Queen Palm and Butia seed

Germination Techniques

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Dean W.
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Queen Palm and Butia seed

Post by Dean W. » Sat Feb 12, 2011 1:47 pm

Hello gang, yesterday I got some Queen palm and Butia seeds. I soaked for a day in room temp water. Today I gently filed the seeds outer shell. I couldn't find any white inside the Queen Palms and didn't file the Butia. I will soak them several days.
Queen Palms seeds...
Image
After filing a bit...
Image
Butia seeds...
Image



Cameron_z6a_N.S.
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Post by Cameron_z6a_N.S. » Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:38 pm

Hi Dean,

Near the end of this page it shows the location of the queen palm embryo:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php ... 20844&st=0

good luck!
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... /71601.gif" alt="Click for Shearwater, Nova Scotia Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />

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Dean W.
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Post by Dean W. » Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:42 pm

Thank you, Cameron! Wow! No wonder I couldn't find it. It almost all shell. I even used a hack saw to a point. Stopped short of cutting one in half.

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Sat Feb 12, 2011 7:12 pm

I had no idea that half-woody seeds like that Queen would still be viable -- thought the whole inside (wall to wall) had to be fleshy white.

Thanks Cameron...just think of the seeds we've tossed in the past ( :| where is that dumpster?) :lol:

Barb
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... anguage=EN" alt="Find more about Weather in Vernon, CA" width="160" />


If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

lucky1
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Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:31 pm
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Post by lucky1 » Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:28 pm

That brown inside the seed pic on Cameron's link reminded me of this.

Pic half way down page, right side, which says "...showing ruminate endosperm intruded by light brown testa".
http://www.virtualherbarium.org/palmres ... .html#Endo

OK, I'm lost.

Does that mean it's a good--or bad--seed? :angry7:

Barb
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... anguage=EN" alt="Find more about Weather in Vernon, CA" width="160" />


If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

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Dean W.
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Post by Dean W. » Sat Feb 12, 2011 8:47 pm

That link makes it quite clear. :lol: I'm an amateur.

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Dean W.
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Post by Dean W. » Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:40 am

They went into containers yesterday.
Image

lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:31 am

Dean, to prevent the seeds drying out, I suggest pushing the Queens down a bit into the perlite, slanting the pointed end up a little bit.
Whether germination occurs at the "dotted end", or somewhere along its length, the seed remains hydrated because almost the entire seed length is in contact with the dampish perlite.

Some Queen seeds look like they're just laying on top.
Your Butia seeds look almost perfectly placed.

A light misting will then be all that's needed to keep them hydrated versus pouring water on them.
They'll pop in no time with bottom heat. :bounce:

Barb

Edit: DUH! Forgot seed placement example pic:
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/522 ... 2913d9.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSC04157" />
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... anguage=EN" alt="Find more about Weather in Vernon, CA" width="160" />


If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

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Dean W.
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Post by Dean W. » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:34 am

Barb,

Thanks for the help. I'll put a little perlite on top of them. They had a little mold problem and I treated with peroxide 3%.

Cameron_z6a_N.S.
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Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Post by Cameron_z6a_N.S. » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:45 am

Nice work!
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... /71601.gif" alt="Click for Shearwater, Nova Scotia Forecast" border="0" height="60" width="468" />

zomble
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Post by zomble » Mon May 16, 2011 2:00 am

Does that mean it's a good--or bad--seed?
This site may be helpful to newbies to seed germination, me Included :thumbleft:

Its got graphic as well as text.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/cycads_2155_67288084

lucky1
Arctic Palm Plantation
Posts: 11325
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:31 pm
Location: Vernon BC, Zone 5a or 5b (close to 6A!)

Post by lucky1 » Mon May 16, 2011 3:44 pm

Hi there Zomble, welcome aboard!
Looking forward to hearing about all your palm trials and tribulations.

Thanks for that great seed floater/soldier link pic.
Hadn't seen that before.
What is described certainly makes sense.

Too bad some of my dead seeds are now in the compost :|

Barb
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... anguage=EN" alt="Find more about Weather in Vernon, CA" width="160" />


If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

zomble
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Joined: Sun May 15, 2011 12:08 pm
Location: Location: Lancashire - England

Post by zomble » Tue May 17, 2011 1:12 am

Hi to you to and thanks,

I was never lucky with palm seed sowing, some make it sound easy others like me struggle so I gave up...temp because..

:D :D

I went and ordered some Butia capitata yesterday.

I always heard/read that seeds that float are dead seed and that its the weight that makes them sink. The ones I had brought back from a holiday (CIDP) were very fresh but even then odd ones floated when I washed them before storing to bring home. The floaters I threw away.

Like you I threw mine in the recycle too.

lucky1
Arctic Palm Plantation
Posts: 11325
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:31 pm
Location: Vernon BC, Zone 5a or 5b (close to 6A!)

Post by lucky1 » Tue May 17, 2011 10:29 am

zomble,
it would be helpful if you added your zone/city to your Profile.
That way we know what conditions (growing & weather) you and your palms are going through without having to ask each time.

Just a suggestion.
Barb
<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... anguage=EN" alt="Find more about Weather in Vernon, CA" width="160" />


If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.

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