Spotting the difference chamaedorea metallica male and female plants

[happypalms]

The metallicas are flowering so time to do the daily rounds. The first pictures are the male flowers the orange ones are nearly ready to collect the pollen. It’s a matter of catching them on the day to collect the pollen. The last picture is the female that’s not quite ready for pollinating. With a bit of daily observation I should be able to get a few seeds. I had good luck last season so time to try again. 

[Mazat]

1 hour ago, happypalms said:

The metallicas are flowering so time to do the daily rounds. The first pictures are the male flowers the orange ones are nearly ready to collect the pollen. It’s a matter of catching them on the day to collect the pollen. The last picture is the female that’s not quite ready for pollinating. With a bit of daily observation I should be able to get a few seeds. I had good luck last season so time to try again. 

Great, Richard 🤗

We are already looking forward to it happening here too 😃

[happypalms]

13 minutes ago, Mazat said:

Great, Richard 🤗

We are already looking forward to it happening here too 😃

If I can encourage others to do the same, then the world is a better place with palms in it and the more the better!

[Harry’s Palms]

I have nine C. Metallica in pots ( all in 2 pots ) . I usually get one or two seeds , and that has only occurred the last two years . Neither have sprouted …..yet. I noticed that the shortest plant in one of the pots was a female that just happened to get pollinated by one of the taller plants . I know that the chances are slim without intervention but I just let them do their thing for the last 30+ years . The shorter female looks like it will produce a quite few seeds . It is a volunteer after about 25 years of having these palms it just showed up . At that point I knew I had male and female plants . I am excited about the possibility of having seeds to germinate. Harry

[happypalms]

45 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I have nine C. Metallica in pots ( all in 2 pots ) . I usually get one or two seeds , and that has only occurred the last two years . Neither have sprouted …..yet. I noticed that the shortest plant in one of the pots was a female that just happened to get pollinated by one of the taller plants . I know that the chances are slim without intervention but I just let them do their thing for the last 30+ years . The shorter female looks like it will produce a quite few seeds . It is a volunteer after about 25 years of having these palms it just showed up . At that point I knew I had male and female plants . I am excited about the possibility of having seeds to germinate. Harry

I hope you get a few seeds after so many years of have the beloved Metallica volunteer that chose your garden to live in. Sydney botanical garden has a large group planting and there is the odd seeds in that group planting Mother Nature at her best.

Richard

[Harry’s Palms]

It is interesting to me that even with male/female present , some Chamaedorea don’t openly fruit , unlike Radicalis or Microspadix that are prolific as bunnies! Harry

[happypalms]

17 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

It is interesting to me that even with male/female present , some Chamaedorea don’t openly fruit , unlike Radicalis or Microspadix that are prolific as bunnies! Harry

I guess they need a certain insect or animal. Or a certain temperature perhaps in the home garden out of habitat it rains not enough. Many various reasons I guess. 
Richard