inches for each of about 3 individual roots per palm.  Just found 5 tubs to hold 20 palm seedlings as I'm getting ready for a change of weather.....47 deg F will be the low tonight which should be OK to leave them outside.