Sowing some rare rainforest seeds

[happypalms]

Some unusual and rare species of rainforest trees. The Eleocarpus no one has managed to propagate seeds in cultivation, so that one will be interesting to give a go and if I can propagate them it will be a first. And iam sure they will be asking how I did that! Some nice looking seeds and unusual shapes and colour. Palm seeds are just as unique but for now rainforest seeds are a welcome change. It will be an interesting science project this one set to challenge my horticultural skills! 

[Jonathan]

Looks like a good haul Richard. 

Elaeocarpus species are absolute buggers to germinate, I've only succeeded once with a single seedling of E obovatus, despite trying other species multiple times. Would love to know the secret to success...maybe feed 'em to the chooks!

[Dan64]

Good luck with them all! Hopefully you will be the first

[happypalms]

9 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Looks like a good haul Richard. 

Elaeocarpus species are absolute buggers to germinate, I've only succeeded once with a single seedling of E obovatus, despite trying other species multiple times. Would love to know the secret to success...maybe feed 'em to the chooks!

Apparently no one in Australia has been able to germinate the sedentarius not even the guru Hugh Nicholson, and if anyone could off one would think he would be able too and there are a lot of rainforest growers out there who know there stuff, it’s out of my league, I did read the dry composting technique for elaocarpus sp, so they are going into a dry peat mix. Time will tell. The Delarbria are my main interest I have had success with them before. 

[happypalms]

6 hours ago, Dan64 said:

Good luck with them all! Hopefully you will be the first

That’s the one luck and lots of it , very challenging species! 

[CLINODAVE]

Those look like great seeds, hope they all germinate well.  Which vendor did you acquire them from?

[happypalms]

4 hours ago, CLINODAVE said:

Those look like great seeds, hope they all germinate well.  Which vendor did you acquire them from?

I hope they germinate as well, the seeds where a gift from a friend who knows there plants very well. Truly some very rare hard to find seeds. Iam very grateful to receive such a gift! 

[Booyong ridge]

Elaeocarpus are not as difficult as people think. The key is patience. I've germinated a lot of Elaeocarpus kirtonii from the bunya mountains and it takes 2 years, sometimes 3 so never throw out the mix after potting up germinated seedlings. There's nothing special required, just stick them in a pot, chuck in the species tag and walk away.  

[happypalms]

On 4/3/2026 at 9:48 PM, Booyong ridge said:

Elaeocarpus are not as difficult as people think. The key is patience. I've germinated a lot of Elaeocarpus kirtonii from the bunya mountains and it takes 2 years, sometimes 3 so never throw out the mix after potting up germinated seedlings. There's nothing special required, just stick them in a pot, chuck in the species tag and walk away.  

You missed one key element patience, the rest I can live with! 

[PalmsandLiszt]

On 2/16/2026 at 8:53 AM, happypalms said:

The Eleocarpus no one has managed to propagate seeds in cultivation, so that one will be interesting to give a go and if I can propagate them it will be a first.

It's possible they are evolved to pass through the digestive tract of something or other first. And particularly in Australia, that something or other might well be some time globally or locally extinct.

[happypalms]

13 hours ago, PalmsandLiszt said:

It's possible they are evolved to pass through the digestive tract of something or other first. And particularly in Australia, that something or other might well be some time globally or locally extinct.

The tree still survives in the wild. There must some animal that eats the seed, it could be any sort of animal. But there have been many rainforest tree experts in Australia who would have tried many things. Most plants in cultivation are from cuttings!

[PalmsandLiszt]

On 4/14/2026 at 11:36 AM, happypalms said:

The tree still survives in the wild. There must some animal that eats the seed, it could be any sort of animal.

Nothing (usefully) eats/spreads Wodyetia, so far as I'm aware, but it still survives in a small range; likewise Voanioala (just). Brugmansia is another one. There are many examples of these. This Eleocarpus also has a small range, so could be a similar situation. No doubt there are animals that will eat the seeds of any species, but sometimes only one or two that will do so in a way useful to the plant. And sometimes this might account for seeds being difficult to germinate, but I'm idly speculating in this particular case.

Wishing you luck with germinating them, anyway!

[happypalms]

6 hours ago, PalmsandLiszt said:

Nothing (usefully) eats/spreads Wodyetia, so far as I'm aware, but it still survives in a small range; likewise Voanioala (just). Brugmansia is another one. There are many examples of these. This Eleocarpus also has a small range, so could be a similar situation. No doubt there are animals that will eat the seeds of any species, but sometimes only one or two that will do so in a way useful to the plant. And sometimes this might account for seeds being difficult to germinate, but I'm idly speculating in this particular case.

Wishing you luck with germinating them, anyway!

I would lean towards a cassowary eating the seeds, having that certain enzyme that the seed need to germinate. Or bats but they dispers the seed not eat it, it could even be ph related. Gosh knows but there have been many experts in the field of rainforest species try to germinate them.

[Dan64]

Maybe a diluted hydrochloric acid bath for a certain amount of time would do the trick to weaken the seed coating 

[happypalms]

On 4/17/2026 at 8:01 PM, Dan64 said:

Maybe a diluted hydrochloric acid bath for a certain amount of time would do the trick to weaken the seed coating 

Interesting solution, unfortunately playing with hydrochloric acid is not too my liking, but possible I suppose.