F1 Butiagrus Seeds are in stock

[Bigfish]

Hello Everyone,

I again have fresh, F1 Butiagrus seeds available as of right now.  Late last year, I found a yard in Gainesville with 3 Queens in it, and one of them is an absolute beast of a Queen.  So I met the owner and got permission to get the flowers whenever I needed them.  Until a couple of weeks ago, every cross I have made (with Syagrus romanzoffiana) this year has been from that one palm.  I don't make any claims about its hardiness, only to say that it's been through several fairly cold, zone 9a winters in Gainesville, FL.  It's a large, very robust palm that should make some outstanding hybrids.  

I'm also attaching some pictures of seeds that I cut into from the first few batches, as I check every batch for endosperm and embryo.  I've become pretty good at eyeballing a seed and telling whether or not it could be a stone (no endosperm or embryo) or not, but sometimes a stone or 2 slips through.  I'm quite OCD about my procedures also, but that doesn't guarantee that the occasional outcross might not happen.  

And here are my biggest seed parents (although I use several other Butia as seed parents also).

 

Here are a few 3 gallon Mules that are one year and 4 months old as of August 15, 2025.  They badly need repotting or to be planted in the ground.

 

10 seeds/ $25

50 seeds/$110

100 seeds/$185

500 seeds/$800

1,000 seeds/$1300

Shipping is $4.49 up to 100 seeds, then it will go up a little depending on weight.  PM me to order.  

Frank

 

 

 

[Bigfish]

I’m harvesting every week right now, so seeds are guaranteed to be FRESH!  Also, my two largest Butia have not stopped flowering yet this season.  I guess it’s because of the plentiful rain we have had.  So, I will be harvesting well into November, since each palm has another inflorescence coming behind these.  As always, I do some quality control on every batch to check for endosperm and embryo.  

[zero]

On 8/16/2025 at 1:55 PM, Bigfish said:

I found a yard in Gainesville with 3 Queens in it, and one of them is an absolute beast of a Queen.

Frank, that's great that you found and are using that queen!  Like you said you can't guarantee anything with hybrids but from what I have seen in Texas winters the queens with the thickest trunks usually fair better in the worst freezes.  Seems like using it would help gain cold hardiness.  🙂

[Bigfish]

More batches being cleaned weekly, including these last two I just cleaned and checked for endosperm and embryo yesterday.  They look great!

[Boca Palms]

Thanks for sharing your quality control technique. I'm going to have to check some of my seed batches.

Would you care to let us know how you clean your seeds? So far, my favorite way is to let the iguanas eat them; they leave a perfectly clean seed. Unfortunately, they don't like the seeds of most of my palms. So when I do it by hand, it's a pain.

 

Nick

[Bigfish]

Well, no iguanas here in N FL, LOL.  I use a drill with an extension rod and wire brush attachment.  Put the uncleaned seeds and a little water in a 7 gallon bucket and start whizzing.  Pour off the junk and repeat as necessary.  

I check at least a few seeds in every batch.  I have to know what I'm selling is good for my own peace of mind.  

15 hours ago, Boca Palms said:

Thanks for sharing your quality control technique. I'm going to have to check some of my seed batches.

Would you care to let us know how you clean your seeds? So far, my favorite way is to let the iguanas eat them; they leave a perfectly clean seed. Unfortunately, they don't like the seeds of most of my palms. So when I do it by hand, it's a pain.

 

Nick

 

[Bigfish]

For those of you who get frustrated with how long and sometimes difficult it can be to germinate Butiagrus seeds (I get frustrated too, LOL), I would just say don't give up on your seeds for at least 3 years.  I just found this one today in a box with seeds that I produced in 2023.  Check out the tiny size of the seed too!

 

[VA Jeff]

Frank, but you do have big hands though!

 

 

[Bigfish]

23 hours ago, VA Jeff said:

Frank, but you do have big hands though!

 

 

🤣

[Bigfish]

I kept some seeds and decided to germinate them myself.  I had a nice, sunny, warm New Years Day to pot up 86 newly germinated seeds.  About 8-9 of them are doubles, and there was one triple.  Nice way to start the new year!  I will probably be selling seedlings later this year, if anyone is interested in them.