Meryta sinclairi

[Motlife]

12 hours ago, Than said:

I bought Merita seeds from a NZ seller a year back. He told me he had just harvested them. None sprouted. I was so disappointed. 

That's a real shame. I germinated some when I saw seeds on a tree once a few years ago and they came up easily, so it was probably a bad batch of seeds. They take from cuttings pretty well too I've found, if you know of any trees nearby. There's quite a cool variegated cultivar available here now at nurseries too that it would be good to expand the market for. 

[Than]

14 minutes ago, Motlife said:

That's a real shame. I germinated some when I saw seeds on a tree once a few years ago and they came up easily, so it was probably a bad batch of seeds. They take from cuttings pretty well too I've found, if you know of any trees nearby. There's quite a cool variegated cultivar available here now at nurseries too that it would be good to expand the market for. 

I wish I could get some fresh seeds again. Such a stunning plant!!

[Jonathan]

40 minutes ago, Motlife said:

That's a real shame. I germinated some when I saw seeds on a tree once a few years ago and they came up easily, so it was probably a bad batch of seeds. They take from cuttings pretty well too I've found, if you know of any trees nearby. There's quite a cool variegated cultivar available here now at nurseries too that it would be good to expand the market for. 

Wait...what? I've tried cuttings so many times off my trees with zero success, I even tried air layers, which callused up really well but refused to grow roots.

Do you have a specific method that works? I'd love to be able to propagate these...both my trees flower profusely but must be the same sex as I  never get any fruit. 

Cheers!

[Than]

54 minutes ago, Motlife said:

That's a real shame. I germinated some when I saw seeds on a tree once a few years ago and they came up easily, so it was probably a bad batch of seeds. They take from cuttings pretty well too I've found, if you know of any trees nearby. There's quite a cool variegated cultivar available here now at nurseries too that it would be good to expand the market for. 

Just bought a variegated Meryta sinclairii "moonlight"! I can't believe I found one and only specimen in a European nursery! It wasn't cheap but oh well! I'll show you photos when it arrives.

[Motlife]

4 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Wait...what? I've tried cuttings so many times off my trees with zero success, I even tried air layers, which callused up really well but refused to grow roots.

Do you have a specific method that works? I'd love to be able to propagate these...both my trees flower profusely but must be the same sex as I  never get any fruit. 

Cheers!

Haha my method was have my kids break a small branch off, then pop it in a pot with some soil and leave it in the shade just in case. Maybe I was just very lucky?! It was a rather short thin branch from low on the tree with smaller leaves, maybe that helps? I can't quite remember what time of year it was, maybe spring? I didn't put it on a heat pad or even inside, just in the south side of the house in an area with shade cloth over it. Our climates are nearly the same so I don't see why that wouldn't work the same for you... 

[Motlife]

4 hours ago, Than said:

Just bought a variegated Meryta sinclairii "moonlight"! I can't believe I found one and only specimen in a European nursery! It wasn't cheap but oh well! I'll show you photos when it arrives.

Nice, pretty sure that's the cultivar available here I was talking about. Hope it grows great for you! They're not cheap here either, hence why I haven't bought one, over $100 nzd (maybe 55eur) for a plant a bit over 1m tall. 

[Than]

4 hours ago, Motlife said:

Nice, pretty sure that's the cultivar available here I was talking about. Hope it grows great for you! They're not cheap here either, hence why I haven't bought one, over $100 nzd (maybe 55eur) for a plant a bit over 1m tall. 

It was actually a bit more expensive than that + shipping but I have been looking for one for a couple of years now and this is the first time I find one so... I knew someone would snatch it soon if I didn't!

I hope our dry heat won't kill it in the summer. We get 42-44 C some days and humidity on those days can be 20%...

[Jonathan]

9 hours ago, Motlife said:

Haha my method was have my kids break a small branch off, then pop it in a pot with some soil and leave it in the shade just in case. Maybe I was just very lucky?! It was a rather short thin branch from low on the tree with smaller leaves, maybe that helps? I can't quite remember what time of year it was, maybe spring? I didn't put it on a heat pad or even inside, just in the south side of the house in an area with shade cloth over it. Our climates are nearly the same so I don't see why that wouldn't work the same for you... 

Hilarious! I might need to get my kids to have a crack at it...though they're probably too old for that kind of magic now. You've inspired me though, I'll give it another crack. Cheers!

[Motlife]

8 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Hilarious! I might need to get my kids to have a crack at it...though they're probably too old for that kind of magic now. You've inspired me though, I'll give it another crack. Cheers!

Good luck! Maybe bring a friends toddler around to your place, perhaps that's the only way! 

[Than]

Here she is!